I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 586 
To provide for certain improvements to the Denali National Park and 
Preserve in the State of Alaska, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 6, 2013 
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To provide for certain improvements to the Denali National 
Park and Preserve in the State of Alaska, 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 ‘‘Denali National Park 
Improvement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. KANTISHNA HILLS MICROHYDRO PROJECT; LAND 
EXCHANGE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
APPURTENANCE.—The 
term 
‘‘appur-
tenance’’ includes— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
01:35 Feb 16, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H586.IH
H586
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(A) transmission lines; 
(B) distribution lines; 
(C) signs; 
(D) buried communication lines; 
(E) necessary access routes for microhydro 
project construction, operation, and mainte-
nance; and 
(F) electric cables. 
(2) 
KANTISHNA
HILLS
AREA.—The 
term 
‘‘Kantishna Hills area’’ means the area of the Park 
located within 2 miles of Moose Creek, as depicted 
on the map. 
(3) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en-
titled ‘‘Kantishna Hills Micro-Hydro Area’’, num-
bered 184/80,276, and dated August 27, 2010. 
(4) MICROHYDRO PROJECT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘microhydro 
project’’ means a hydroelectric power gener-
ating facility with a maximum power generation 
capability of 100 kilowatts. 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘microhydro 
project’’ includes— 
(i) intake pipelines, including the in-
take pipeline located on Eureka Creek, ap-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
01:35 Feb 16, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H586.IH
H586
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
proximately 1⁄2 mile upstream from the 
Park Road, as depicted on the map; 
(ii) each system appurtenance of the 
microhydro projects; and 
(iii) any distribution or transmission 
lines required to serve the Kantishna Hills 
area. 
(5) PARK.—The term ‘‘Park’’ means the Denali 
National Park and Preserve. 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(b) PERMITS FOR MICROHYDRO PROJECTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may issue 
permits for microhydro projects in the Kantishna 
Hills area. 
(2) TERMS
AND
CONDITIONS.—Each permit 
under paragraph (1) shall be— 
(A) issued in accordance with such terms 
and conditions as are generally applicable to 
rights-of-way within units of the National Park 
System; and 
(B) subject to such other terms and condi-
tions as the Secretary determines to be nec-
essary. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
01:35 Feb 16, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H586.IH
H586
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(3) COMPLETION
OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
ANAL-
YSIS.—Not later than 180 days after the date on 
which an applicant submits an application for the 
issuance of a permit under this subsection, the Sec-
retary shall complete any analysis required by the 
National Environment Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) of any proposed or existing 
microhydro projects located in the Kantishna Hills 
area. 
(c) LAND EXCHANGE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose of consoli-
dating ownership of Park and Doyon Tourism, Inc. 
lands, including those lands affected solely by the 
Doyon Tourism microhydro project, and subject to 
paragraph (4), the Secretary may exchange Park 
land near or adjacent to land owned by Doyon Tour-
ism, Inc., located at the mouth of Eureka Creek in 
sec. 13, T.16 S., R. 18 W., Fairbanks Meridian, for 
approximately 18 acres of land owned by Doyon 
Tourism, Inc., within the Galena patented mining 
claim. 
(2) MAP AVAILABILITY.—The map shall be on 
file and available for public inspection in the appro-
priate offices of the National Park Service. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
01:35 Feb 16, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H586.IH
H586
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(3) TIMING.—The Secretary shall seek to com-
plete the exchange under this subsection by not later 
than February 1, 2015. 
(4) APPLICABLE
LAWS; TERMS
AND
CONDI-
TIONS.—The exchange under this subsection shall be 
subject to— 
(A) the laws (including regulations) and 
policies applicable to exchanges of land adminis-
tered by the National Park Service, including 
the laws and policies concerning land apprais-
als, equalization of values, and environmental 
compliance; and 
(B) such terms and conditions as the Sec-
retary determines to be necessary. 
(5) EQUALIZATION OF VALUES.—If the tracts 
proposed for exchange under this subsection are de-
termined not to be equal in value, an equalization of 
values may be achieved by adjusting the quantity of 
acres described in paragraph (1). 
(6) ADMINISTRATION.—The land acquired by 
the Secretary pursuant to the exchange under this 
subsection shall be administered as part of the Park. 
SEC. 3. DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE NATURAL 
GAS PIPELINE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
01:35 Feb 16, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H586.IH
H586
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) APPURTENANCE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘appur-
tenance’’ includes cathodic protection or test 
stations, valves, signage, and buried commu-
nication and electric cables relating to the oper-
ation of high-pressure natural gas transmission. 
(B) 
EXCLUSIONS.—The 
term 
‘‘appur-
tenance’’ does not include compressor stations. 
(2) PARK.—The term ‘‘Park’’ means the Denali 
National Park and Preserve in the State of Alaska. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(b) PERMIT.—The Secretary may issue right-of-way 
permits for— 
(1) a high-pressure natural gas transmission 
pipeline (including appurtenances) in nonwilderness 
areas within the boundary of Denali National Park 
within, along, or near the approximately 7-mile seg-
ment of the George Parks Highway that runs 
through the Park; and 
(2) any distribution and transmission pipelines 
and appurtenances that the Secretary determines to 
be necessary to provide natural gas supply to the 
Park. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
01:35 Feb 16, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H586.IH
H586
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(c) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—A permit authorized 
under subsection (b)— 
(1) may be issued only— 
(A) if the permit is consistent with the 
laws (including regulations) generally applicable 
to utility rights-of-way within units of the Na-
tional Park System; 
(B) in accordance with section 1106(a) of 
the Alaska National Interest Lands Conserva-
tion Act (16 U.S.C. 3166(a)); and 
(C) if, following an appropriate analysis 
prepared in compliance with the National Envi-
ronmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 
et seq.), the route of the right-of-way is the 
route through the Park with the least adverse 
environmental effects for the Park; and 
(2) shall be subject to such terms and condi-
tions as the Secretary determines to be necessary. 
SEC. 
4. 
DESIGNATION 
OF 
THE 
WALTER 
HARPER 
TALKEETNA RANGER STATION. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—The Talkeetna Ranger Station 
located on B Street in Talkeetna, Alaska, approximately 
100 miles south of the entrance to Denali National Park, 
shall be known and designated as the ‘‘Walter Harper 
Talkeetna Ranger Station’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
01:35 Feb 16, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H586.IH
H586
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, map, reg-
ulation, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the Talkeetna Ranger Station referred to in sub-
section (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘Wal-
ter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
01:35 Feb 16, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H586.IH
H586
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS