HR585DEC9

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending December 9, 2005

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.

BRIEF

Gateway communities are communities that abut the entrance to or other boundaries of Federal lands such as National forests and parks and refuges. Those communities are often small and generally benefit commercially by providing food, lodging and other services to those visiting the federal lands. They also provide roads and road maintenance and other infrastructure needs.

The bill makes the point that decisions regarding Federal land can impact those gateway communities negatively or require resources such as land planning that they may not be able to afford. To help, the bill would direct more communications between Federal agencies and gateway communities regarding decisions that may impact them and would provide grants to gateway communities with populations smaller than 10,000 to carry out the bill’s provisions.

Sponsor: Representative George Radanovich (R-CA-19^th)

Vote: Passed House by voice vote December 6, 2005.

Cost to the taxpayers: $10 million yearly for grants.