Sec. 502. Establishing a Mount Hood Access Committee
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Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary and the Secretary of Transportation shall establish a Mt. Hood Access Committee to develop a Mount Hood Access Strategy described in subsection (g). The purpose of the Committee established under subsection
(a)is to establish a comprehensive, coordinated, multi-jurisdictional strategy to achieve safe, equitable, and ecologically sustainable access to recreation, tourism, and residential, cultural, and economic opportunities along U.S. Highways 26 and 35 within the Mount Hood National Forest. The Committee shall consist of not more than 22 members appointed jointly by the Secretary and the Secretary of Transportation and include the following: Not more than 6 representatives from Federal, State, and local government agencies with authority to manage public land in or adjacent to the Mount Hood National Forest. One representative from a Federal transportation agency, one representative from the Oregon transportation agency, and one representative from county or regional government transportation entities. One representative from local public transit agencies based in counties immediately adjacent to the Mount Hood National Forest. One representative from each of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon and from any other affected Tribes, as determined by the Secretary. Six representatives from tourism, recreation, bicycle or pedestrian groups, conservation, and urban and rural communities, who live, work, operate, or recreate within the Mount Hood National Forest including organizations or agencies focused on tourism, economic development, and community resiliency (including organizations focused on environmental and transportation justice). At least two representatives from underserved communities who reside in or near or visit the Mount Hood National Forest. The Committee shall— hold at least six meetings annually to develop the strategy described in subsection (g); and provide opportunities for public engagement during strategy development. The Committee shall establish a system of internal governance, which may include the formation of subcommittees. The Committee shall coordinate efforts with the Columbia River Gorge Access Committee established under section 501. The strategy developed under this section shall— provide coordinated, reliable, and user-friendly transportation and transit options for residents, employees, and visitors to the Mount Hood National Forest, particularly in the vicinity of Oregon State Highway 26 and Oregon State Highway 35; improve multimodal transportation alternatives options between and among recreation areas and nearby communities, including Tribal communities, that are located within the Mount Hood region, with a focus on— reducing congestion; reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation sources; providing reliable transit options, such as shuttle services, for residents, employees, and visitors; improving access to transportation and transit infrastructure, such as park-and-ride facilities located at nearby communities, intermodal transportation centers to link public transportation, parking, and recreation destinations, including within or in close proximity to Government Camp; and ensuring equitable access to transit opportunities to underserved communities who reside near or visit the Mount Hood region; improving recreational access, public safety, and emergency personnel access within the Mount Hood National Forest, particularly along Oregon State Highways 26 and 35; provide sustainable funding or financing sources for implementing the strategy; consider existing studies, reports, and other work products that are the result of collaborative discussions about the issues addressed by the strategy; ensure that the activities described in paragraphs
(1)through
(5)can be addressed by the strategy for a period of at least 20 years; and include a framework for implementation which may include jurisdictional transfer of recreation or transportation facilities, creating a transportation planning organization or a transportation management association, or suggested legislative or regulatory changes at the Federal, State, or local government levels. Not later than 1 year after the date the Committee is established under subsection (a), and once every two years thereafter, the Committee shall submit the strategy described in subsection
(g)and a report on the implementation of such strategy to the Commission, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, the Oregon State Legislature, and the Washington State Legislature. The Committee shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date the Committee is established under subsection (a). In this subsection: The term Committee means the Mount Hood Access Committee established under subsection (a). The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.