119-hr986

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 986 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 986

 To amend the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park 
 Establishment Act to expand the boundary of the Marsh-Billings-
 Rockefeller National Historical Park in the State of Vermont, and for 
 other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 5, 2025

 Ms. Balint introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park 
 Establishment Act to expand the boundary of the Marsh-Billings-
 Rockefeller National Historical Park in the State of Vermont, 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. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National 
Historical Park Establishment Act Amendments Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. BOUNDARY EXPANSION.

 

Section 3 of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical 
Park Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 410vv-1) is amended by striking 
subsection

    (b) and inserting the following:
 ``

    (b) Boundaries; Map.--
 ``

    (1) Boundaries.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--The boundaries of the park shall 
 be as generally depicted on the map entitled `Marsh-
 Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Proposed 
 Boundary Revision', numbered 456/190,048, and dated 
 August 2023.
 ``
        (B) Inclusions.--The park shall include the 
 following:
 ``
            (i) A historic zone, including--
 ``
            (I) the Marsh-Billings-
 Rockefeller Mansion;
 ``
            (II) surrounding buildings; and
 ``
            (III) a portion of the area known 
 as `Mt. Tom'.
 ``
            (ii) A protection zone, including the 
 area occupied by the Billings Farm and Museum.
 ``
            (iii) The King Farm, which shall be 
 divided between the historic zone described in 
 clause
            (i) and the protection zone described in 
 clause
            (ii) , as determined by the Secretary to 
 be appropriate.
 ``

    (2) Availability of map.--The map described in paragraph

    (1)
        (A) shall be on file and available for public inspection in 
 the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.''.

SEC. 3. ACQUISITION OF LAND.

 

Section 4 of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical 
Park Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 410vv-2) is amended--

    (1) in subsection

    (b) --
        (A) by striking paragraphs

    (1) and

    (2) and 
 inserting the following:
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary may acquire land or an 
 interest in land within the boundary of the park by--
 ``
        (A) donation;
 ``
        (B) purchase from a willing seller with donated 
 or appropriated funds;
 ``
            (C) transfer from a Federal agency; or
 ``
            (D) exchange.
 ``

    (2) King farm.--Acquisition by the Secretary of the land 
 described in 

section 3

    (b)

    (1)
        (B)
            (iii) shall include--
 ``
        (A) a right of access from the land acquired to 
 the park; and
 ``
        (B) a right of access to the land acquired from 
 the park.''; and
        (B) in paragraph

    (3) , by striking ``

    (3) The 
 Secretary'' and inserting the following:
 ``

    (3) Commercial operation.--The Secretary''; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (e) King Farm.--On acquisition by the Secretary of the land 
described in 

section 3

    (b)

    (1)
        (B)
            (iii) , the acquired land may be used 
for--
 ``

    (1) agricultural and forestry purposes, including the 
 growing and harvesting of crops and trees, animal husbandry, 
 and other agricultural operations customary in the State of 
 Vermont;
 ``

    (2) conservation purposes in a manner that preserves the 
 historic character of a working farm and forest; and
 ``

    (3) educational purposes relating to agriculture, 
 forestry, and conservation activities, including the study of 
 natural history.''.

SEC. 4. SCENIC ZONE.

 

Section 5

    (a) of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical 
Park Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 410vv-3

    (a) ) is amended by striking 
```Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park Scenic Zone Map' 
and dated November 19, 1991'' and inserting ```Marsh-Billings-
Rockefeller National Historical Park, Proposed Boundary Revision', 
numbered 456/190,048, and dated August 2023''.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STEWARDSHIP INSTITUTE.

 The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park 
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 410vv et seq.) is amended--

    (1) by redesignating sections 6 through 10 as sections 7 
 through 11, respectively; and

    (2) by inserting after 

section 5 the following:

``

SEC. 6. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STEWARDSHIP INSTITUTE.

 ``

    (a) In General.--There is established at the park the National 
Park Service Stewardship Institute (referred to in this Act as the 
`Institute').
 ``

    (b) 

=== Purposes ===
-The purposes of the Institute are--
 ``

    (1) to highlight and encourage the advancement of 
 stewardship practices through workshops, public programs, 
 learning opportunities, and similar programming;
 ``

    (2) to create opportunities within the National Park 
 Service to identify and share innovation through research, 
 evaluation, and dialogue; and
 ``

    (3) to identify and exchange best practices and enhance 
 leadership capacity, partnership development, and community 
 engagement in the fields of conservation and resource 
 stewardship.
 ``
            (c) Administration.--The Institute shall be managed as a program 
of the park.''.
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