2002 Congressional Actions

Contents Issues Tracking Calendar Sources History

American Whitewater is tracking several pieces of legislation before the second session of the 107th Congress in 2002. We will provide monthly updates and action items on this page throughout the year.

Issues

The legislative issues of greatest importance in 2002 to the boating community are:

• S.2535, the California Wild Heritage Act of 2002. The bill will significantly expand the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System and the National Wilderness Preservation System on federally managed public lands in California. S. 2535 is the largest river protection and the third largest wilderness bill in California history.
• S.2607 and S.2473 Fee Legislation Introduced for National Parks and Forests. The Senate is evaluating two bills that were introduced in May and June, 2002 to charge fees broadly across the National Parks and Forests. Senator Bingaman, Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, held a limited Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on these bills on June 19, 2002.
• The national energy policy, which has the potential for new dam construction as well as reduced scheduled releases on whitewater rivers. 2001 revealed the poor architecture of California's energy restructuring plan; when this was coupled with drought in the Pacific Northwest it created a crisis atmosphere. Emerging from this crisis is a plethora of proposed hydropower projects, legislative proposals threatening to undermine environmental safeguards at hydropower projects, a FERC driven proposal to streamline the hydropower licensing process, and a new energy policy drafted by the White House.
• Fee Demo, which has been extended through 2004. As of January 2002, the Forest Service is proposing new legislation to make forest fees a permanent part of most any visit to America's public lands.
• Adequate Federal Recreation Funding is threatened by the high military and defense spending in 2002. American Whitewater is working closely with the Human Powered Recreation Coalition to ensure that funding levels are adequate for the Forest Service, Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, FERC, and USGS.

Please contact Jason Robertson, Access Director to bring additional legislative issues to American Whitewater's attention or to volunteer to educate our elected representatives about how legislation will affect whitewater recreation and river conservation
Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Sources of More Information

American Rivers for information about legislation affecting water quality and hydro relicensing.

Earth Justice for information about legislation affecting the environment.

American Canoe Association for information about legislation affecting river recreation and conservation.

OIA (formerly ORCA) for information about legislation affecting the outdoor recreation industry and participants.

Back to top