[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3200 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3200
To require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to carry out certain activities to enhance recreational
opportunities for gateway communities, to amend the Federal Lands
Recreation Enhancement Act to provide for the establishment of a
digital National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 10, 2023
Mr. Zinke (for himself, Mrs. Peltola, Mr. Curtis, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr.
Newhouse, Mr. Stauber, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Lawler, and Mr. Owens)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to carry out certain activities to enhance recreational
opportunities for gateway communities, to amend the Federal Lands
Recreation Enhancement Act to provide for the establishment of a
digital National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, 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 ``Gateway Community and Recreation
Enhancement Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Federal recreational lands and waters.--The term
``Federal recreational lands and waters'' has the meaning given
the term in section 802 of the Federal Lands Recreation
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801).
(2) Gateway community.--The term ``gateway community''
means a community that serves as an entry point or is adjacent
to a recreation destination on Federal recreational lands and
waters or non-Federal land at which there is consistently high,
in the determination of the Secretaries, seasonal or year-round
visitation.
(3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(4) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means--
(A) the Secretary; and
(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through
the Chief of the Forest Service.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 3. GATEWAY COMMUNITIES.
(a) Assessment of Impacts and Needs in Gateway Communities.--Using
existing funds available to the Secretaries, the Secretaries--
(1) shall collaborate with State and local governments,
Indian Tribes, housing authorities, applicable trade
associations, nonprofit organizations, and other relevant
stakeholders to identify needs and economic impacts in gateway
communities, including--
(A) housing shortages;
(B) demands on existing municipal infrastructure;
(C) accommodation and management of sustainable
visitation; and
(D) the expansion and diversification of visitor
experiences by bolstering the visitation at--
(i) underutilized locations on nearby
Federal recreational lands and waters that are
suitable for developing, expanding, or
enhancing recreation use, as identified by the
Secretaries; or
(ii) lesser-known recreation sites, as
identified under section 5(b)(1)(B), on nearby
land managed by a State agency or a local
agency;
(2) may address a need identified under paragraph (1) by--
(A) providing financial or technical assistance to
a gateway community under an existing program;
(B) entering into a lease, right-of-way, or
easement, in accordance with applicable laws; or
(C) issuing an entity referred to in paragraph (1)
a special use permit (other than a special recreation
permit), in accordance with applicable laws.
(b) Technical and Financial Assistance to Businesses.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture (acting
through the Administrator of the Rural Business-Cooperative
Service), in coordination with the Secretary and the Secretary
of Commerce, shall provide to businesses in gateway communities
the assistance described in paragraph (2) to establish,
operate, or expand infrastructure to accommodate and manage
sustainable visitation, including hotels, campgrounds, and
restaurants.
(2) Assistance.--The Secretary of Agriculture may provide
assistance under paragraph (1) through the use of existing, or
the establishment of new, entrepreneur and vocational training
programs, technical assistance programs, low-interest business
loan programs, and loan guarantee programs.
(c) Partnerships.--In carrying out this section, the Secretaries
may, in accordance with applicable laws, enter into a public-private
partnership, cooperative agreement, memorandum of understanding, or
similar agreement with a gateway community or a business in a gateway
community.
SEC. 4. PUBLIC MEETINGS BEFORE REDUCTION OF ACCESS TO NATIONAL PARKS.
Before taking any action that will reduce access to a National Park
(not including actions to reduce access due to incident specific events
that present a risk to health and safety such as a weather event or
vehicle accident), the Superintendent of the affected National Park
shall--
(1) conduct public meetings;
(2) consult local stakeholders; and
(3) provide an opportunity for submission of public
comments for a period of not less than 60 days.
SEC. 5. IMPROVED RECREATION VISITATION DATA.
(a) Consistent Visitation Data.--
(1) Annual visitation data.--The Secretaries shall
establish a single visitation data reporting system to report
accurate annual visitation data, in a consistent manner, for--
(A) each unit of Federal recreational lands and
waters; and
(B) land held in trust for an Indian Tribe, on
request of the Indian Tribe.
(2) Categories of use.--Within the visitation data
reporting system established under paragraph (1), the
Secretaries shall--
(A) establish multiple categories of different
recreation activities that are reported consistently
across agencies; and
(B) provide an estimate of the number of visitors
for each applicable category established under
subparagraph (A) for each unit of Federal recreational
lands and waters.
