Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT) today announced that the House Natural Resources Committee voted in favor of В the Utah National Guard Readiness Act (H.R. 686) as well as the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011 (H.R. 765).В \
The passage of these bills in the House Natural Resources Committee moves them one step closer to final consideration on the floor of the House of Representatives.
The Utah National Guard Readiness Act would ensure that the Utah National Guard headquarters, located at Camp Williams, has the ability to grow and expand as necessary to meet future defense needs.В The Utah National Guard continues to be constrained by limited space for expansion.
In order to address these needs and make necessary updates to existing infrastructure, the land surrounding the Utah National Guard Headquarters at Camp Williams, which is currently owned by the federal government, must be transferred to the state.
“Utah is one of the few states that continues to meet its National Guard recruitment and retention goals each year. However, due to the fact that the land surrounding the Camp Williams headquarters is owned by the federal government, they are unable to meet their current and future expansion needs. This legislation would remedy this and help ensure that Utah’s National Guard is able to grow as necessary to meet our defense needs,” said Congressman Bishop.
The Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011 amends the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 to permit ski areas on National Forest Service lands to allow for year round recreation, as well as additional recreational snow sports other than alpine and Nordic skiing, such as snowboarding.
This legislation will increase tourism and job creation for communities where only limited seasonal ski-related activities in Forest Service ski areas may occur.
“Utah is one of our nation’s premier destinations for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a wide variety of year-round recreational opportunities. Unfortunately, antiquated laws prohibit many areas from operating beyond the winter months. This legislation will provide necessary updates so that visitors and residents can enjoy all that Utah has to offer throughout the entire year. This will not only increase employment opportunities but will bring additional support to local economies, especially in our mountain communities,” said Congressman Bishop.