The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2008: Senate Amendment 5662 as Submitted on September 26, 2008 (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Oct. 31, 2008 |
| Report Number |
RL34727 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Nic Lane, Coordinator, Resources, Science, and Industry Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Senate Amendment 5662, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2008, was submitted as an amendment intended to be proposed to H.R. 5151 on September 26, 2008. Two existing packages have been paired to form S.Amdt. 5662: S. 3213 is a collection of over 90 individual bills which is on the Senate calendar, was combined with an additional 53 bills that were approved by a unanimous vote of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on September 11, 2008.
Given the large number of individual bills that make up this omnibus amendment, it has numerous supporters and detractors. Proponents may praise what they view as protection of natural resources such as wilderness and national trails, while detractors' criticisms may see these same actions as limiting access to natural resources such as oil and gas. Debate over provisions in the amendment generally focus on decisions to authorize federal funding; land use priorities; and the appropriateness of divesting federal ownership in federal lands, among others.
This report provides an overview of key policy issues and debates associated with each of the amendment's 12 titles. It highlights specific provisions where stakeholders have identified controversy. Most provisions within S.Amdt. 5662 concern public lands measures, federal land management agencies, and other federal land management issues. However, several titles focus on the Bureau of Reclamation's projects, water settlements, and other natural resources issues. This report is not intended to be a complete summary of each issue or provision represented by the amendment. The 12 titles of S.Amdt. 5662 are:
Title I. Additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System
Title II. Bureau of Land Management Authorizations
Title III. Forest Service Authorizations
Title IV. Forest Landscape Restoration
Title V. Rivers and Trails
Title VI. Department of the Interior Authorization
Title VII. National Park Service Authorizations
Title VIII. National Heritage Areas
Title IX. Bureau of Reclamation Authorizations
Title X. Water Settlements
Title XI. United States Geological Survey Authorizations
Title XII. Miscellaneous
