MAST Act

To amend title 54, United States Code, to provide for congressional approval of national monuments and restrictions on the use of national monuments, to establish requirements for declaration of marine national monuments, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Marine Access and State Transparency MAST Act 2. Congressional authorization of declarations of national monuments and restrictions on public use (a) Declarations of national monuments Section 320301 of title 54, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by striking The President may After obtaining congressional approval of a proposed national monument and certifying compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 42 U.S.C. 4321 (2) by adding at the end the following: (e) Requirements for declarations of marine national monuments (1) Requirements The President may not declare any area of the exclusive economic zone to be a national monument unless— (A) such declaration is specifically authorized by an Act of Congress; (B) the President has submitted a proposal to make such declaration to the Governor of each State, and of each territory, any part of which is located within 200 nautical miles of that area; (C) each such Governor submits to the President notice that the legislature of that State or territory has approved the proposal; and (D) the declaration is substantially the same as the proposal. (2) Exclusive economic zone defined In this subsection the term exclusive economic zone . (b) Restrictions on public use Chapter 3203 (1) by adding at the end the following: 320304. Restrictions on public use The Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Commerce with respect to any area of the exclusive economic zone (as defined in section 320301(e)) designated as a national monument, shall not implement any restrictions on the public use of a national monument until the expiration of an appropriate review period (as determined by such Secretary) providing for public input and congressional approval. ; and (2) in the analysis at the beginning of the chapter, by adding at the end the following: 320304. Restrictions on public use. .

Summary: Marine Access and State Transparency or the MAST Act This bill amends the Antiquities Act of 1906 to require the President, before a national monument can be designated on public land, to obtain congressional approval and certify compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The bill bars the President from declaring any area of the exclusive economic zone to be a national monument unless: such a declaration is specifically authorized by an Act of Congress; the President has submitted a proposal to make the declaration to the governor of each state or territory located within 200 nautical miles of that area; each governor submits to the President a notice that the legislature of that state or territory has approved the proposal; and the declaration is substantially the same as the proposal. The bill prohibits the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce, with respect to any area of the exclusive economic zone that is designated as a national monument, from implementing any restrictions on the public use of such a national monument until the expiration of an appropriate review period providing for public input and congressional approval.