Extending the Authority to Collect Shasta-Trinity Marina Fees Through Fiscal Year 2029

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding time, and I thank the chairman and the ranking member for supporting this bill.

I appreciate the chance to just take a moment to talk a little more about the importance of this bill to my district.

The Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area is in northern California, part of it in my district and part of it in Mr. LaMalfa's district. It spans 246,000 acres and includes the Shasta, Trinity, Lewiston, and Whiskeytown lakes.

It is a recreation paradise. Every year, more than 3\1/2\ million people visit this area for all manner of outdoor activities, such as fishing, camping, horseback riding, swimming, paddling, backpacking, and more.

The area is a fundamental part of our regions' identity and our economy. It is one of our most popular tourist attractions, and it is obviously a very vital economic driver.

The U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service manage the Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area and support a large variety of these recreation opportunities and improvement projects, such as boat ramp upgrades, public service announcements about boating and water safety, enhancing accessibility to the lakes for those with disabilities, floating restrooms, and interpretive and educational programs.

The marina fees that they use to complete this work also support fire prevention patrols and fund 15 permanent staff members and 9 seasonal employees who make it possible for everyone to enjoy the recreation area.

It is clear how important these fees are to the continued operation of this regional treasure. My bipartisan bill on the floor today will extend the Department of Agriculture's ability to collect and hold these marina fees through the year 2029, allowing them to continue enhancing recreation and improving access.

This fee retention authority was initially granted back in 2008, and we have been fortunate enough to extend it through annual appropriations. That is pretty tenuous funding, and it is not a good basis on which to plan and implement important, longer-term projects.

The authority we are providing in this bill will provide that long- term stability. It will go a long way toward ensuring certainty and consistent funding for future projects.

Most of Trinity County is made up of Federally owned public lands, and its local economy is heavily reliant on the success of this national recreation area. It is essential that we extend this authority to collect marina fees and carry out the significant services that they support.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, especially Mr. LaMalfa, who has partnered with me on this legislation several years in a row now. I am grateful to colleagues on both sides of the aisle for working with us to support outdoor recreation in northern California.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the bill.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source