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FEDERALhearing transcript

Senate Hearing on Federal Land Maintenance Backlog

Original title: DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEEDS AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS ON FEDERAL LANDS ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND THE USDA FOREST SERVICE

January 1, 2020

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing addressed the multi-billion dollar maintenance backlog on federal lands, which impacts the safety, accessibility, and quality of public parks, forests, and recreational facilities used by millions of Americans.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Department of the Interior

The agency is responsible for managing the lands and infrastructure discussed in the hearing.

USDA Forest Service

The agency is responsible for managing the national forests and infrastructure discussed in the hearing.

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable

The organization represents industries and groups that rely on accessible public lands for recreation.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2020.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing on June 18, 2019, to discuss the growing backlog of on federal lands managed by the Department of the Interior and the USDA Forest Service. The committee heard testimony from government officials and stakeholders regarding potential solutions to address the deteriorating infrastructure on public lands.

Key Facts

  • The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources convened on June 18, 2019, to examine deferred maintenance needs on federal lands.
  • The hearing focused on lands administered by the Department of the Interior and the USDA Forest Service.
  • Witnesses included representatives from federal agencies, the National Association of Counties, the Public Lands Alliance, and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.
  • The committee reviewed written testimony and responses to questions for the record from various stakeholders, including the American Hiking Society and the Western Governors' Association.
  • The hearing record includes correspondence from governors and state legislatures regarding federal land management issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 'deferred maintenance' in the context of federal lands?
It refers to necessary repairs, construction, or maintenance projects on federal property (such as trails, roads, or buildings) that have been postponed or delayed due to lack of funding.
Who testified at this hearing?
Witnesses included officials from the Department of the Interior and the USDA Forest Service, as well as representatives from the National Association of Counties, the Public Lands Alliance, and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.

Why It Matters

This hearing addressed the multi-billion dollar maintenance backlog on federal lands, which impacts the safety, accessibility, and quality of public parks, forests, and recreational facilities used by millions of Americans.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

cross reference90% confidence

Broad Stakeholder Engagement

The hearing record includes significant input from non-federal entities, including state governors, the Louisiana Legislature, and various outdoor advocacy groups, indicating widespread interest in federal land maintenance.

Connected Entities

personScott CameronPrincipal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget, DepartmeMap →
personJoe Manchin IIIRanking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesMap →
organizationDepartment of the InteriorFederal agency responsible for managing public landsMap →
personLisa MurkowskiChairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesMap →
personElizabeth ArchuletaSupervisor, Coconino County, Arizona, representing the National Association of CMap →
personDan PuskarPresident and CEO, Public Lands AllianceMap →
organizationUSDA Forest ServiceFederal agency responsible for managing national forestsMap →
personLenise LagoAssociate Chief, USDA Forest ServiceMap →
personJessica WahlExecutive Director, Outdoor Recreation RoundtableMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance60
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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