Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act
Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act
Plain Language Summary
# Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act Summary **What the bill does:** This bill would increase the annual payment San Francisco makes to use Hetch Hetchy Valley (a reservoir inside Yosemite National Park) from $30,000 to $2 million per year, adjusted annually for inflation. The bill also requires the National Park Service to expand public access to the reservoir and surrounding areas for recreation. The additional revenue would fund wildfire prevention and mitigation efforts in Yosemite and other California national parks. **Who it affects:** Primarily San Francisco (which uses the reservoir for water and power), Yosemite visitors, and California's national parks.
The bill specifies that San Francisco cannot pass these increased costs to its water and power customers, meaning the city would absorb the expense. **Current status:** The bill is currently in committee (HR 177, 119th Congress), sponsored by Republican Tom McClintock of California. It has not yet been voted on by the full House.
CRS Official Summary
Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness ActThis bill modifies the Raker Act, which allowed San Francisco to dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley within Yosemite National Park, to (1) increase the annual rent San Francisco pays to the National Park Service (NPS), and (2) direct the NPS to expand public access to the reservoir and lake created by the dam.Specifically, the bill increases rent paid by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for the use of the park from $30,000 to $2 million per year. That amount must be adjusted annually to reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. The commission may not recoup such sums from wholesale water or power customers. The bill allows collected rent to be used by the Department of the Interior for wildfire mitigation activities in the park and other national parks in California.The bill also requires the NPS to administer the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas for public recreation, benefit, and use in a manner that will preserve scenic, historic, scientific, or otherwise important features.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.