[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 155 (Tuesday, December 6, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H11042-H11043]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GATEWAY COMMUNITIES COOPERATION ACT
Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 585) to require Federal land managers to support, and to
communicate, coordinate, and cooperate with, designated gateway
communities, to improve the ability of gateway communities to
participate in Federal land management planning conducted by the Forest
Service and agencies of the Department of the Interior, and to respond
to the impacts of the public use of the Federal lands administered by
these agencies, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 585
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 ``Gateway Communities
Cooperation Act''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FEDERAL LAND MANAGERS
AND GATEWAY COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT COMPATIBLE
LAND MANAGEMENT OF BOTH FEDERAL AND ADJACENT
LANDS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Many communities that abut or are near Federal lands,
including units of the National Park System, units of the
National Wildlife Refuge System, units of the National Forest
System, and lands administered by the Bureau of Land
Management, are vitally impacted by the management and public
use of these Federal lands.
(2) Some of these communities, commonly known as gateway
communities, fulfill an integral part in the mission of the
Federal lands by providing necessary services, such as
schools, roads, search and rescue, emergency service, medical
support, logistical support, living quarters, and drinking
water and sanitary systems for visitors to the Federal lands
and employees of Federal land management agencies.
(3) Provision of these vital services by gateway
communities is an essential ingredient for a meaningful and
enjoyable experience by visitors to the Federal lands because
Federal land management agencies are unable to provide, or
are prevented from providing, these services.
(4) Many gateway communities serve as an entry point for
persons who visit the Federal lands and are ideal for
establishment of visitor services, including lodging, food
service, fuel, auto repairs, emergency services, and visitor
information.
(5) Development in some gateway communities may impact the
management and protection of these Federal lands.
(6) The planning and management decisions of Federal land
managers can have unintended consequences for gateway
communities and the Federal lands when the decisions are not
adequately communicated to, or coordinated with, the elected
officials and residents of gateway communities.
(7) Experts in land management planning are available to
Federal land managers, but persons with technical planning
skills are often not readily available to gateway
communities, particularly small gateway communities.
(8) Gateway communities are often affected by the policies
and actions of several Federal land management agencies and
the communities and the agencies would benefit from greater
interagency coordination of those policies and actions.
(9) Persuading gateway communities to make decisions and
undertake actions in their communities that would also be in
the best interest of the Federal lands is most likely to
occur when such decisionmaking and actions are built upon a
foundation of cooperation and coordination.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to require
Federal land managers to communicate, coordinate, and
cooperate with gateway communities in order to--
(1) improve the relationships among Federal land managers,
elected officials, and residents of gateway communities;
(2) enhance the facilities and services in gateway
communities available to visitors to Federal lands when
compatible with the management of these lands, including the
availability of historical and cultural resources; and
(3) result in better local land use planning in gateway
communities and decisions by the relevant Secretary.
(c) Definitions.--For the purpose of this section, the
following definitions apply:
(1) Gateway community.--The term ``gateway community''
means a county, city, town, village, or other subdivision of
a State, a federally recognized Indian tribe, or Alaska
Native village, that--
(A) is incorporated or recognized in a county or regional
land use plan or within tribal jurisdictional boundaries; and
(B) the relevant Secretary (or the head of the tourism
office for the State) determines is significantly affected
economically, socially, or environmentally by planning and
management decisions regarding Federal lands administered by
the relevant Secretary.
(2) Relevant secretary.--The term ``relevant Secretary''
means the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of
Agriculture, as appropriate.
(d) Participation in Federal Planning and Land Use.--
(1) Participation in planning.--At the earliest possible
time, the relevant Secretary shall solicit the involvement of
elected and appointed officials of governments of gateway
communities in the development of land use plans, programs,
land use regulations, land use decisions, transportation
plans, general management plans, and any other plans,
decisions, projects, or policies for Federal lands under the
jurisdiction of these Federal agencies that are likely to
have a significant impact on these gateway communities.
(2) Information provided.--To facilitate such involvement,
the relevant Secretary shall provide the appropriate
officials, at the earliest possible time but not later than
the scoping process, with the following:
(A) A summary, in nontechnical language, of the
assumptions, purposes, goals, and objectives of the plan,
decision, project, or policy.
(B) A description of any anticipated significant impact of
the plan, decision, project, or policy on gateway
communities.
(C) Information regarding the technical assistance and
training available to the gateway community.
(3) Training sessions.--At the request of a gateway
community, the relevant Secretary shall offer training
sessions for elected and appointed officials of gateway
communities at which such officials can obtain a better
understanding of--
(A) the agency planning processes; and
(B) the methods by which they can participate most
meaningfully in the development of the agency plans,
decisions, and policies referred to in paragraph (1).
(4) Technical assistance.--At the request of a gateway
community, the relevant Secretary shall make available
personnel, on a temporary basis, to assist gateway
communities in development of mutually compatible land use or
management plans.
(5) Coordination of land use.--The relevant Secretary may
enter into cooperative agreements with gateway communities to
coordinate the management of--
(A) the land use inventory, planning, and management
activities for the Federal lands administered by the relevant
Secretary; and
(B) the land use planning and management activities of
other Federal agencies, agencies of the State in which the
Federal lands are located, and local and tribal governments
in the vicinity of the Federal lands.
(6) Interagency cooperation and coordination.--To the
extent practicable, when the plans and activities of 2 or
more Federal agencies are anticipated to have a significant
impact on a gateway community, the Federal agencies involved
shall consolidate and coordinate their plans and planning
processes to facilitate the participation of affected gateway
communities in the planning processes.
(7) Treatment as cooperating agencies.--To the earliest
extent practicable, but not later than the scoping process,
when a proposed action is determined to require an
environmental impact statement, the relevant Secretary shall
allow any affected gateway communities the opportunity to be
recognized as cooperating agencies under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
SEC. 3. SUNSET.
The authority of the Secretary to carry out any provisions
of this title shall terminate 10 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Radanovich) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall)
each will control 20 minutes.
[[Page H11043]]
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 585, the Gateway Communities Cooperation Act,
introduced by me and amended by the Resources Committee, would
facilitate better communication between and among the Secretaries of
the Interior and Agriculture and those designated communities located
adjacent to our Federal lands, which are commonly known as gateway
communities.
These gateway communities are impacted by decisions made by managers
of our public lands. The people in these communities fulfill an
integral part in the mission of Federal lands by providing necessary
services, such as schools, roads, search and rescue, emergency and
medical support, drinking water and sanitary systems.
H.R. 585, as amended, would improve the relationship among Federal
land managers, elected officials and residents of gateway communities,
as well as enhance facilities and service available to visitors of our
Federal lands. Additionally, the measure will improve the coordination
of land use planning and decisions made by Federal land managers.
As the representative of Yosemite National Park here in Congress, I
know how important coordination and communication is between Federal
managers and the people living in the communities surrounding our
national parks, forests and other Federal lands. This bill helps
achieve a better relationship between these parties.
I urge adoption of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. UDALL of Colorado asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, through four Congresses now, we
have worked with outside groups and the agencies to address the flaws
in this legislation as it was originally introduced. As in the previous
Congress, we do not intend to impose this legislation.
However, the majority is amending H.R. 585 to remove authorize
station for funding to assist these local gateway communities. It is
unfortunate that as we are making available new information and
technical assistance, we are not providing these communities the
funding they will need to take advantage of these new opportunities.
As I have said, Mr. Speaker, we do not oppose H.R. 585.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 585, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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