H.R. 1475 — Introduced in House

I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1475 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 28, 2019Mr. Stauber (for himself, Mr. LaHood, and Mr. Emmer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To create a publicly available lottery system for permits for the use of motorized or nonmotorized boats in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Letting Outdoor Tourism Thrive for Every Recreation Yearly Act or the LOTTERY Act. 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Before the 2019 season, outfitters, cooperators, and visitors used a lottery system to obtain permits for the use of motorized or nonmotorized boats in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (2) The lottery system described in paragraph (1) was publicly available on a recreational website of the Federal Government. (3) The lottery system described in paragraph (1) is widely supported and accepted by cooperators. (4) With respect to the 2019 season, the Forest Service changed the lottery system to obtain permits for the use of motorized or nonmotorized boats in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (5) The system described in paragraph (4) was not effective or successful. (6) The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is an international destination for boating and outdoor recreation, boasts world class fishing, camping, and excursion opportunities, and is a tremendous asset to the local economies in the region. 3. Permits in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Beginning January 1, 2020, the Secretary of Agriculture shall— (1) carry out a lottery system to issue permits for the use of motorized or nonmotorized boats in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness established under Public Law 95–495 (92 Stat. 1648); and (2) make such lottery system publicly available on a recreation website of the Federal Government.