IIB 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 298 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 29, 2014 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

AN ACT 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 

resource study to evaluate the significance of the Mill 

Springs Battlefield located in Pulaski and Wayne Counties, Kentucky, and the feasibility of its inclusion in 

the National Park System, and for other purposes. 


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HR 298 RFS 

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

3 SECTION 1. BATTLE OF MILL SPRINGS STUDY. 

4 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds as follows: 

5 (1) In 1994, the Mills Springs Battlefield in 

6 Pulaski and Wayne Counties in Kentucky was des7 ignated as a National Historic Landmark by the De8 partment of the Interior. 

9 (2) The Battle of Mill Springs was the first sig10 nificant Union victory in the western theater of the 

11 Civil War. 

12 (3) The outcome of the Battle of Mill Springs, 

13 along with Union victories at Fort Henry and Fort 

14 Donelson paved the way for a major battle at Shiloh, 

15 Tennessee. 

16 (4) In 1991, the National Park Service placed 

17 the Mill Springs Battlefield on a list of endangered 

18 battlefields, noting the impact of this battle to the 

19 course of the Civil War. 

20 (5) In 1992, the Mill Springs Battlefield Asso21 ciation formed, and utilizing Federal, State, and 

22 local support has managed to preserve important 

23 tracts of the battlefield, construct an interactive vis24 itor center, and educate the public about this his25 toric event. 


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HR 298 RFS 

1 (6) There is strong community interest in incor2 porating the Mill Springs Battlefield into the Na3 tional Park Service. 

4 (7) The Mill Springs Battlefield Association has 

5 expressed its desire to give the preserved battlefield 

6 as a gift to the United States. 

7 (b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this Act: 

8 (1) MILL SPRINGS BATTLEFIELD.—The term 

9 ‘‘Mill Springs Battlefield’’ means the area encom10 passed by the National Historic Landmark designa11 tions relating to the 1862 Battle of Mill Springs lo12 cated in the counties of Pulaski and Wayne in Ken13 tucky. 

14 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

15 the Secretary of the Interior. 

16 (c) STUDY.—Not later than 3 years from the date 

17 funds are made available, the Secretary shall conduct a 

18 special resource study to evaluate the significance of the 

19 Mill Springs Battlefield in Kentucky, and the feasibility 

20 of its inclusion in the National Park System. 

21 (d) CRITERIA FOR STUDY.—The Secretary shall con22 duct the study authorized by this Act in accordance with 

23 8(b) of Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5(b)). 

24 (e) CONTENT OF STUDY.—The study shall include an 

25 analysis of the following: 


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HR 298 RFS 

1 (1) The significance of the Battle of Mill 

2 Springs to the outcome of the Civil War. 

3 (2) Opportunities for public education about the 

4 Civil War in Kentucky. 

5 (3) Operational issues that should be considered 

6 if the National Park System were to incorporate the 

7 Mill Springs Battlefield. 

8 (4) The feasibility of administering the Mill 

9 Springs Battlefield considering its size, configura10 tion, and other factors, to include an annual cost es11 timate. 

12 (5) The economic, educational, and other im13 pacts the inclusion of Mill Springs Battlefield into 

14 the National Park System would have on the sur15 rounding communities in Pulaski and Wayne Coun16 ties. 

17 (6) The effect of the designation of the Mill 

18 Springs Battlefield as a unit of the National Park 

19 System on— 

20 (A) existing commercial and recreational 

21 activities, including by not limited to hunting, 

22 fishing, and recreational shooting, and on the 

23 authorization, construction, operation, mainte24 nance, or improvement of energy production 

25 and transmission infrastructure; and 


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HR 298 RFS 

1 (B) the authority of State and local gov2 ernments to manage those activities. 

3 (7) The identification of any authorities, includ4 ing condemnation, that will compel or permit the 

5 Secretary to influence or participate in local land use 

6 decisions (such as zoning) or place restrictions on 

7 non-Federal lands if the Mill Springs Battlefield is 

8 designated a unit of the National Park System. 

9 (f) NOTIFICATION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY OWN10 ERS.—Upon commencement of the study, owners of pri11 vate property adjacent to the battlefield will be notified 

12 of the study’s commencement and scope. 

13 (g) SUBMISSION OF REPORT.—Upon completion of 

14 the study, the Secretary shall submit a report on the find15 ings of the study to the Committee on Natural Resources 

16 of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on 

17 Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate. 

Passed the House of Representatives April 28, 2014. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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