II

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 1844

To amend the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act to direct a study

of the opportunities for enhanced water based recreation and for other

purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JUNE 5, 1996

Mr. MURKOWSKI introduced the following bill; which was read twice and

referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To amend the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act to

direct a study of the opportunities for enhanced water

based recreation 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. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Recreation

5 Lakes Study Act of 1996’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

7 The Congress finds that the Federal Government,

8 under the authority of the Reclamation Act and other stat9 utes, has developed man-made lakes and reservoirs that
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1 have become a powerful magnet for diverse recreational

2 activities and that such activities contribute to the well3 being of families and individuals and the economic viability

4 of local communities. The Congress further finds that in

5 order to further the purposes of the Land and Water Con6 servation Fund, the President should appoint an advisory

7 commission to review the current and anticipated demand

8 for recreational opportunities at federally-managed man9 made lakes and reservoirs through creative partnerships

10 involving Federal, State, and local governments and the

11 private sector and to develop alternatives for enhanced

12 recreational use of such facilities.

13 SEC. 3. COMMISSION.

14 The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965

15 (Public Law 88–578, 78 Stat. 897), as amended, is fur16 ther amended by adding the following new section 13:

17 ‘‘SEC. 13. (a) The President shall appoint an advisory

18 commission to review the opportunities for enhanced op19 portunities for water based recreation which shall submit

20 a report to the President and to the Committee on Energy

21 and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee

22 on Resources of the House of Representatives within one

23 year from the date of enactment of this section.

24 ‘‘(b) The members of the Commission shall include—
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1 (1) the Secretary of the Interior, or his des2 ignee;

3 (2) the Secretary of the Army, or his designee;

4 (3) the Chairman of the Tennessee Valley Au5 thority, or his designee;

6 (4) the Secretary of Agriculture, or his des7 ignee;

8 (5) a person nominated by the National Gov9 ernor’s Association; and

10 (6) four persons familiar with the recreation

11 and tourism industry, at least one of whom shall be

12 familiar with the economics and financing of recre13 ation related infrastructure.

14 ‘‘(c) The President shall appoint one member to serve

15 as Chairman. Any vacancy on the Commission shall be

16 filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

17 Members of the Commission shall serve without compensa18 tion but shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and

19 other necessary expenses incurred by them in the perform20 ance of their duties. The Secretary of the Interior shall

21 provide all financial, administrative, and staffing require22 ments for the Commission, including office space, furnish23 ings, and equipment. The heads of other Federal agencies

24 are authorized, at the request of the Commission, to pro25 vide such information or personnel, to the extent per-
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1 mitted by law and within the limits of available funds, to

2 the Commission as may be useful to accomplish the pur3 poses of this section.

4 (d) The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and

5 act at such times and places, take such testimony, and

6 receive such evidence as it deems advisable: Provided,

7 That, to the maximum extent possible, the Commission

8 shall use existing data and research. The Commission is

9 authorized to use the United States mail in the same man10 ner and upon the same conditions as other departments

11 and agencies of the United States.

12 ‘‘(e) The report shall review the extent of water relat13 ed recreation at Federal man-made lakes and reservoirs

14 and shall develop alternatives to enhance the opportunities

15 for such use by the public. In developing the report, the

16 Commission shall—

17 (1) review the extent to which recreation com18 ponents identified in specific authorizations associ19 ated with individual Federal man-made lakes and

20 reservoirs have been accomplished;

21 (2) evaluate the feasibility of enhancing recre22 ation opportunities at federally-managed lakes and

23 reservoirs under existing statutes;

24 (3) consider legislative changes that would en25 hance recreation opportunities consistent with and
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1 subject to the achievement of the authorized pur2 poses of Federal water projects; and

3 (4) make recommendations on alternatives for

4 enhanced recreation opportunities including, but not

5 limited to, the establishment of a National Recre6 ation Lake System under which specific lakes would

7 receive national designation and which would be

8 managed through innovative partnership-based

9 agreements between Federal agencies, State and

10 local units of government, and the private sector.

11 Any such alternatives shall be consistent with and

12 subject to the authorized purposes for any man13 made lakes and reservoirs and shall emphasize pri14 vate sector initiatives in concert with State and local

15 units of government.’’.

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