Environment (Parks & Recreation)

passed · United States · House Jun 3, 2026

HR 2768: Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2026

HR 2768, the Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025, requires the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study within one year of enactment to determine if the 287-mile Benton MacKaye Trail - which runs through Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, traversing national forests, wilderness areas, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park - should be designated as a National Scenic Trail. The study must evaluate the trail’s suitability for this designation, considering its current use, maintenance, economic benefits to rural communities, and existing federal land management. This bill does not change the trail’s status but sets a process to assess its potential future designation under the National Trails System Act.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill promotes conservation by studying designation of a scenic trail through wilderness areas and national forests, protecting natural resources and environmental integrity.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation Public Lands

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in committee · United States · House May 15, 2025

HR 3451: To amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to study whether the Bonneville Shoreline Trail should be officially designated as part of the National Trails System. The study will assess the feasibility of designating this 280-mile trail system, which follows the historic shoreline of ancient Lake Bonneville from the Idaho-Utah border to Nephi, Utah. The bill does not create the trail or change current management but requires a federal evaluation to inform future decisions. This study would determine if the trail meets criteria for formal designation under the National Trails System Act.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill directs study on designating a national trail along historic shoreline, promoting conservation and preservation of natural resources.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Parks & Recreation Public Lands

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in committee · United States · House Mar 26, 2025

HR 2371: Scarper Ridge Golden Gate National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment Act

This bill expands the boundaries of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area by adding a specific parcel of land. The addition is defined by the map titled "Golden Gate National Recreation Area Proposed Boundary Addition" (map number 641/193973), dated July 2024. It directly affects the management of that designated land within the recreation area. The bill makes a technical boundary adjustment without altering existing land use or creating new policies.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill expands protected land area within a National Recreation Area, directly strengthening environmental conservation and natural resource protection.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation

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in committee · United States · House Mar 11, 2025

HR 1820: FLASH Act

The FLASH Act authorizes construction of navigable roads along federal border lands to improve U.S. Customs and Border Protection access and operational control. It requires federal agencies to develop protocols for reducing trash accumulation and environmental degradation from unauthorized border crossings, while targeting illegal cannabis cultivation sites with environmental response initiatives. The bill prohibits using federal funds to provide housing for undocumented immigrants on federal lands and establishes criminal penalties for illegal pesticide use. The legislation affects how federal land management agencies (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.) operate along the southern border, with specific reporting requirements for environmental impacts and trash collection.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill requires protocols to reduce trash accumulation and environmental degradation from unauthorized border crossings, and targets illegal cannabis cultivation sites with environmental response initiatives.65% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationProhibits federal funds for undocumented immigrant housing and enhances border enforcement infrastructure per bill summary.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationAuthorizes construction of navigable border roads for CBP access, directly advancing transportation infrastructure through road development.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation Public Lands Waste Management Border Security

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in committee · United States · Senate Dec 9, 2025

S 1131: Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve Establishment Act

This bill redesignates the existing Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park as Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and establishes a new Ocmulgee Mounds National Preserve in Georgia, to be created once the Secretary of the Interior acquires sufficient land. It authorizes the Secretary to acquire land for both areas only through voluntary means (purchase, donation, or exchange), prohibits eminent domain, and requires a management plan prioritizing preservation of cultural sites sacred to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The bill also creates an advisory council with tribal representation, mandates hiring preferences for tribal members, and sets rules for managing hunting and fishing within the preserve under federal and state laws.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes national park and preserve to protect natural and cultural resources, prioritizes preservation of sacred sites, and restricts land acquisition to voluntary means, supporting environmental conservation.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Parks & Recreation Tags Tribal Nations

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in committee · United States · Senate Oct 27, 2025

S 1376: Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025

This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a feasibility study for designating the Benton MacKaye Trail as a National Scenic Trail. The 287-mile trail, which runs through Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina across federal lands and protected areas, directly affects the communities along its route and the Benton MacKaye Trail Association. The study must be completed within one year of the bill's enactment, assessing factors like the trail's current maintenance (95% on federal land, managed since 1980 by a nonprofit) and its economic benefits to rural areas. It does not designate the trail as a National Scenic Trail, only authorizes a study to determine if that step is appropriate.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes a National Scenic Trail, which protects natural resources, promotes conservation, and preserves environmental areas through federal designation and maintenance.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation Public Lands

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passed · United States · Senate Feb 10, 2026

S 282: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Access Act

This bill allows the Secretary of the Interior to voluntarily acquire specific land within a defined "authorized acquisition area" (outside the current monument boundary) to expand Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine. It prohibits the use of eminent domain for land purchases and requires boundary adjustments upon acquisition. The bill maintains existing hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation rights on newly acquired land, and permits noncommercial hand-gathering of fiddlehead ferns under certain conditions. It also directs the Secretary to collaborate with local communities on public education about the area's history and management, while preserving existing timber access rights.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentExpands protected land area of Katahdin Woods monument, maintaining conservation status without weakening environmental protections or regulations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry Parks & Recreation Public Lands

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in committee · United States · House Feb 11, 2026

HR 5497: Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act

This bill renames "Apostle Islands National Lakeshore" as "Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve," creating two distinct areas within the same unit. The Park (with stricter rules) prohibits hunting/trapping except under tribal agreements, while the Preserve maintains existing hunting, fishing, and trapping rules from before the bill. Boundaries are defined by a specific map, and the National Park Service must add interpretive signage about regional history and tribal connections at visitor centers. Tribal treaty rights to hunt, fish, and gather remain fully protected under this law.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill creates stricter Park zone prohibiting hunting/trapping (except tribal agreements), enhancing conservation protections while maintaining Preserve rules. Directly advances environmental conservation through designated protected areas.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation

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in committee · United States · Senate Jul 21, 2026

S 1674: Mammoth Cave National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2025

This bill would expand Mammoth Cave National Park by adding approximately 551 acres of land in Edmonson and Barren Counties, Kentucky, to its existing boundary. The Secretary of the Interior would be authorized to acquire this specific parcel, depicted on a May 2025 map, for inclusion in the park. The bill also updates a previous monetary threshold for park acquisitions to adjust for inflation using the Consumer Price Index. This change directly affects the park's boundaries and landowners within the designated 551-acre area.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentExpands Mammoth Cave National Park by adding 551 acres, directly conserving natural resources and protecting the area from development per park conservation purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation

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in committee · United States · House Mar 18, 2026

HR 3286: Mammoth Cave National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2025

This bill would expand Mammoth Cave National Park by adding approximately 551 acres of land in Edmonson and Barren Counties, Kentucky, to the park's existing boundaries. The legislation modifies existing law to allow the Secretary of the Interior to acquire this specific parcel of land, as shown on a map dated May 2025. The acquisition is subject to a financial threshold adjusted for inflation, referenced in the updated law. This change directly affects the park's management and the landowners whose property would be added to the protected area.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentExpands protected park land, conserving natural resources and habitat without weakening environmental standards95% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation

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