119-s282

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 282 Engrossed in Senate

    (ES) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 282

_______________________________________________________________________

 AN ACT

 To provide greater regional access to the Katahdin Woods and Waters 
 National Monument in the State of Maine, 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 ``Katahdin Woods and Waters National 
Monument Access Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Authorized acquisition area.--The term ``authorized 
 acquisition area'' means the designated area outside the 
 boundary of the National Monument depicted as ``Authorized 
 Acquisition Area'' on the map entitled ``Katahdin Woods and 
 Waters National Monument Proposed Boundary Adjustment'', 
 numbered 686/193,181 and dated March 2024.

    (2) National monument.--The term ``National Monument'' 
 means the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in the 
 State of Maine established by the Proclamation.

    (3) Proclamation.--The term ``Proclamation'' means 
 Presidential Proclamation Number 9476, dated August 24, 2016 
 (54 U.S.C. 320301 note).

    (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of the Interior.

SEC. 3. ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL LAND FOR NATIONAL MONUMENT.

    (a) Boundary.--The boundaries of the National Monument shall be the 
boundaries established by the Proclamation.

    (b) Acquisition.--

    (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph

    (2) , the Secretary 
 may acquire, by purchase from a willing seller, donation, or 
 exchange, land or interests in land within the authorized 
 acquisition area.

    (2) Prohibition on use of eminent domain.--Nothing in this 
 Act authorizes the use of eminent domain to acquire land or an 
 interest in land.
            (c) Treatment of Acquired Land; Boundary Adjustment.--On 
acquisition by the Secretary of any land pursuant to subsection

    (b) --

    (1) the land shall be included in the National Monument; 
 and

    (2) the boundaries of the National Monument shall be 
 adjusted accordingly.

SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION OF NATIONAL MONUMENT.

    (a) Administration.--The Secretary shall administer the National 
Monument (including the land added to the National Monument under this 
Act) in accordance with--

    (1) this Act;

    (2) the Proclamation; and

    (3) the laws generally applicable to units of the National 
 Park System.

    (b) Hunting, Fishing, and Outdoor Recreation on Acquired Land.--The 
Secretary shall allow hunting, fishing, or any other outdoor recreation 
activity on land acquired pursuant to 

section 3

    (b) --

    (1) if that activity was in existence on the day before the 
 date of acquisition of the land; and

    (2) consistent with the management of that activity under 
 the Proclamation.
            (c) Collection of Fiddlehead Ferns.--

    (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph

    (2) , the Secretary 
 shall allow the gathering by hand of fiddlehead ferns 
 (Matteuccia struthiopteris) in the National Monument for 
 noncommercial personal use and consumption by the general 
 public.

    (2) Limitation.--If the Secretary determines that the 
 gathering of fiddlehead ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) under 
 paragraph

    (1) may adversely affect resources of the National 
 Monument, the Secretary may limit the gathering of fiddlehead 
 ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) under that paragraph in 
 accordance with applicable regulations.
            (d) Public Education.--In accordance with the mission of the 
National Park Service, the Secretary shall collaborate with local 
communities and Tribal governments to educate the public regarding the 
natural environment and history of land management in the National 
Monument, including the shaping of that landscape by Native communities 
and practices, successive generations of timber management, and other 
activities.

    (e) Forestry.--In accordance with the management plan for the 
National Monument, the Secretary may conduct such noncommercial timber 
harvests as the Secretary determines to be necessary.

    (f) Protection of Existing Access.--Nothing in this Act affects 
valid existing rights, including existing rights of access through the 
National Monument for the removal of timber outside the boundaries of 
the National Monument.

    (g) Public Safety.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide to the public 
 appropriate safety education and notification materials to 
 ensure safe interactions between visitors and logging trucks, 
 equipment, and operations on roads in or adjacent to the 
 National Monument.

    (2) Procedures.--The Secretary shall collaborate with 
 affected stakeholders to establish procedures to meet the needs 
 of visitors to the National Monument, logging and trucking 
 operations, and other users of roads in or adjacent to the 
 National Monument to ensure safe interactions between active 
 logging operations and visitors.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE SITES AND VISITOR FACILITIES.

    (a) In General.--To facilitate the administration of the National 
Monument, the Secretary may acquire, by purchase from a willing seller, 
donation, or exchange, not more than 10 acres of land or interests in 
land, including improvements, for the administration of the National 
Monument and visitor services outside the boundaries, but within the 
vicinity, of the National Monument.

    (b) Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into agreements with State 
of Maine, units of Tribal or local government, or private entities--

    (1) to carry out this section; and

    (2) to develop a cooperative information center for the 
 National Monument.

 Passed the Senate June 18, 2025.

 Attest:

 Secretary.
119th CONGRESS

 1st Session

 S. 282

_______________________________________________________________________

 AN ACT

 To provide greater regional access to the Katahdin Woods and Waters 
 National Monument in the State of Maine, and for other purposes.