Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the Ackerson Meadow Land Exchange Act. This legislation will facilitate a simple land exchange between the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service in the Sierra Nevadas.

This bill would transfer 160 acres of Stanislaus National Forest land to the National Park Service to be managed as part of Yosemite National Park Service to be managed as part of the Yosemite National Park and transfer 170 acres of National Park land to the Forest Service to manage as part of Stanislaus National Forest. The land in the exchange is known as Ackerson Meadow.

Ackerson Meadow is one of the largest midelevation meadows in the Sierra Nevada. It is an ecologically and regionally critical wildlife corridor, and the scenic meadow is an important habitat for the State endangered great grey owl and little willow flycatcher, as well as a suite of additional at-risk wildlife species. In 2016, a coalition of conservation groups donated Ackerson Meadow to Yosemite National Park; however, it is almost completely surrounded by Stanislaus National Forest and only partially contiguous to the rest of Yosemite National Park.

The current configuration of land management presents logistical challenges to both NPS and Forest Service; therefore, both Agencies, as well as local stakeholders, support this land exchange.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this straightforward legislation to better manage the land in and around Ackerson Meadow. ______

By Mr. PADILLA:

S. 3046. A bill to make permanent the authority to collect Shasta- Trinity National Forest marina fees; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

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Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the Shasta Trinity Marina Fees Act to make permanent the existing authority for the U.S. Forest Service to collect and retain marina fees within the Shasta- Trinity National Forest.

The ability to collect these fees has proved critical to the success of the Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area, and the funds are used to enhance recreation, support public safety and service announcements, improve lake access, and provide greater marina infrastructure for boaters.

In 2008, Congress gave the Forest Service the ability to collect and retain marina fees in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in order to fund the Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area; however, that authority expired in 2019, and Congress has granted the Forest Service 1-year reauthorizations since then.

This bipartisan bill would make this authority permanent, providing certainty to the Forest Service and guaranteeing the ability to maintain recreation infrastructure.

Trinity County is one of the poorest counties in the State of California, with declining revenue sources to fund public services and a strained economy. The Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area is the largest driver of tourism activity to the area, and visitors come to the region to enjoy the Shasta and Trinity Lakes.

The ability to collect marina fees has allowed the Forest Service to support 15 permanent and 9 seasonal employees who provide vital support for recreation and has also paid for cleaning and maintenance of infrastructure, fire prevention patrols, and accessible facilities to provide greater access for people with disabilities.

We must provide certainty to ensure that this critical investment in Shasta-Trinity National Forest won't be threatened congressional inaction, government shutdowns, or gamesmanship.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation to provide permanent, crucial investments for one of California's meccas for outdoor recreation.

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