The President shall appoint an advisory commission to review the opportunities for enhanced opportunities for water-based recreation which shall submit a report to the President and to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives within one year from November 12, 1996.
The members of the Commission shall include—
(1) the Secretary of the Interior, or his designee;
(2) the Secretary of the Army, or his designee;
(3) the Chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority, or his designee;
(4) the Secretary of Agriculture, or his designee;
(5) a person nominated by the National Governor's Association; and
(6) four persons familiar with the interests of the recreation and tourism industry, conservation and recreation use, Indian tribes, and local governments, at least one of whom shall be familiar with the economics and financing of recreation-related infrastructure.
The President shall appoint one member to serve as Chairman. Any vacancy on the Commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties. The Secretary of the Interior shall provide all financial, administrative, and staffing requirements for the Commission, including office space, furnishings, and equipment. The heads of other Federal agencies are authorized, at the request of the Commission, to provide such information or personnel, to the extent permitted by law and within the limits of available funds, to the Commission as may be useful to accomplish the purposes of this section.
The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as it deems advisable: Provided, That, to the maximum extent possible, the Commission shall use existing data and research. The Commission is authorized to use the United States mail in the same manner and upon the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the United States.
The report shall review the extent of water-related recreation at Federal man-made lakes and reservoirs and shall develop alternatives to enhance the opportunities for such use by the public. In developing the report, the Commission shall—
(1) review the extent to which recreation components identified in specific authorizations associated with individual Federal man-made lakes and reservoirs have been accomplished;
(2) evaluate the feasibility of enhancing recreation opportunities at federally managed lakes and reservoirs under existing statutes;
(3) consider legislative changes that would enhance recreation opportunities consistent with and subject to the achievement of the authorized purposes of Federal water projects; and
(4) make recommendations on alternatives for enhanced recreation opportunities including, but not limited to, the establishment of a National Recreation Lake System under which specific lakes would receive national designation and which would be managed through innovative partnership-based agreements between Federal agencies, State and local units of government, and the private sector.
Any such alternatives shall be consistent with and subject to the authorized purposes for any man-made lakes and reservoirs and shall emphasize private sector initiatives in concert with State and local units of government.
(Pub. L. 88–578, title I, §13, as added Pub. L. 104–333, div. I, title X, §1021(b), Nov. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 4210; amended Pub. L. 105–83, title V, §505, Nov. 14, 1997, 111 Stat. 1617; Pub. L. 106–176, title I, §123(b), Mar. 10, 2000, 114 Stat. 29.)
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Last modified: October 26, 2015