(b) Real-Time Data Pilot Program.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, using existing funds available to the
Secretaries, the Secretaries shall carry out a pilot program,
to be known as the ``Real-time Data Pilot Program'' (referred
to in this section as the ``Pilot Program''), to make available
to the public, for each unit of Federal recreational lands and
waters selected for participation in the Pilot Program under
paragraph (2)--
(A) real-time or predictive data on visitation
(including data and resources publicly available from
existing nongovernmental platform) at--
(i) the unit of Federal recreational lands
and waters;
(ii) to the extent practicable, areas
within the unit of Federal recreational lands
and waters; and
(iii) to the extent practicable, recreation
sites managed by any other Federal agency, a
State agency, or a local agency that are
located near the unit of Federal recreational
lands and waters; and
(B) through multiple media platforms, information
about lesser-known recreation sites located near the
unit of Federal recreational lands and waters
(including recreation sites managed by any other
Federal agency, a State agency, or a local agency), in
an effort to encourage visitation among recreational
sites.
(2) Locations.--
(A) Initial number of units.--On establishment of
the Pilot Program, the Secretaries shall select for
participation in the Pilot Program--
(i) 15 units of Federal recreational lands
and waters managed by the Secretary; and
(ii) 5 units of Federal recreational lands
and waters managed by the Secretary of
Agriculture (acting through the Chief of the
Forest Service).
(B) Expansion.--Not later than 5 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall
expand the Pilot Program by selecting 80 additional
units of Federal recreational lands and waters managed
by the Secretaries for participation in the Pilot
Program, not fewer than 50 of which shall be units
managed by the Secretary.
(C) Feedback; support of gateway communities.--The
Secretaries shall--
(i) solicit feedback regarding
participation in the Pilot Program from
communities adjacent to units of Federal
recreational lands and waters and the public;
and
(ii) in carrying out subparagraphs (A) and
(B), select a unit of Federal recreation lands
and waters to participate in the Pilot Program
only if the community adjacent to the unit of
Federal recreational lands and waters is
supportive of the participation of the unit of
Federal recreational lands and waters in the
Pilot Program.
(3) Dissemination of information.--The Secretaries may
disseminate the information described in paragraph (1) directly
or through an entity or organization referred to in subsection
(c).
(c) Community Partners and Third-Party Providers.--For purposes of
carrying out this section, the Secretary concerned may--
(1) coordinate and partner with--
(A) communities adjacent to units of Federal
recreational lands and waters;
(B) State and local outdoor recreation and tourism
offices;
(C) local governments;
(D) Indian Tribes;
(E) trade associations;
(F) local outdoor recreation marketing
organizations;
(G) permitted facilitated recreation providers; or
(H) other relevant stakeholders; and
(2) coordinate or enter into agreements, as appropriate,
with private sector and nonprofit partners, including--
(A) technology companies;
(B) geospatial data companies;
(C) experts in data science, analytics, and
operations research; or
(D) data companies.
(d) Existing Programs.--The Secretaries may use existing programs
or products of the Secretaries to carry out this section.
(e) Privacy Clauses.--Nothing in this section provides authority to
the Secretaries--
(1) to monitor or record the movements of a visitor to a
unit of Federal recreational lands and waters;
(2) to restrict, interfere with, or monitor a private
communication of a visitor to a unit of Federal recreational
lands and waters; or
(3) to collect--
(A) information from owners of land adjacent to a
unit of Federal recreational lands and waters; or
(B) information on non-Federal land.
(f) Reports.--Not later than January 1, 2024, and annually
thereafter, the Secretaries shall publish on a website of the
Secretaries a report that describes the annual visitation of each unit
of Federal recreational lands and waters, including, to the maximum
extent practicable, visitation categorized by recreational activity.
SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF A DIGITAL VERSION OF AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL--
THE NATIONAL PARKS AND FEDERAL RECREATIONAL LANDS PASSES.
Section 805(a) of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16
U.S.C. 6804(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(10) Digital recreation passes.--By not later than
January 1, 2024, the Secretaries shall--
``(A) establish a digital version of the National
Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass that is able
to be stored on a mobile device; and
``(B) on the completion of a sale of a National
Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass carried out
under paragraph (6)(A), make available to the
passholder the digital version of the National Parks
and Federal Recreational Lands Pass established under
subparagraph (A).''.
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