PUBLIC LAW 113–33—SEPT. 18, 2013 

DENALI NATIONAL PARK IMPROVEMENT ACT 


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127 STAT. 514 PUBLIC LAW 113–33—SEPT. 18, 2013 

Public Law 113–33 

113th Congress 

An Act 

To provide for certain improvements to the Denali National Park and Preserve 

in the State of Alaska, and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Denali National Park Improvement Act’’. 

SEC. 2. KANTISHNA HILLS MICROHYDRO PROJECT; LAND EXCHANGE. 

(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

(1) APPURTENANCE.—The term ‘‘appurtenance’’ includes— 

(A) transmission lines; 

(B) distribution lines; 

(C) signs; 

(D) buried communication lines; 

(E) necessary access routes for microhydro project 

construction, operation, and maintenance; and 

(F) electric cables. 

(2) KANTISHNA HILLS AREA.—The term ‘‘Kantishna Hills 

area’’ means the area of the Park located within 2 miles of 

Moose Creek, as depicted on the map. 

(3) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map entitled 

‘‘Kantishna Hills Micro-Hydro Area’’, numbered 184/80,276, and 

dated August 27, 2010. 

(4) MICROHYDRO PROJECT.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘microhydro project’’ means 

a hydroelectric power generating facility with a maximum 

power generation capability of 100 kilowatts. 

(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘microhydro project’’ 

includes— 

(i) intake pipelines, including the intake pipeline 

located on Eureka Creek, approximately 1⁄2 mile 

upstream from the Park Road, as depicted on the map; 

(ii) each system appurtenance of the microhydro 

projects; and 

(iii) any distribution or transmission lines required 

to serve the Kantishna Hills area. 

(5) PARK.—The term ‘‘Park’’ means the Denali National 

Park and Preserve. 

(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

of the Interior. 

(b) PERMITS FOR MICROHYDRO PROJECTS.— 

Denali 

National Park 

Improvement 

Act. 

Sept. 18, 2013 

[S. 157] 


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PUBLIC LAW 113–33—SEPT. 18, 2013 127 STAT. 515 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may issue permits for 

microhydro projects in the Kantishna Hills area. 

(2) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—Each permit under paragraph 

(1) shall be— 

(A) issued in accordance with such terms and conditions as are generally applicable to rights-of-way within 

units of the National Park System; and 

(B) subject to such other terms and conditions as the 

Secretary determines to be necessary. 

(3) COMPLETION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS.—Not later 

than 180 days after the date on which an applicant submits 

an application for the issuance of a permit under this subsection, the Secretary shall complete any analysis required 

by the National Environment Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.) of any proposed or existing microhydro projects 

located in the Kantishna Hills area. 

(c) LAND EXCHANGE.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose of consolidating ownership of Park and Doyon Tourism, Inc. lands, including those 

lands affected solely by the Doyon Tourism microhydro project, 

and subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary may exchange Park 

land near or adjacent to land owned by Doyon Tourism, Inc., 

located at the mouth of Eureka Creek in sec. 13, T.16 S., 

R. 18 W., Fairbanks Meridian, for approximately 18 acres of 

land owned by Doyon Tourism, Inc., within the Galena patented 

mining claim. 

(2) MAP AVAILABILITY.—The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the 

National Park Service. 

(3) TIMING.—The Secretary shall seek to complete the 

exchange under this subsection by not later than February 

1, 2015. 

(4) APPLICABLE LAWS; TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The 

exchange under this subsection shall be subject to— 

(A) the laws (including regulations) and policies 

applicable to exchanges of land administered by the 

National Park Service, including the laws and policies concerning land appraisals, equalization of values, and 

environmental compliance; and 

(B) such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary. 

(5) EQUALIZATION OF VALUES.—If the tracts proposed for 

exchange under this subsection are determined not to be equal 

in value, an equalization of values may be achieved by adjusting 

the quantity of acres described in paragraph (1). 

(6) ADMINISTRATION.—The land acquired by the Secretary 

pursuant to the exchange under this subsection shall be 

administered as part of the Park. 

SEC. 3. DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE. 

(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

(1) APPURTENANCE.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘appurtenance’’ includes 

cathodic protection or test stations, valves, signage, and 

buried communication and electric cables relating to the 

operation of high-pressure natural gas transmission. 

Deadline. 


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127 STAT. 516 PUBLIC LAW 113–33—SEPT. 18, 2013 

(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘appurtenance’’ does not 

include compressor stations. 

(2) PARK.—The term ‘‘Park’’ means the Denali National 

Park and Preserve in the State of Alaska. 

(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

of the Interior. 

(b) PERMIT.—The Secretary may issue right-of-way permits 

for— 

(1) a high-pressure natural gas transmission pipeline 

(including appurtenances) in nonwilderness areas within the 

boundary of Denali National Park within, along, or near the 

approximately 7-mile segment of the George Parks Highway 

that runs through the Park; and 

(2) any distribution and transmission pipelines and appurtenances that the Secretary determines to be necessary to provide natural gas supply to the Park. 

(c) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—A permit authorized under subsection (b)— 

(1) may be issued only— 

(A) if the permit is consistent with the laws (including 

regulations) generally applicable to utility rights-of-way 

within units of the National Park System; 

(B) in accordance with section 1106(a) of the Alaska 

National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 

3166(a)); and 

(C) if, following an appropriate analysis prepared in 

compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 

of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the route of the rightof-way is the route through the Park with the least adverse 

environmental effects for the Park; and 

(2) shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the 

Secretary determines to be necessary. 

SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF THE WALTER HARPER TALKEETNA RANGER 

STATION. 

(a) DESIGNATION.—The Talkeetna Ranger Station located on 

B Street in Talkeetna, Alaska, approximately 100 miles south of 

the entrance to Denali National Park, shall be known and designated as the ‘‘Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station’’. 

(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 

document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 

Talkeetna Ranger Station referred to in subsection (a) shall be 


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PUBLIC LAW 113–33—SEPT. 18, 2013 127 STAT. 517 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 157 (H.R. 586): 

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 113–192 and 113–217 accompanying H.R. 586 (both from 

Comm. on Natural Resources). 

SENATE REPORTS: No. 113–19 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 159 (2013): 

June 19, considered and passed Senate. 

Sept. 10, considered and passed House. 

Æ 

deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger 

Station’’. 

Approved September 18, 2013. 


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