[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2719 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2719

 To ensure public access to the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain in the 
    Hanford Reach National Monument for educational, recreational, 
         historical, scientific, cultural, and other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 1, 2011

  Mr. Hastings of Washington introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To ensure public access to the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain in the 
    Hanford Reach National Monument for educational, recreational, 
         historical, scientific, cultural, and other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rattlesnake Mountain Public Access 
Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Hanford Reach National Monument is public land that 
        belongs to the American people.
            (2) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service's 
        Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the Monument 
        restricts public access to large portions of the Monument, 
        including the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain.
            (3) Public access to Rattlesnake Mountain is important for 
        educational, recreational, historical, scientific, and cultural 
        purposes.
            (4) Rattlesnake Mountain reaches an elevation of 3,660 feet 
        above sea level--the highest elevation of the Monument, and 
        provides unparalleled scenic views over the Monument, the 
        Hanford Site, and the Columbia River.
            (5) Public access to Rattlesnake Mountain will increase 
        tourism interest in the Monument and will provide economic 
        benefits to local governments.

SEC. 3. ENSURING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE SUMMIT OF RATTLESNAKE MOUNTAIN IN 
              THE HANFORD REACH NATIONAL MONUMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall provide public 
access to the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain in the Hanford Reach 
National Monument for educational, recreational, historical, 
scientific, cultural, and other purposes, including--
            (1) motor vehicle access; and
            (2) pedestrian and other nonmotorized access.
    (b) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary of the Interior may 
enter into cooperative agreements to facilitate access to the summit of 
Rattlesnake Mountain--
            (1) with the Secretary of Energy, the State of Washington, 
        or any local government agency or other interested persons, for 
        guided tours, including guided motorized tours to the summit of 
        Rattlesnake Mountain; and
            (2) with the Secretary of Energy, and with the State of 
        Washington or any local government agency or other interested 
        persons, to maintain the access road to the summit of 
        Rattlesnake Mountain.
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