It’s always great to see elected officials take an interest in improving the situation at Hetch Hetchy.
Congressman Tom McClintock, whose district includes Yosemite, has introduced H.R. 177, legislation intended to improve access and recreation at Hetch Hetchy as well as to increase the fees that San Francisco pays for storing water in a national park.
The bill is cosponsored by Reps. David Valadao, Ken Calvert and Doug LaMalfa. At this point there is no text associated with the proposal. Note that Rep. Connie Conway introduced a similar bill, the Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act, in 2022, which Rep. McClintock reintroduced in 2023.
Will the third time be a charm?
The mandate to improving access at Hetch Hetchy, even with the dam in place, was explored in Keeping Promises: Providing Public Access to Hetch Hetchy Valley, Yosemite National Park (Restore Hetch Hetchy, 2021). Since that time, we have been working with the National Park Service to improve access, including fishing, boating and camping – activities expected by Congress when it passed the Raker Act in 1913 but which have never been made available. The NPS has been sympathetic to our requests but reluctant to make changes.
So, we are pleased to see that legislation is again being considered. Any final endorsement will depend on the details of the legislation.
We have been in contact with Rep. McClintock’s staff on issues of improved recreation and our shared view that the visitor experience at Hetch Hetchy warrants improvement. We do not, however, share common ground on the ultimate restoration of the valley. Rep. McClintock remains opposed to restoration, as far as we know, but we hope he will keep an open mind if a fair and cost effective plan to ensure no loss of water and power is put before him.
It’s far easier to introduce legislation than to pass it. But we do hope H.R. 177 will move forward in the current Congressional session.
We’ll keep you posted.