[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 765 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.765

                      One Hundred Twelfth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
            the fifth day of January, two thousand and eleven


                                 An Act


 
To amend the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 to clarify the 
     authority of the Secretary of Agriculture regarding additional 
recreational uses of National Forest System land that is subject to ski 
                  area permits, and for 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 ``Ski Area Recreational Opportunity 
Enhancement Act of 2011''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
    The purpose of this Act is to amend the National Forest Ski Area 
Permit Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C. 497b)--
        (1) to enable snow-sports (other than nordic and alpine skiing) 
    to be permitted on National Forest System land subject to ski area 
    permits issued by the Secretary of Agriculture under section 3 of 
    the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C. 497b); 
    and
        (2) to clarify the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to 
    permit appropriate additional seasonal or year-round recreational 
    activities and facilities on National Forest System land subject to 
    ski area permits issued by the Secretary of Agriculture under 
    section 3 of the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 (16 
    U.S.C. 497b).
SEC. 3. SKI AREA PERMITS.
    Section 3 of the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 (16 
U.S.C. 497b) is amended--
        (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``nordic and alpine ski 
    areas and facilities'' and inserting ``ski areas and associated 
    facilities'';
        (2) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
    by striking ``nordic and alpine skiing operations and purposes'' 
    and inserting ``skiing and other snow sports and recreational uses 
    authorized by this Act'';
        (3) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (d) 
    and (e), respectively;
        (4) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Other Recreational Uses.--
        ``(1) Authority of secretary.--Subject to the terms of a ski 
    area permit issued pursuant to subsection (b), the Secretary may 
    authorize a ski area permittee to provide such other seasonal or 
    year-round natural resource-based recreational activities and 
    associated facilities (in addition to skiing and other snow-sports) 
    on National Forest System land subject to a ski area permit as the 
    Secretary determines to be appropriate.
        ``(2) Requirements.--Each activity and facility authorized by 
    the Secretary under paragraph (1) shall--
            ``(A) encourage outdoor recreation and enjoyment of nature;
            ``(B) to the extent practicable--
                ``(i) harmonize with the natural environment of the 
            National Forest System land on which the activity or 
            facility is located; and
                ``(ii) be located within the developed portions of the 
            ski area;
            ``(C) be subject to such terms and conditions as the 
        Secretary determines to be appropriate; and
            ``(D) be authorized in accordance with--
                ``(i) the applicable land and resource management plan; 
            and
                ``(ii) applicable laws (including regulations).
        ``(3) Inclusions.--Activities and facilities that may, in 
    appropriate circumstances, be authorized under paragraph (1) 
    include--
            ``(A) zip lines;
            ``(B) mountain bike terrain parks and trails;
            ``(C) frisbee golf courses; and
            ``(D) ropes courses.
        ``(4) Exclusions.--Activities and facilities that are 
    prohibited under paragraph (1) include--
            ``(A) tennis courts;
            ``(B) water slides and water parks;
            ``(C) swimming pools;
            ``(D) golf courses; and
            ``(E) amusement parks.
        ``(5) Limitation.--The Secretary may not authorize any activity 
    or facility under paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that 
    the authorization of the activity or facility would result in the 
    primary recreational purpose of the ski area permit to be a purpose 
    other than skiing and other snow-sports.
        ``(6) Boundary determination.--In determining the acreage 
    encompassed by a ski area permit under subsection (b)(3), the 
    Secretary shall not consider the acreage necessary for activities 
    and facilities authorized under paragraph (1).
        ``(7) Effect on existing authorized activities and 
    facilities.--Nothing in this subsection affects any activity or 
    facility authorized by a ski area permit in effect on the date of 
    enactment of this subsection during the term of the permit.'';
        (5) by striking subsection (d) (as redesignated by paragraph 
    (3)), and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Regulations.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall promulgate 
regulations to implement this section.''; and
        (6) in subsection (e) (as redesignated by paragraph (3)), by 
    striking ``the National Environmental Policy Act, or the Forest and 
    Rangelands Renewable Resources Planning Act as amended by the 
    National Forest Management Act'' and inserting ``the National 
    Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the 
    Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 
    U.S.C. 1600 et seq.)''.
SEC. 4. EFFECT.
    Nothing in the amendments made by this Act establishes a legal 
preference for the holder of a ski area permit to provide activities 
and associated facilities authorized by section 3(c) of the National 
Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C. 497b(c)) (as amended by 
section 3).

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.