The "Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act" seeks to significantly expand public recreational access within the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas, amending the original 1913 Act. It directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, to administer these areas specifically for public recreation, benefit, and use , while preserving their scenic and historic features. The bill explicitly permits various recreational activities, including swimming, non-motorized watercraft use, camping above the high-water mark, and picnicking, subject to necessary limitations. It also increases the annual payment required from the grantee from $30,000 to $2,000,000, adjusted for inflation, and prohibits recouping these sums from wholesale water or power customers. Funds can now also be used for wildfire mitigation activities. Furthermore, the legislation mandates a report within one year from the Secretary of the Interior. This report must analyze whether the original recreational access intent has been followed and propose strategies for equitable public access, including revenue collection, fund allocation, and cost mitigation for maintenance and wildfire prevention.
Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Public Lands and Natural Resources
CaliforniaCongressional oversightFiresForests, forestry, treesLakes and riversLand use and conservationOutdoor recreationParks, recreation areas, trails
Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act
USA119th CongressHR-177| House
| Updated: 1/3/2025
The "Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act" seeks to significantly expand public recreational access within the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas, amending the original 1913 Act. It directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, to administer these areas specifically for public recreation, benefit, and use , while preserving their scenic and historic features. The bill explicitly permits various recreational activities, including swimming, non-motorized watercraft use, camping above the high-water mark, and picnicking, subject to necessary limitations. It also increases the annual payment required from the grantee from $30,000 to $2,000,000, adjusted for inflation, and prohibits recouping these sums from wholesale water or power customers. Funds can now also be used for wildfire mitigation activities. Furthermore, the legislation mandates a report within one year from the Secretary of the Interior. This report must analyze whether the original recreational access intent has been followed and propose strategies for equitable public access, including revenue collection, fund allocation, and cost mitigation for maintenance and wildfire prevention.
CaliforniaCongressional oversightFiresForests, forestry, treesLakes and riversLand use and conservationOutdoor recreationParks, recreation areas, trails