Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act

This bill opens more of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor areas in Yosemite to the public for recreation, while still protecting nature and important sights. It tells the National Park Service to run these areas for public use, to grow recreation where practical, and to preserve scenic, historic, and scientific features. Allowed activities include swimming, using non‑motorized boats, picnicking, and camping near the areas (but not below the usual high‑water line). People can use roads by car or bike to get there, as long as it doesn’t interfere with dam operations.

Within one year after the bill becomes law, the Interior Department must send Congress a report on whether the original 1913 plan for public recreation access has been followed and how to fund fair access going forward. The report must look at costs like trail upkeep, road work, and wildfire protection, and consider options such as adjusting prices for Hetch Hetchy water and power, treating the City of San Francisco like a park concessioner, and adding to San Francisco’s annual fee to reflect lost public benefits, including recreation and flood control.

• Who is affected: Park visitors, nearby communities, and the City of San Francisco’s Hetch Hetchy water and power system.
• What changes: More public recreation is allowed (swimming, non‑motorized boats, picnicking, camping above the high‑water line), with NPS managing for both access and protection.
• When: New management direction takes effect upon enactment; the required report is due within one year.