[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6175 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6175

  To authorize studies of certain areas for possible inclusion in the 
             National Park System, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 24, 2012

  Mr. Kildee (for himself, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Sablan, Mr. 
 Tonko, Ms. Bordallo, Ms. Richardson, Mr. Conyers, Mr. David Scott of 
Georgia, Ms. Norton, Mr. Lujan, Ms. Edwards, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, 
 Mr. Kind, Ms. Hirono, and Mr. Markey) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize studies of certain areas for possible inclusion in 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Park Service Study Act of 
2012''.

SEC. 2. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDIES.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct special 
resource studies of--
            (1) the Kau coast, on the island of Hawaii;
            (2) upon request of the Government of the Commonwealth of 
        the Northern Mariana Islands, the island of Rota in the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
            (3) sites in the State of Alaska associated with the forced 
        abandonment of the Aleut villages of Makushin, Kashega, and 
        Biorka around Unalaska Island, and Attu on Attu Island during 
        World War II, and the 5 relocation sites at Funter Bay, Burnett 
        Inlet, Killisnoo, Ward Lake, and the Wrangell Institute;
            (4) World War II Japanese American Relocation Center sites 
        including Gila River and Poston sites, State of Arizona; 
        Grenada, State of Colorado; Heart Mountain, State of Wyoming; 
        Jerome and Rohwer sites, State of Arkansas; and Topaz, State of 
        Utah;
            (5) sites within the San Luis Valley and Central Sangre de 
        Cristo Mountains, States of Colorado and New Mexico with 
        cultural significance to Latinos in the United States;
            (6) the town of Goldfield and outlying mining sites in the 
        State of Nevada;
            (7) the Hudson River Valley in the State of New York;
            (8) the Norman Studios, within Jacksonville, Florida, where 
        African-American casts and crews were used in the production of 
        silent films;
            (9) the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta in the State of Alabama; 
        and
            (10) the Galveston Bay in the State of Texas.
    (b) Contents.--In conducting the studies required under subsection 
(a) of the sites identified under such subsection, the Secretary 
shall--
            (1) evaluate the national significance of the sites and the 
        areas surrounding such sites;
            (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 
        designating one or more sites as units of the National Park 
        System;
            (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 
        protection, and interpretation of the sites by Federal, State, 
        or local governmental entities or private and nonprofit 
        organizations;
            (4) consult with interested Federal, State, or local 
        governmental entities, private and nonprofit organizations, or 
        any other interested individuals; and
            (5) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, 
        development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance 
        associated with the alternatives.
    (c) Applicable Law.--The studies required under subsection (a) 
shall be conducted in accordance with section 8 of the National Park 
System General Authorities Act (16 U.S.C. 1a-5).

SEC. 3. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY UPDATES.

    (a) Studies.--The Secretary of the Interior shall update the study, 
``World War II Sites, Republic of Palau (upon the request of the 
Government of the Republic of Palau)'' as authorized by section 
326(b)(3)(N) of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2000, and the 1979 study ``Vermejo Ranch, New 
Mexico/Colorado: Study of Management Options''.
    (b) Contents.--In updating the studies under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) determine whether conditions have changed to warrant 
        that the site be designated as a unit of the National Park 
        System;
            (2) consider other alternatives for the preservation, 
        protection, and interpretation of the site by Federal, State, 
        or local governmental entities or private and nonprofit 
        organizations;
            (3) consult with other interested Federal, State, or local 
        governmental entities, private and nonprofit organizations, or 
        any other interested individuals; and
            (4) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, 
        development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance 
        associated with the alternatives considered under paragraph 
        (2).

SEC. 4. BUFFALO SOLDIERS IN THE NATIONAL PARKS STUDY.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a study of 
alternatives for commemorating and interpreting the role of the Buffalo 
Soldiers in the early years of the national parks.
    (b) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) complete a historical assessment of the Buffalo 
        Soldiers who served in national parks in the years that 
        preceded the establishment of the National Park Service;
            (2) evaluate the suitability and feasibility of 
        establishing a national historic trail commemorating the route 
        traveled by the Buffalo Soldiers from their post in the 
        Presidio of San Francisco to Sequoia and Yosemite National 
        Parks and to any other national parks where they may have 
        served;
            (3) identify properties that could meet criteria for 
        listing in the National Register of Historic Places or criteria 
        for designation as national historic landmarks; and
            (4) evaluate appropriate ways to enhance the historical 
        research, education, interpretation, and public awareness of 
        the story of the Buffalo Soldiers' stewardship role in the 
        national parks, including ways to link the story to both the 
        development of the national parks and the story of African-
        American military service following the Civil War.

SEC. 5. RECONSTRUCTION IN THE SOUTH STUDY.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a national 
historic landmark study to identify sites and resources in the Southern 
United States that are significant to the Reconstruction era.
    (b) Contents.--The study conducted under subsection (a) shall 
include recommendations for commemorating and interpreting sites and 
resources identified by the study, including--
            (1) sites for which new national historic landmarks should 
        be nominated; and
            (2) sites for which further study for potential inclusion 
        in the National Park System is needed.

SEC. 6. CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER BOUNDARY EXPANSION STUDY.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a study to 
determine the suitability and feasibility of including in the boundary 
of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area approximately 45 
miles of the Chattahoochee River and lands along the river corridor 
from the southern boundary of the Recreation Area south to the junction 
of Coweta, Heard, and Carroll Counties.
    (b) Contents.--The study conducted under subsection (a) shall 
include an analysis of--
            (1) significant resources or opportunities for public 
        enjoyment within the study area related to purposes of the 
        Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area;
            (2) operational and management issues that need to be 
        considered if the study area is included within the Recreation 
        Area;
            (3) protection of resources within the study area critical 
        to fulfilling the Recreation Area's purposes;
            (4) the feasibility of administering the study area as part 
        of the Recreation Area considering the study area's size, 
        configuration, ownership, costs, and other factors; and
            (5) the adequacy of other alternatives for management and 
        protection of resources within the study area.

SEC. 7. REPORT.

    Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are first made 
available to conduct each study under this Act, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate a report containing--
            (1) the results of each such study; and
            (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary 
        based on such results.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.
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