A bill to designate the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, and for other purposes.

Summary: Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail Designation Act - Designates the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, a trail from Missoula, Montana to the Pacific Ocean, to provide for the public appreciation, understanding, and enjoyment of the nationally significant natural and cultural features of the Ice Age Floods and to promote efforts to interpret and educate along the pathways of the floods.

Requires the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service, to administer the Trail in accordance with this Act. Prohibits the Trail, except as provided in this Act, from being considered a unit of the National Park System (NPS). Allows the Secretary, in order to improve management of the Trail and coordinate Trail activities with other public agencies and private entities, to establish and operate a Trail management office at a central location within the vicinity of the Trail.

Requires the Secretary to prepare a cooperative management and interpretation plan for the Trail.

Authorizes the Secretary to plan, design, and construct interpretive facilities for sites associated with the Trail if the facilities are constructed in partnership with state, local, tribal, or nonprofit entities and are consistent with the cooperative management and interpretation plan.

Allows the Secretary, in order to facilitate the development of coordinated interpretation, education, resource stewardship, visitor facility development and operation, and scientific research associated with the Trail and to promote more efficient administration of the sites associated with the Trail, to enter into cooperative management agreements with appropriate officials in the states of Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon in accordance with the authority provided for units of the NPS. States that, for purposes of such authority only, the Trail be considered an NPS unit.

Permits the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with public or private entities to carry out this Act.

Specifies the effect of this Act on private property rights.

Declares that designation of the Trail does not create any liability for, or affect any liability under any law of, any private property owner with respect to any person injured on the private property.

Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ice Age Floods National Geologic 
Trail Designation Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) at the end of the last Ice Age, some 12,000 to 17,000 
        years ago, a series of cataclysmic floods occurred in what is 
        now the northwest region of the United States, leaving a 
        lasting mark of dramatic and distinguishing features on the 
        landscape of parts of the States of Montana, Idaho, Washington 
        and Oregon;
            (2) geological features that have exceptional value and 
        quality to illustrate and interpret this extraordinary natural 
        phenomenon are present on Federal, State, tribal, county, 
        municipal, and private land in the region; and
            (3) in 2001, a joint study team headed by the National Park 
        Service that included about 70 members from public and private 
        entities completed a study endorsing the establishment of an 
        Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail--
                    (A) to recognize the national significance of this 
                phenomenon; and
                    (B) to coordinate public and private sector 
                entities in the presentation of the story of the Ice 
                Age floods.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to designate the Ice Age 
Floods National Geologic Trail in the States of Montana, Idaho, 
Washington, and Oregon, enabling the public to view, experience, and 
learn about the features and story of the Ice Age floods through the 
collaborative efforts of public and private entities.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Ice age floods; floods.--The term ``Ice Age floods'' or 
        ``floods'' means the cataclysmic floods that occurred in what 
        is now the northwestern United States during the last Ice Age 
        from massive, rapid and recurring drainage of Glacial Lake in 
        Missoula, Montana.
            (2) Plan.--The term ``plan'' means the cooperative 
        management and interpretation plan authorized under section 
        5(e).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (4) Trail.--The term ``Trail'' means the Ice Age Floods 
        National Geologic Trail designated by section 4(a).

SEC. 4. ICE AGE FLOODS NATIONAL GEOLOGIC TRAIL.

    (a) Designation.--In order to provide for public appreciation, 
understanding, and enjoyment of the nationally significant natural and 
cultural features of the Ice Age floods and to promote collaborative 
efforts for interpretation and education among public and private 
entities located along the pathways of the floods, there is designated 
the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail.
    (b) Location.--
            (1) Map.--The route of the Trail shall be generally 
        depicted on the map entitled ``Ice Age Floods National Geologic 
        Trail,'' numbered P43/80,000 and dated June 2004.
            (2) Route.--The route shall generally follow public roads 
        and highways.
            (3) Revision.--The Secretary may revise the map by 
        publication in the Federal Register of a notice of availability 
        of a new map as part of the plan.
    (c) Map Availability.--The map referred to in subsection (b) shall 
be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate 
offices of the National Park Service.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
National Park Service, shall administer the Trail in accordance with 
this Act.
    (b) Limitation.--Except as provided in subsection (f)(2), the Trail 
shall not be considered to be a unit of the National Park System.
    (c) Trail Management Office.--To improve management of the Trail 
and coordinate Trail activities with other public agencies and private 
entities, the Secretary may establish and operate a trail management 
office at a central location within the vicinity of the Trail.
    (d) Interpretive Facilities.--The Secretary may plan, design, and 
construct interpretive facilities for sites associated with the Trail 
if the facilities are constructed in partnership with State, local, 
tribal, or non-profit entities and are consistent with the plan.
    (e) Management Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after funds are 
        made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall 
        prepare a cooperative management and interpretation plan for 
        the Trail.
            (2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall prepare the plan in 
        consultation with--
                    (A) State, local, and tribal governments;
                    (B) the Ice Age Floods Institute;
                    (C) private property owners; and
                    (D) other interested parties.
            (3) Contents.--The plan shall--
                    (A) confirm and, if appropriate, expand on the 
                inventory of features of the floods contained in the 
                National Park Service study entitled ``Ice Age Floods, 
                Study of Alternatives and Environmental Assessment'' 
                (February 2001) by--
                            (i) locating features more accurately;
                            (ii) improving the description of features; 
                        and
                            (iii) reevaluating the features in terms of 
                        their interpretive potential;
                    (B) review and, if appropriate, modify the map of 
                the Trail referred to in section 4(b);
                    (C) describe strategies for the coordinated 
                development of the Trail, including an interpretive 
                plan for facilities, waysides, roadside pullouts, 
                exhibits, media, and programs that present the story of 
                the floods to the public effectively; and
                    (D) identify potential partnering opportunities in 
                the development of interpretive facilities and 
                educational programs to educate the public about the 
                story of the floods.
    (f) Cooperative Management.--
            (1) In general.--In order to facilitate the development of 
        coordinated interpretation, education, resource stewardship, 
        visitor facility development and operation, and scientific 
        research associated with the Trail and to promote more 
        efficient administration of the sites associated with the 
        Trail, the Secretary may enter into cooperative management 
        agreements with appropriate officials in the States of Montana, 
        Idaho, Washington, and Oregon in accordance with the authority 
        provided for units of the National Park System under section 
        3(l) of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-2(l)).
            (2) Authority.--For purposes of this subsection only, the 
        Trail shall be considered a unit of the National Park System.
    (g) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into 
cooperative agreements with public or private entities to carry out 
this Act.
    (h) Effect on Private Property Rights.--Nothing in this Act--
            (1) requires any private property owner to allow public 
        access (including Federal, State, or local government access) 
        to private property; or
            (2) modifies any provision of Federal, State, or local law 
        with respect to public access to or use of private land.
    (i) Liability.--Designation of the Trail by section 4(a) does not 
create any liability for, or affect any liability under any law of, any 
private property owner with respect to any person injured on the 
private property.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to carry out this Act, of which not more than $12,000,000 may be used 
for development of the Trail.

            Passed the Senate November 16, 2005.

            Attest:

                                             EMILY J. REYNOLDS,

                                                             Secretary.