I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1595

To further cooperation and support among Federal land managers and designated gateway communities where the results of such cooperation and 

support are likely to be mutually beneficial, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 3, 2003

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN (for herself and Mr. RAHALL) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on 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 further cooperation and support among Federal land 

managers and designated gateway communities where 

the results of such cooperation and support are likely 

to be mutually beneficial, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. COOPERATION AND SUPPORT FOR DES4 IGNATED GATEWAY COMMUNITIES. 

5 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

6 ‘‘Healthy Public Lands, Healthy Communities Act’’. 
2

•HR 1595 IH 

1 (b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, COOPERATION, AND

2 TRAINING.—

3 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Inte4 rior and the Secretary of Agriculture may cooperate 

5 with and may provide technical assistance to any 

6 designated gateway community where the relevant 

7 Secretary determines that the results of such co8 operation and assistance are likely to benefit both 

9 the protection of resources managed by the Sec10 retary and the community. 

11 (2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—At the request of 

12 the government of a designated gateway community, 

13 the relevant Secretary may assign, on a temporary 

14 basis, an agency employee or contractor to work 

15 with the community to develop mutually compatible 

16 land use or management plans or policies for the 

17 general area. 

18 (3) TRAINING SESSIONS.—The Secretary of the 

19 Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture may offer 

20 training sessions for elected and appointed officials 

21 of designated gateway communities at which such 

22 officials can obtain a better understanding of—

23 (A) agency planning processes; and 

24 (B) the methods by which they can partici25 pate most meaningfully in the development of 
3

•HR 1595 IH 

1 agency plans, decisions, and policies, including 

2 information regarding the process whereby 

3 units of local government may obtain status as 

4 cooperating agencies under the National Envi5 ronmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 

6 et seq.). 

7 (4) COORDINATION OF LAND USE.—To the ex8 tent consistent with the laws governing the adminis9 tration of the Federal public lands, and at the re10 quest of the government of a designated gateway 

11 community, the Secretary of the Interior and the 

12 Secretary of Agriculture may enter into cooperative 

13 agreements with designated gateway communities to 

14 provide for coordination between—

15 (A) the land use inventory, planning, and 

16 management activities for Federal lands admin17 istered by the relevant Secretary; 

18 (B) the land use inventory, planning, and 

19 management activities for lands administered 

20 by the designated gateway community; and 

21 (C) where relevant, such cooperative agree22 ments may also include the land use planning 

23 and management activities of other Federal 

24 agencies, agencies of the State in which the 

25 Federal lands are located, and local and tribal 
4

•HR 1595 IH 

1 governments in the vicinity of the Federal 

2 lands. 

3 (5) INTERAGENCY COOPERATION AND COORDI4 NATION.—To the extent practicable and when con5 sistent with applicable laws and regulations of each 

6 respective Federal land management agency, when 

7 the plans and activities of 2 or more Federal land 

8 management agencies are anticipated to have a sig9 nificant impact on a designated gateway community, 

10 the Federal land agencies involved may consolidate 

11 and coordinate their plans and planning processes to 

12 facilitate the participation of the designated gateway 

13 community in the planning processes. 

14 (6) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—

15 There is authorized to be appropriated not more 

16 than $1,000,000 in any fiscal year for use by the 

17 relevant Secretary to carry out this section. 

18 (c) GRANTS.—

19 (1) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of the Interior 

20 and the Secretary of Agriculture may make grants 

21 to designated gateway communities for the purposes 

22 described in this section. 

23 (2) CRITERIA.—The Secretaries shall jointly de24 velop criteria for awarding of grants under this sub25 section. 
5

•HR 1595 IH 

1 (3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—

2 There is authorized to be appropriated not more 

3 than $1,000,000 in any fiscal year for grants under 

4 this subsection. 

5 (d) DESIGNATED GATEWAY COMMUNITY.—For pur6 poses of this section, the term ‘‘designated gateway com7 munity’’ means a county, city, town, village, or other sub8 division of a State, or a federally recognized Indian tribe 

9 or Alaska Native village, that—

10 (1) is incorporated or recognized in a county or 

11 regional land use plan; 

12 (2) the Secretary of the Interior or the Sec13 retary of Agriculture determines is significantly af14 fected economically, socially, or environmentally by 

15 planning and management decisions regarding Fed16 eral lands administered by the relevant Secretary; 

17 and 

18 (3) has entered into a cooperative agreement 

19 with the relevant Secretary pursuant to subsection 

20 (b)(4).

Æ