Federal Land Avalanche Protection Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-4407
Sponsor: Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Introduced: 2009-12-16 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Defense spending
Firearms and explosives
Land use and conservation
Military civil functions
Military facilities and property
Natural disasters
Research administration and funding
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2009-12-16
text: 
Federal Land Avalanche Protection Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to establish an avalanche protection program to: (1) identify the potential for avalanches on federal lands and inform the public about the probability of avalanches and their potential adverse effects; (2) carry out ongoing research to improve avalanche forecasting; and (3) reduce the risks of avalanches and mitigate their effects. 
 
Requires the Secretary: (1) to coordinate the program to ensure protection for recreational users of public land under the Secretary of the Interior's jurisdiction, using resources of the Forest Service's National Avalanche Center; (2) to establish an advisory committee to assist in program development and implementation; and (3) with the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of the Army, to establish a central depository for weapons, ammunition, and parts for avalanche control purposes.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to carry out projects and activities to: (1) assist in the prevention, forecasting, detection, and mitigation of avalanches; (2) maintain essential transportation, utilities, and communications; (3) assist avalanche artillery users to ensure the availability of adequate supplies of artillery and explosives required for avalanche control in specified areas; and (4) assist research and development activities for alternatives to minimize reliance on military weapons for avalanche control.

Directs the Secretary to give priority to projects carried out in avalanche zones with a high frequency or severity of avalanches or in which deaths, injuries, or damage to public facilities and communities have occurred. 
 
Requires the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to transfer specified property suitable for avalanche control purposes to a user of surplus ordnance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-03-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
action_date: 2009-12-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
action_date: 2009-12-16
text: Referred to House Agriculture
action_date: 2009-12-16
text: Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform
action_date: 2009-12-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and 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.
action_date: 2009-12-16
text: Referred to House Natural Resources
action_date: 2009-12-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-12-16
text: Introduced in House