[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 194 (Friday, December 18, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13459-S13460]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Mr. Begich, and Mr. Udall of 
        Colorado):
  S. 2907. A bill to establish a coordinated avalanche protection 
program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to reintroduce in the 
Senate legislation that will help to reduce the Nation's yearly death 
toll caused by snow and ice avalanches.
  As a member of the Congressional Hazards Caucus, I am introducing 
legislation, the Federal Land Avalanche Protection Act of 2009 to 
tackle the impacts of one of our Nation's natural hazards, avalanches. 
I am introducing this bill jointly with Senators Mark Begich and Mark 
Udall. It is identical to a measure introduced earlier this week in the 
House of Representatives by Alaska's Congressman Don Young, who was its 
prime sponsor when first introduced in May 2008 late in the 110th 
Congress.
  The goal of the bill is to better protect people in avalanche zones 
nationwide and to reduce the growing potential for avalanches to damage 
properties, as more and more building takes place on mountainsides and 
in valleys threatened by potential avalanches. Avalanches are a 
continuing problem in this country. Last year 49 avalanches in 10 
States and Canada caused 54 fatalities in North America, 28 in America. 
The fall-winter-spring of 2008-2009, however, was not unusual.
  In the 2007-2008 season, 36 Americans lost their lives as a result of 
avalanches. Another 16 Canadians died that season in 43 reported 
avalanches. In the 2002-03 season, 58 people in North America died as a 
result of 55 reported avalanches. For the past decade 38 people have 
died on average each year in North America from avalanches. Most occur 
in the western States of Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, 
Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, but deaths certainly have 
occurred in eastern States such as Vermont and New Hampshire, as well.
  Many think that avalanches are just a problem for backcountry skiers, 
hikers, or snowboarders. But as urbanization spreads the dangers caused 
by snow and ice buildups on steep slopes will grow and affect more 
urban populations, and especially more motorists traveling through 
mountain passes and along valley roads. So far this season, just in the 
past 2 months, 11 skiers and 1 ice climber have been caught in 
avalanches in Montana, Utah, and Colorado. Fortunately only one death 
has so far resulted. But this Nation needs to devote additional 
resources to warning and battling the impacts of avalanches because 
there are things that we know how to do to improve forecasts, increase 
warnings, and take advance actions to reduce the build up of snow loads 
on steep slopes, thus lessening the danger of larger, deadly avalanches 
when snow packs release.
  The bill I introduce today directs the Secretary of Agriculture, 
acting through the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, to establish an 
avalanche protection program to: identify the potential for avalanches 
on Federal lands and inform the public about the probability of 
avalanches and their potential adverse effects; carry out ongoing 
research to improve avalanche forecasting; and reduce the risks of 
avalanches and mitigate their effects.
  The bill requires the Secretary to coordinate the program to ensure 
protection for recreational users of public land under the Secretary of 
the Interior's jurisdiction, using resources of

[[Page S13460]]

the Forest Service's National Avalanche Center; to establish an 
advisory committee to assist in program development and implementation; 
and with the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of the Army, 
to establish a central depository for weapons, ammunition, and parts 
for avalanche control purposes.
  The measure also authorizes the Secretary to make grants to carry out 
projects and activities to assist in the prevention, forecasting, 
detection, and mitigation of avalanches; maintain essential 
transportation, utilities, and communications; assist avalanche 
artillery users to ensure the availability of adequate supplies of 
artillery and explosives required for avalanche control in specified 
areas; and assist research and development activities for alternatives 
to minimize reliance on military weapons for avalanche control.
  It directs the Secretary to give priority to projects carried out in 
avalanche zones with a high frequency or severity of avalanches or in 
which deaths, injuries, or damage to public facilities and communities 
have occurred. It requires the Administrator of the General Services 
Administration to transfer specified property suitable for avalanche 
control purposes to a user of surplus ordnance.
  When first introduced last year for public and professional 
consideration and comment the measure was strongly supported by Federal 
avalanche officials.
  Just in my home State of Alaska avalanches are a concern not just in 
the backcountry at Hatcher Pass, north of Palmer, or for heli-skiing 
enthusiasts near Thompson Pass outside of Valdez or Johnson Pass on the 
Kenai Peninsula, but in urban areas, such as the capital city of 
Juneau, or for motorists who daily drive the Seward Highway from 
Girdwood to Anchorage or through Turnagain Pass. While Alaska's three 
fatalities last year occurred in Thompson and Johnson Pass among 
recreational skiers, the future is that we need to do more on Federal 
lands, and we need to do more to assist states to lessen the severity 
of avalanche dangers on State and private lands.
  This bill would take logically, fiscally prudent steps, to doing just 
that. I urge members to support its passage and modest funding for 
implementation next year.
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