Rep. Gosar Votes to Give the Public Access to Their Lands
Washington, DC,
February 6, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) voted in favor of the Public Access and Lands Improvement Act (H.R.2954), a package of 10 bills aimed at increasing and preserving public access to federal lands, facilitating responsible economic development and encouraging transparent land management. The bill passed the House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote of 220-194.
Rep. Gosar Votes to Give the Public Access to Their Lands - 2/6/14Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) voted in favor of the Public Access and Lands Improvement Act (H.R.2954), a package of 10 bills aimed at increasing and preserving public access to federal lands, facilitating responsible economic development and encouraging transparent land management. The bill passed the House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote of 220-194. After the vote, Rep. Gosar said, “This legislation cuts red tape that prevents tourism and economic development on public lands as well as increases public access to important recreation and conservation areas. This important bill provides greater certainty to ranchers and farmers by increasing the length of new grazing permits on public lands and streamlines the actual grazing permitting process. The package is also good for our environment and good for small businesses as the expedited removal of salvageable timber will greatly benefit the forest products industry and also reduce the threats of dangerous wildfires. This legislation is a great start to long overdue public lands reform.” BACKGROUND: Grazing permits currently require renewal every 10 years in an overly bureaucratic process. Under H.R.2954, the process will be streamlined and permits will only need to be renewed every 20 years, granting ranchers and farmers greater certainty. Concerning timber, H.R.2954 facilitates the removal of salvageable timber on federal lands in California, which were devastated by last summer’s Rim Fire. The sale of this salvaged timber is not only a boon to local small business but also promotes conservation, as fire-damaged trees are prone to disease, insect infestations and increase risk for future wildfires. |
Stay Connected
Use the following link to sign up for our newsletter and get the latest news and updates directly to your inbox.