‘‘(2) In developing the list to be submitted under this
subsection, the Secretary shall give consideration to those
areas that have the greatest potential to meet the estab-
lished criteria of national significance, suitability, and fea-
sibility. The Secretary shall give special consideration to
themes, sites, and resources not already adequately rep-
resented in the National Park System as identified in the
National Park System Plan to be developed under section
101 of the National Park System Reform Act of 1994.
No study of the potential of an area for inclusion in the
National Park System may be initiated after the date of
enactment of this section, except as provided by specific
authorization of an Act of Congress. Nothing in this Act
shall limit the authority of the National Park Service to
conduct preliminary resource assessments, gather data on
potential study areas, provide technical and planning as-
sistance, prepare or process nominations for administra-
tive designations, update previous studies, or complete re-
connaissance surveys of individual areas requiring a total
expenditure of less than $25,000. Nothing in this section
shall be construed to apply to or to affect or alter the
study of any river segment for potential addition to the
national wild and scenic rivers system or to apply to or
to affect or alter the study of any trail for potential addi-
tion to the national trails system.
‘‘(c) REPORT.—The Secretary shall complete the
study for each area for potential inclusion into the Na-
tional Park System within 3 complete fiscal years follow-
ing the date of enactment of specific legislation providing
for the study of such area. Each study under this section
shall be prepared with appropriate opportunity for public
involvement, including at least one public meeting in the
vicinity of the area under study, and reasonable efforts
to notify potentially affected landowners and State and
local governments. In conducting the study, the Secretary
shall consider whether the area under study—
‘‘(1) possesses nationally significant natural or
cultural resources, or outstanding recreational op-
portunities, and that it represents one of the most
important examples of a particular resource type in
the country; and
‘‘(2) is a suitable and feasible addition to the
system.
Each study shall consider the following factors with regard
to the area being studied: the rarity and integrity of the
resources, the threats to those resources, whether similar
resources are already protected in the National Park Sys-
tem or in other Federal, state or private ownership, the
public use potential, the interpretive and educational po-
tential, costs associated with acquisition, development and
operation, the socioeconomic impacts of any designation,
the level of local and general public support and whether
the unit is of appropriate configuration to ensure long-
term resource protection and visitor use. Each such study
shall also consider whether direct National Park Service
management or alternative protection by other agencies or
the private sector is appropriate for the area. Each such
study shall identify what alternative or combination of al-
ternatives would in the professional judgment of the Di-
rector of the National Park Service, be most effective and
efficient in protecting significant resources and providing
for public enjoyment. Each study shall be completed in
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969. The letter transmitting each completed study to
Congress shall contain a recommendation regarding the
Administration’s preferred management option for the
area.
‘‘(d) LIST OF AREAS.—At the beginning of each cal-
endar year, along with the annual budget submission, the
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Re-
sources of the House of Representatives and to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United
States Senate a list of areas which have been previously
studied which contain primarily cultural or historical re-
sources and a list of areas which have been previously
studied which contain primarily natural resources in nu-
merical order of priority for addition to the National Park
System. In developing the list, the Secretary should con-
sider threats to resource values, cost escalation factors and
other factors listed in subsection (c) of this section.’’.
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