Haley Stevens: “today I introduce, with Senators Campbell, Domenici, Hatch, Inouye, and Murkowski, the Federal Land Recreational Visitor…”

“today I introduce, with Senators Campbell, Domenici, Hatch, Inouye, and Murkowski, the Federal Land Recreational Visitor Protection Act of 2003. Across our State of Alaska, Western States, and areas of the Northeast, local governments and businesses struggle each year to remove potential avalanches or recover from the disastrous effects of avalanches. The West Wide Avalanche Network calculated avalanche damage totals for the Western U.S. between $600 thousand and $800 thousand annually. These costs do not include the economic losses from town cut-off by avalanches. In our state alone, the Safety Center estimates upwards of $18 million in direct damages both to private property and economic losses over the past 5 years. While such damage can bring hardships to many local communities, none can compare with the loss of a friend or family member. The U.S. averages 30 deaths a year from avalanches, a majority of which are results of recreational activities in unmitigated avalanche areas. This bill brings those resources to the entities that need them the most, enabling us to significantly reduce the effects of avalanches on visitors, recreational users, transportation corridors, and our local communities.”