http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills info@washingtonwatch.com http://www.pjdoland.com/chai/?v=0.1 http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_HR_1703.html?rev=6632 <p>H.R. 1703 would establish a coordinated avalanche protection program.</p> <h2 id="toc0"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>Federal Land Avalanche Protection Act of 2007 - 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 and mitigate their effects.</p> <p>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, use resources of the Forest Service's National Avalanche Center; (2) 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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Requires the Administrator of General Services to transfer specified property suitable for avalanche control purposes to a user of surplus ordinance.</p> <!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc1"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>Latest Major Action: 5/4/2007: Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.</p> <!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc2"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc3"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 6632@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Thu, 02 Aug 2007 01:39:57 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_HR_1703.html?rev=6633 <p>H.R. 1703 would establish a coordinated avalanche protection program.</p> <h2 id="toc4"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>Federal Land Avalanche Protection Act of 2007 - 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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Requires the Administrator of General Services to transfer specified property suitable for avalanche control purposes to a user of surplus ordinance.</p> <!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc5"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>Latest Major Action: 5/4/2007: Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.</p> <!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc6"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc7"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 6633@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Thu, 02 Aug 2007 01:39:57 EDT