Title: A bill to establish the White Sands National Park in the State of New Mexico as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
This bill establishes the White Sands National Park in New Mexico as a unit of the National Park System in order to protect, preserve, and restore the park's resources and recreational values and to enhance visitor experiences.
The bill abolishes the White Sands National Monument and incorporates the lands and interests that comprise the monument in and as a part of the park.
The Department of the Interior shall not nominate the park for inclusion on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) unless each county in which the park is located concurs in the nomination. Before submitting such a nomination, Interior must notify the Department of the Army of its intention to nominate the park for inclusion on the list.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1582 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1582

 To establish the White Sands National Park in the State of New Mexico 
     as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 21, 2019

 Mr. Heinrich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish the White Sands National Park in the State of New Mexico 
     as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF WHITE SANDS NATIONAL PARK.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Monument.--The term ``Monument'' means the White Sands 
        National Monument, New Mexico, established by Presidential 
        Proclamation No. 2025 (54 U.S.C. 320301 note), dated January 
        18, 1933, and administered by the Secretary.
            (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the White Sands National 
        Park established by subsection (b).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
    (b) Establishment.--To protect, preserve, and restore its scenic, 
scientific, educational, natural, geological, historical, cultural, 
archaeological, paleontological, hydrological, fish, wildlife, and 
recreational values and to enhance visitor experiences, there is 
established in the State of New Mexico the White Sands National Park as 
a unit of the National Park System.
    (c) Abolishment of White Sands National Monument.--
            (1) Abolishment.--Due to the establishment of the Park, the 
        Monument is abolished.
            (2) Incorporation.--The land and interests in land that 
        comprise the Monument are incorporated in, and shall be 
        considered to be part of, the Park.
    (d) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, 
paper, or other record of the United States to the ``White Sands 
National Monument'' shall be considered to be a reference to the 
``White Sands National Park''.
    (e) Availability of Funds.--Any funds available for the Monument 
shall be available for the Park.
    (f) Administration.--The Secretary shall administer the Park in 
accordance with--
            (1) this section; and
            (2) the laws generally applicable to units of the National 
        Park System, including section 100101(a), chapter 1003, 
        sections 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101, and chapter 
        3201 of title 54, United States Code.
    (g) World Heritage List Nomination.--
            (1) County concurrence.--The Secretary shall not submit a 
        nomination for the Park to be included on the World Heritage 
        List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural 
        Organization unless each county in which the Park is located 
        concurs in the nomination.
            (2) Army notification.--Before submitting a nomination for 
        the Park to be included on the World Heritage List of the 
        United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural 
        Organization, the Secretary shall notify the Secretary of the 
        Army of the intent of the Secretary to nominate the Park.
    (h) Effect.--Nothing in this section affects--
            (1) valid existing rights (including water rights);
            (2) permits or contracts issued by the Monument;
            (3) existing agreements, including agreements with the 
        Department of Defense;
            (4) the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense regarding 
        the restricted airspace above the Park; or
            (5) the airshed classification of the Park under the Clean 
        Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.).
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