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H.R. 177

Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act

In Plain Language

This bill increases the annual rent San Francisco pays for operating a dam in Yosemite National Park from $30,000 to $2 million per year, with the amount adjusting each year for inflation. San Francisco cannot pass these costs to its water and power customers. The bill requires the National Park Service to open up the reservoir and surrounding areas to more public recreation while protecting scenic and historic features, and allows the collected rent money to fund wildfire prevention in California's national parks.

Official Congressional Research Service summary

Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness ActThis bill modifies the Raker Act, which allowed San Francisco to dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley within Yosemite National Park, to (1) increase the annual rent San Francisco pays to the National Park Service (NPS), and (2) direct the NPS to expand public access to the reservoir and lake created by the dam.Specifically, the bill increases rent paid by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for the use of the park from $30,000 to $2 million per year. That amount must be adjusted annually to reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. The commission may not recoup such sums from wholesale water or power customers. The bill allows collected rent to be used by the Department of the Interior for wildfire mitigation activities in the park and other national parks in California.The bill also requires the NPS to administer the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas for public recreation, benefit, and use in a manner that will preserve scenic, historic, scientific, or otherwise important features.

Sponsor

Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5]

Cosponsors

Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]
Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1]
Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]

Latest action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.

Sep 10, 2026

Official source

View on Congress.gov ↗

Action history

Sep 10, 2026 Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
Jan 3, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

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