I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6610 
To provide for several critical National Park Service authorities, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 28, 2012 
Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and Oversight and Government Re-
form, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each 
case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for several critical National Park Service 
authorities, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Park Service 
Critical Authorities Act of 2012’’. 
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SEC. 2. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SNOW REMOVAL. 
The Act of September 16, 1922 (42 Stat. 845, chap-
ter 318) is amended by striking section 3 and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 3. DUTIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—It shall be the duty of a Federal 
agency to remove, or cause to be removed, snow, sleet, or 
ice from any paved sidewalk or crosswalk within the fire 
limits of the District of Columbia that is— 
‘‘(1) in front of or adjacent to any building that 
is— 
‘‘(A) owned by the United States; and 
‘‘(B) under the jurisdiction of the Federal 
agency; or 
‘‘(2) a public thoroughfare in front of, around, 
or through any public square, reservation, or open 
space that is— 
‘‘(A) owned by the United States; and 
‘‘(B) under the jurisdiction of the Federal 
agency. 
‘‘(b) TIMING.—The removal of snow, sleet, or ice 
under subsection (a) shall occur within a reasonable period 
after the snow or sleet ceases to fall or the ice has accumu-
lated, as applicable. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION OF SAND, ASHES, AND SALT.—If 
snow, sleet, or ice has hardened and cannot be removed 
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from a sidewalk or crosswalk described in subsection (a), 
the Federal agency shall— 
‘‘(1) make the sidewalk or crosswalk reasonably 
safe for travel by applying sand, ashes, salt, or other 
acceptable materials to the affected sidewalk or 
crosswalk; and 
‘‘(2) as soon as practicable, thoroughly remove 
the snow, sleet, or ice from the affected sidewalk or 
crosswalk. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORITY TO DELEGATE.—A Federal agency 
may delegate the duty of the Federal agency under sub-
sections (a) and (c) to another governmental entity or a 
nongovernmental entity under a lease, contract, or other 
comparable arrangement. 
‘‘(e) AGREEMENT.—If 2 or more Federal agencies 
have overlapping responsibility for a sidewalk or cross-
walk, the Federal agencies may enter into an agreement 
assigning responsibility for the removal of snow, sleet, or 
ice from the sidewalk or crosswalk.’’. 
SEC. 3. GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL PARKWAY. 
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to au-
thorize, direct, facilitate, and expedite the transfer of ad-
ministrative jurisdiction over certain Department of 
Transportation land and Department of the Interior land 
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(5) RESEARCH CENTER.—The term ‘‘Research 
Center’’ means the Turner-Fairbank Highway Re-
search Center of the Federal Highway Administra-
tion. 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may transfer 
to the Secretary of Transportation administrative ju-
risdiction over the DOI land in exchange for the 
transfer by the Secretary of Transportation to the 
Secretary of administration jurisdiction over the 
DOT land. 
(2) USE RESTRICTION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall re-
strict the use of the land described in subpara-
graph (B) by prohibiting the storage, construc-
tion, or installation of any item that may ob-
struct the view from the Research Center to the 
George Washington Memorial Parkway. 
(B) 
DESCRIPTION
OF
RESTRICTED 
LAND.—The land referred to in subparagraph 
(A) is the approximately 0.139 acres of land 
within the boundary of the George Washington 
Memorial Parkway immediately adjacent to the 
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north perimeter fence of the Research Center, 
generally depicted as ‘‘C’’ on the Map. 
(3) 
NO
REIMBURSEMENT
OR
CONSIDER-
ATION.—No reimbursement or consideration shall be 
required for the transfer of administrative jurisdic-
tion under this subsection. 
(4) COMPLIANCE WITH AGREEMENT.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The National Park 
Service and the Federal Highway Administra-
tion shall comply with all terms and conditions 
of the Agreement regarding the transfer of ad-
ministrative 
jurisdiction, 
management, 
and 
maintenance of the land described in the Agree-
ment. 
(B) ACCESS TO RESTRICTED LAND.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Subject to clauses 
(ii) and (iii), the Secretary shall allow the 
Research Center to access the land de-
scribed in paragraph (2)(B) for purposes 
of maintenance in accordance with Na-
tional Park Service standards, including 
grass mowing, weed control, tree mainte-
nance, fence maintenance, and mainte-
nance of the visual appearance of the land. 
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(ii) PRUNING
AND
REMOVAL
OF 
TREES.—No tree on the land described in 
paragraph (2)(B) that is 6 inches or more 
in diameter shall be pruned or removed 
without the advance written permission of 
the Secretary. 
(iii) PESTICIDES.—The use of pes-
ticides on the land described in paragraph 
(2)(B) shall be approved in writing by the 
Secretary prior to application of the pes-
ticides. 
(5) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The Map shall be 
available for public inspection in the appropriate of-
fices of the National Park Service. 
(d) MANAGEMENT OF TRANSFERRED LAND.— 
(1) DOT LAND.—The DOT land transferred to 
the Secretary under subsection (c)(1) shall be— 
(A) included in the boundaries of the 
George Washington Memorial Parkway; and 
(B) administered as part of the George 
Washington Memorial Parkway, subject to ap-
plicable laws (including regulations). 
(2) DOI LAND.—The DOI land transferred to 
the Secretary of Transportation under subsection 
(c)(1) shall be— 
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(A) included in the boundary of the Re-
search Center; and 
(B) removed from the boundary of the 
parkway. 
(3) RESTRICTED-USE
LAND.—The land de-
scribed in subsection (c)(2)(B) shall be maintained 
by the Research Center. 
SEC. 4. UNIFORM PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS ON PARK 
SERVICE LAND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The first section of the Act of 
March 2, 1933 (47 Stat. 1420, chapter 180), is amended 
by striking ‘‘imprisonment.’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘imprisonment, unless the violation occurs at a park, site, 
monument, or memorial that is part of the National Park 
System, in which case the violation shall be subject to the 
appropriate penalty under section 3 of the National Park 
Service Organic Act (16 U.S.C. 3) and subchapter C of 
chapter 227 of part II of title 18, United States Code.’’. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION BY SECRETARY OF THE INTE-
RIOR.—Section 2(k) of the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 
U.S.C. 462(k)), is amended by striking ‘‘proceedings.’’ 
and inserting the following: ‘‘proceedings, unless the viola-
tion occurs at an area that is part of the National Park 
System, in which case the violation shall be subject to the 
appropriate penalty under section 3 of the National Park 
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Service Organic Act (16 U.S.C. 3) and subchapter C of 
chapter 227 of part II of title 18, United States Code.’’. 
Æ 
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