Press Release from Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ):
Washington, D.C. – United States Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), today introduced S. 1750, the Public Access to Public Lands Guarantee Act. The legislation would require the federal government to enter an agreement with any state or municipality willing to offer funding to keep public lands, such as national monuments, national recreation areas and national parks, open during a shutdown of the federal government. S. 1750 seeks to prevent the federal government from delaying – or denying – the negotiation of these agreements, as it did when Arizona offered local and state funds to keep the Grand Canyon National Park open during the recent shutdown.
“Closures of federal lands affect not just campers, recreational hunters and those who love the outdoors, but also those who protect communities from catastrophic wildfires, veterans trying to visit war memorials and the economic wellbeing of many towns that rely on tourism. If public or private funds are offered to help keep national parks and other public lands open in the event of a government shutdown, the federal government ought to accept them, and quickly,” said Flake.
S. 1750 is cosponsored by Sens.John McCain (R-AZ) and Mike Lee (R-UT) and supported by American Hotel & Lodging Association, Federal Forest Resource Coalition, Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association, and Tusayan, Arizona, among many other hotel and lodging interests.
You can read more about Senator Jeff Flake HERE.
You can read the text below, or at the U.S. Congress website (a site that, apparently, not many voters visit…) HERE.
TEXT OF BILL:
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[S. 1750 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS 1st Session
S. 1750
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into agreements with States and political subdivisions of States providing for the continued operation, in whole or in part, of public land, units of the National Park System, units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and units of the National Forest System in the State during any period in which the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture is unable to maintain normal level of operations at the units due to a lapse in appropriations, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 20, 2013
Mr. Flake (for himself, Mr. McCain, and Mr. Lee) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into agreements with States and political subdivisions of States providing for the continued operation, in whole or in part, of public land, units of the National Park System, units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and units of the National Forest System in the State during any period in which the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture is unable to maintain normal level of operations at the units due to a lapse in appropriations, 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 “Public Access to Public Land Guarantee Act”.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that–
(1) public land in the United States is managed and administered for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations;
(2) the National Park System (including National Parks, National Monuments, and National Recreation Areas) is managed for the benefit and inspiration of all the people of the United States;
(3) the National Wildlife Refuge System is administered for the benefit of present and future generations of people in the United States, with priority consideration for compatible wildlife-dependent general public uses of the National Wildlife Refuge System;
(4) the National Forest System is dedicated to the long-term benefit of present and future generations; and
(5) the reopening and temporary operation and management of public land, the National Park System, the National Wildlife Refuge System, and the National Forest System using funds from States and political subdivisions of States during periods in which the Federal Government is unable to operate and manage the areas at normal levels due to a lapse in appropriations is consistent with the values and purposes for which those areas were established.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Covered unit.–The term “covered unit” means–
(A) public land;
(B) units of the National Park System;
(C) units of the National Wildlife Refuge System;
or
(D) units of the National Forest System.
(2) Public land.–The term “public land” has the meaning given the term “public lands” in section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
(3) Secretary.–The term “Secretary” means–
(A) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior;
or
(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture.
SEC. 4. AGREEMENT TO KEEP PUBLIC LAND OPEN DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
(a) In General.–Subject to subsection (b), if a State or political subdivision of the State offers, the Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the State or political subdivision of the State under which the United States may accept funds from the State or political subdivision of the State to reopen, in whole or in part, any covered unit within the State or political subdivision of the State during any period in which there is a lapse in appropriations for the covered unit.
(b) Applicability.–The authority under subsection (a) shall only be in effect during any period in which the Secretary is unable to operate and manage covered units at normal levels, as determined in accordance with the terms of agreement entered into under subsection (a).
(c) Refund.–The Secretary shall refund to the State or political subdivision of the State all amounts provided to the United States under an agreement entered into under subsection (a)–
(1) on the date of enactment of an Act retroactively appropriating amounts sufficient to maintain normal operating levels at the covered unit reopened under an agreement entered into under subsection (a);
or
(2) on the date on which the State or political subdivision establishes, in accordance with the terms of the agreement, that, during the period in which the agreement was in effect, fees for entrance to, or use of, the covered units were collected by the Secretary.
(d) Voluntary Reimbursement.–If the requirements for a refund under subsection (c) are not met, the Secretary may, subject to the availability of appropriations, reimburse the State and political subdivision of the State for any amounts provided to the United States by the State or political subdivision under an agreement entered into under subsection (a).