S 3123 requires federal agencies like the National Park Service and Forest Service to digitize and publish online accessible maps of water access rules for public waterways. It mandates making clear data available about seasonal closures, boat ramp locations, motorized vehicle restrictions, fishing equipment rules, and no-take zones within 4 years of enactment. This directly affects recreational users (fishers, boaters) and commercial operators who need to navigate federal waterways. The bill does not create new restrictions but standardizes how existing rules are shared, with agencies updating the data twice yearly for access rules and in real-time for fishing restrictions. It explicitly excludes irrigation canals and archaeological sites from the data requirements.
This bill establishes the Fort Ontario National Monument in Oswego, New York, as a unit of the National Park System. It preserves three key historical aspects: the site's Indigenous heritage, the location of three earlier military forts (where battles occurred during the French and Indian War and War of 1812), and the story of 982 World War II refugees housed there from 1944-1946. The monument requires the Secretary of the Interior to acquire sufficient land, create a public map of the boundary, and develop a management plan within three years. It will be managed under standard National Park System laws while maintaining public access to existing athletic facilities on-site.
The Chesapeake National Recreation Area Act establishes a new National Park System unit focused on the Chesapeake Bay region to protect its ecological, cultural, and historical resources. It defines the area's boundaries using a specific map, creates a 19-member advisory commission with representation from Maryland, Virginia, tribal communities, and youth, and outlines land acquisition methods through donation or purchase. The bill requires coordination with existing programs like Chesapeake Gateways and mandates a management plan to guide public access, conservation, and educational programming. It directly affects communities in Maryland and Virginia bordering the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed, aiming to enhance sustainable tourism while respecting the Bay's environmental health.
This bill amends the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to clarify land conveyance rules for Alaska Native Village Corporations. It requires Village Corporations to convey specific land (up to 1,280 acres) to the State of Alaska in trust for future Municipal Corporations, but stops additional conveyances for this purpose after the bill's enactment. Crucially, it allows land to revert to the Village Corporation if a Municipal Corporation isn't established by the bill's effective date, subject to existing rights and easements. The bill directly affects Alaska Native Village Corporations and the State of Alaska regarding land ownership and management.
This bill adds Utah to the existing Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention Act's research institute program. It amends two sections of the 2004 law to include Utah as a participating state alongside Colorado, specifically by adding "Utah" to Section 5(b)(2)(D) and updating Section 5(e)(1). The change directly affects Utah by enabling the state to participate in the federal wildfire research institute established under the 2004 Act. The bill makes a procedural update to the law's eligibility requirements without creating new funding or policy changes.
This bill expands the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area by increasing its acreage from 48,438 to 57,728 acres and updates the boundary map to reflect a proposed expansion. It grants the Southern Nevada Water Authority a no-cost, temporary and permanent right-of-way for a pipeline, powerline, and access road to construct water transmission facilities, including permission to excavate and dispose of necessary materials. The bill explicitly preserves existing utility corridors and transmission lines within the expanded area, ensuring current infrastructure operations remain unaffected. It also requires a memorandum of understanding between the Bureau of Land Management and the water authority within 30 days of granting the rights-of-way.
The Connect Our Parks Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to assess where National Parks need improved broadband internet and cellular service, focusing on areas like campgrounds, administrative facilities, and locations critical for emergency access or staff communications. Within 180 days of enactment, the Secretary must submit a report identifying priority locations for both services. By two years after enactment, the Secretary must develop a plan to install infrastructure, meeting minimum speed standards (100 Mbps downstream, 20 Mbps upstream for broadband), minimizing environmental impact, and using public-private partnerships. The plan must exclude parks where adequate service already exists, as determined by park superintendents.
This bill makes technical corrections to the 1989 Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act. It updates definitions to specifically include the City of North Las Vegas and the Apex Industrial Park Owners Association as entities involved in land transfers. The bill clarifies that land transfers must now involve Clark County, the City, and the Association jointly or individually, and adds a new requirement that all transfers comply with environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act. These changes streamline existing procedures without altering the core land transfer program.
The North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2023 would allow North Dakota to relinquish state-owned land within Indian reservations and select equivalent federal land in exchange. The state would give up land within tribal reservations (which would then be taken into trust for the tribes) and receive federal land of equal value elsewhere in the state. The bill includes specific procedures for valuing the land, transferring ownership, and protecting tribal rights, while ensuring the transfer doesn't affect existing treaty rights or mineral leases. This legislation aims to fulfill a promise made to North Dakota in the 1889 Enabling Act while increasing tribal sovereignty over reservation lands.
This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to expand Big Bend National Park by acquiring approximately 6,100 acres of land through voluntary means - such as donation, purchase from willing sellers, or land exchange - without using eminent domain. The land, depicted on a specific map, would become part of the park boundary once acquired. The bill directly affects the park's physical boundaries and landowners whose property is included in the designated area. The key provision is the formal process for adding this land to the park, with the map serving as the official reference for the adjustment.
This bill renames the "Salem Maritime National Historic Site" in Massachusetts as the "Salem Maritime National Historical Park" and updates all federal references to match this new name. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study evaluating whether to expand the park's boundaries to include maritime, coastal defense, and military history sites in Salem and its immediate area. The study will assess the suitability of adding specific locations like the Salem Armory Visitor Center and adjacent Salem Armory Park. The Secretary must submit a report to Congress within three years of funding the study, detailing findings and recommendations for potential boundary changes.
This bill directs the federal government to study whether the Deerfield River (including all its branches and major tributaries like the Green River and North River) in Massachusetts and Vermont should be designated as a Wild and Scenic River. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to complete this study within three years of funding and submit a report to Congress with the findings. The study itself is the primary action; it does not immediately protect the river but would inform future decisions about potential designation. This affects the river watershed and communities along its path by initiating a formal review process.
