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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 3709

To reform the process for the study of areas for potential inclusion in

the National Park System, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOVEMBER 22, 1993

Mr. VENTO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee

on Natural Resources

A BILL

To reform the process for the study of areas for potential

inclusion in the National Park System, and for other

purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Park System

5 New Area Study Reform Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. STUDY OF NEW PARK SYSTEM AREAS.

7 Section 8 of the Act of August 18, 1970, entitled ‘‘An

8 Act to improve the Administration of the National Park

9 System by the Secretary of the Interior, and to clarify the

10 authorities applicable to the system, and for other pur-
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1 poses’’ (16 U.S.C. 1a–1 and following) is amended as

2 follows:

3 (1) Insert ‘‘GENERAL AUTHORITY.—’’ after

4 ‘‘(a)’’.

5 (2) Strike the second through the seventh sen6 tences of subsection (a).

7 (3) In the last sentence of subsection (a) insert:

8 ‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—’’ be9 fore the last sentence.

10 (4) Redesignate subsection (b) as subsection (e)

11 and insert ‘‘NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM PLAN.—’’ be12 fore the first sentence.

13 (5) Insert the following after subsection (a):

14 ‘‘(b) STUDIES OF AREAS FOR POTENTIAL ADDI15 TION.—(1) At the beginning of each calendar year, the

16 Director of the National Park Service shall submit to the

17 Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep18 resentatives and to the Committee on Energy and Natural

19 Resources of the United States Senate a list of areas rec20 ommended by the Director for study for potential inclusion

21 in the National Park System.

22 ‘‘(2) In developing the list to be submitted under this

23 subsection, the Director shall give consideration to those

24 areas that have the greatest potential to meet the estab25 lished criteria of national significance, suitability, and fea-
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1 sibility. The Director may also consider the public use

2 potential of the areas, their interpretive and educational

3 potential, the costs associated with adding any area, the

4 rarity of the resources associated with an area, and the

5 integrity of, and the threats to, those resources. The Di6 rector shall also give special consideration to themes, sites,

7 and resources not already adequately represented in the

8 National Park System. No study of the potential of an

9 area for inclusion in the National Park System may be

10 carried out except as provided by specific authorization of

11 an Act of Congress.

12 ‘‘(c) REPORT.—Within 3 years following the date of

13 enactment of specific legislation providing for the study

14 of an area for potential inclusion into the National Park

15 System, the Director shall transmit to the Committee on

16 Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and

17 to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of

18 the United States Senate a study of the potential of that

19 area for inclusion in the National Park System. Each

20 study under this section shall be prepared with appro21 priate opportunity for public involvement and shall con22 sider whether the area under study—

23 ‘‘(1) possesses nationally significant natural,

24 cultural, or recreational resources, and
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1 ‘‘(2) is a suitable and feasible addition to the

2 system.

3 Each such study shall also consider whether direct Na4 tional Park Service management or alternative protection

5 by other agencies or the private sector is appropriate for

6 the area. Each such study shall contain, without alteration

7 by any other officer or employee of the United States, the

8 recommendations of the Director regarding the preferred

9 management option for the area. Recommendations and

10 additional views may also be submitted, separately from

11 the recommendations of the Director, by the Secretary of

12 the Interior, the Director of the Office of Management and

13 Budget, or the National Park System Advisory Board, or

14 any combination thereof’’.

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