‘Gateway communities’ get Congressional caucus

WASHINGTON, D.C.
September 15, 2009 12:03am

A bipartisan Congressional caucus has been launched to focus attention on the so-called “gayeway communities” -- from cities to villages, districts to boroughs, and tribal lands, that are geographically or economically linked with any federal public land or waterway and would be significantly impacted by decisions made by federal managers for these areas.

“Gateway communities provide access and infrastructure to America’s greatest national treasures: our national parks, monuments, forests and other public lands and waterways,” says U.S. Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, a gateway to Yosemite National Park.

“It is imperative that government works together with these communities that are inextricably linked to our public lands,” he says.

The communities, which lie adjacent to the National Park System, National Wildlife Refuge System, National Forest System or other federal public lands and waterways, play an integral role in accomplishing the mission of federal land managers by providing necessary services such as transportation infrastructure, search and rescue, emergency and medical support services, drinking water and sanitary systems.

“This caucus seeks to ensure the long term economic prosperity of thousands of Gateway Communities throughout the nation by closely linking the management of federal lands and waterways with these invaluable communities,” says U.S. Rep. Heath Schuler, D-N.C.