S226JUL29

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending July 29, 2005

S.225 A bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to undertake a program to reduce the risks from and mitigate the effects of avalanches on recreational users of public land.

BRIEF

The accompanying reported noted “Each year thousands of snow avalanches fall from steep mountain slopes. Most of these avalanches occur in remote mountain areas in Alaska, the West and the Northeast, and go unnoticed. When avalanches do occur in areas of human activity, their cost can be dire. An average of 30 avalanche-related deaths occur each year in the United States. Between 1996-2003 the highest number of these fatalities occurred in the State of Alaska, followed by Colorado and Montana.

“The Forest Service is responsible for coordinating the majority of the avalanche mitigation activities that occur in the United States. Sixteen regional avalanche centers provide a myriad of services, including avalanche forecasting, mitigation, search and rescue, and education. Many of these centers are managed and funded cooperatively, with help from the National Park Service, State agencies, and other organizations. In 2001 the Forest Service contributed approximately $492,000 to the operation of the regional avalanche centers. In comparison, the National Park Service contributed $27,000, other Federal agencies contributed $312,000 and State agencies contributed $558,000.

“In addition to the cost of human life, avalanches can cause considerable property damage and result in direct and indirect economic loss for both the private and public sectors. While comprehensive economic data is not available for all regional avalanche centers, the benefits of avalanche mitigation, particularly for transportation corridors, appear to outweigh the costs of operation. For example, the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC) located in Washington State provides services for Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. NWAC is cooperatively funded by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the State snowmobile and snowpark programs of Washington and Oregon, the National Weather Service, the National Park Service, the British Columbia Ministry of Highways and Transportation, and others. In 2001, the annual operating costs of NWAC were $249,000, with an estimated $150,000 in indirect (in-kind) contributions. In comparison, the WSDOT estimates that a two-hour closure on avalanche prone Snoqualmie Pass costs the economy of Washington State over $1,000,000.

“As ordered reported, S. 225 directs the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, to establish a coordinated national avalanche protection program to provide for early identification of avalanche hazards and to mitigate their effect on users of public lands, neighboring communities and transportation corridors. The bill authorizes grants for avalanche protection activities and establishes an advisory committee to assist in the development and implementation of the program. S. 225 also establishes a central repository for surplus weapons and munitions to make these munitions more readily available to states and agencies for avalanche control.”

Sponsor: Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent (July 27, 2005)

Cost to the taxpayers: $75 million 2006 through 2010 is authorized.