John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act explained

Shorttitle:	John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act
Longtitle:	An act to provide for the management of the natural resources of the United States, and for other purposes.
Enacted By:	116th
Cite Public Law:	116-9
Leghisturl:	https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/47/actions
Introducedin:	Senate
Introducedby:	Lisa Murkowski (R–AK)
Introduceddate:	January 8, 2019
Passedbody1:	Senate
Passeddate1:	February 12, 2019
Passedvote1:	92–8
Passedbody2:	House of Representatives
Passeddate2:	February 26, 2019
Passedvote2:	363–62
Signedpresident:	Donald Trump
Signeddate:	March 12, 2019

The John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019 is an omnibus lands act that protected public lands and modified management provisions. The bill designated more than of wilderness area, expanded several national parks and other areas of the National Park System, and established four new national monuments while redesignating others.^{[1] [2]} Other provisions included making the Land and Water Conservation Fund permanent, protecting a number of rivers and historic sites, and withdrawing land near Yellowstone National Park and North Cascades National Park from mining.^[3]

Passage of the bill was hailed as a rare bipartisan environmental victory.

Legislative history

The last major bill passed regarding public lands was the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. Since then many bills had been introduced but never passed; the Act incorporates more than 100 pieces of legislation, collectively introduced by some 50 senators and a range of representatives.^{[4] [5]}

S. 47, initially the Natural Resources Management Act, was sponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Maria Cantwell of Washington, the chair and former ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The Senate voted for the bill 92–8 on February 12, 2019, and the House of Representatives passed it 363–62 on February 26. President Donald Trump signed it into law on March 12, 2019, as P.L. 116–9.^[6]

Following initial passage, an addendum named the bill for John Dingell Jr. to honor the recently deceased former Congressperson who had sponsored multiple landmark conservation laws during his lengthy tenure, and was known as being an avid outdoorsman and conservationist.^[7]

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the bill would save $9 million in direct spending over 10 years and would generate substantial additional revenue.^[8]

Provisions

The law is divided into nine titles, each containing a number of provisions.^[9] Selected major provisions are listed.

Title I

Subtitle A

Subtitle A authorizes land exchanges with and conveyances to local governments and private landowners:

• added to Arapaho National Forest

Subtitle B

Subtitle B addresses management of public lands and the National Forest System:

• Authorizes Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Memorial and establishes Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument in California (353acres)
• Establishes the John Wesley Powell National Conservation Area in Utah (29868acres)
• Allocates up to of federal land in Alaska to be conveyed to up to 2,800 Native Alaskans who are Vietnam War veterans and their heirs
• Designates as Ah-shi-sle-pah Wilderness in New Mexico

Subtitle C

Subtitle C designates new wilderness areas and other protected areas, in total expanding designated wilderness area by across four states.^[1]

• In Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument, New Mexico:
  • as Aden Lava Flow Wilderness
  • as Broad Canyon Wilderness
  • as Cinder Cone Wilderness
  • as East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness
  • as Mount Riley Wilderness
  • as Organ Mountains Wilderness
  • as Potrillo Mountains Wilderness
  • as Robledo Mountains Wilderness
  • as Sierra de las Uvas Wilderness
  • as Whitethorn Wilderness
• In Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, New Mexico:
  • as Cerro del Yuta Wilderness
  • as Río San Antonio Wilderness
• of the Methow Valley, in Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest, Washington, is withdrawn from mining use
• Emigrant Crevice, in Gallatin National Forest, Montana, is withdrawn from mining use
• San Rafael Swell Recreation Area is established in Utah (216995acres)
• Segments of the Rogue River, Franklin Creek, Wasson Creek, Molalla River, and Elk River, Oregon, are added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (280miles)
• Designates as Devil's Staircase Wilderness in Oregon

• In Utah:
  • as Big Wild Horse Mesa Wilderness
  • as Cold Wash Wilderness
  • as Desolation Canyon Wilderness
  • as Devil's Canyon Wilderness
  • as Eagle Canyon Wilderness
  • as Horse Valley Wilderness
  • as Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness
  • as Little Ocean Draw Wilderness
  • as Little Wild Horse Canyon Wilderness
  • as Lower Last Chance Wilderness
  • as Mexican Mountain Wilderness
  • as Middle Wild Horse Mesa Wilderness
  • as Muddy Creek Wilderness
  • as Nelson Mountain Wilderness
  • as Red's Canyon Wilderness
  • as San Rafael Reef Wilderness
  • as Sid's Mountain Wilderness
  • as Turtle Canyon Wilderness
  • The Green River is added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
• Jurassic National Monument (2453acres) is established in Utah, managed by the Bureau of Land Management
• Rivers in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire are added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (225miles)
• In California:
  • as Avawatz Mountains Wilderness
  • as Great Falls Basin Wilderness
  • as Soda Mountains Wilderness
  • as Milpitas Wash Wilderness
  • as Buzzards Peak Wilderness
  • added to Golden Valley Wilderness
  • added to Kingston Range Wilderness
  • added to Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness
  • added to Indian Pass Mountains Wilderness
  • added to Death Valley National Park Wilderness
  • added to San Gorgonio Wilderness (San Bernardino National Forest)
• are added to Death Valley National Park
• are added to Joshua Tree National Park
• Alabama Hills National Scenic Area is established in California

Title II

Subtitle A

Subtitle A calls for special resource studies of the President James K. Polk Home & Museum in Tennessee, the Thurgood Marshall School in Maryland, President Street Station in Maryland, Granada War Relocation Center in Colorado, and the George W. Bush Childhood Home in Texas for consideration of inclusion in the National Park System.

Subtitle B

Subtitle B adjusts the boundaries of:

• Shiloh National Military Park, also creating Parker's Crossroads Battlefield as an affiliated area
• Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, renamed from Ocmulgee National Monument
• Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
• Fort Frederica National Monument, adding
• Fort Scott National Historic Site
• Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, adding
• Voyageurs National Park
• Acadia National Park, adding
• Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, adding

Subtitle C

Subtitle C redesignates several NPS areas:

• Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site as Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park^[10]
• Names Robert Emmet Park
• Fort Sumter National Monument as Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
• Reconstruction Era National Monument as Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
• Golden Spike National Historic Site as Golden Spike National Historical Park
• World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument is divided into Pearl Harbor National Memorial, Aleutian Islands World War II National Monument (FWS), and Tule Lake National Monument
• Honouliuli National Monument as Honouliuli National Historic Site

Subtitle D

Subtitle D establishes new units of the National Park System:^[11]

• Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, Mississippi
• Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument, Kentucky
• Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument, Kentucky (renamed from Camp Nelson National Monument as designated by presidential proclamation)

Subtitle E

Subtitle E amends miscellaneous management provisions:

• The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation Program is reauthorized.^[12]
• A commission is established to plan the Adams Memorial.^[13]

Subtitle F

Subtitle F relates to the National Trails System:

• Extends the North Country National Scenic Trail into Vermont
• Extends the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail to Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana
• Authorizes a study of the route of Zebulon Pike's Pike Expedition as Pike National Historic Trail

Title III

Title III reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund indefinitely. At least 40% of the funds, derived from offshore drilling royalties, are to be used for federal lands, and at least 40% are allocated to the states.^[14]

Title IV

Title IV states that public land managed by the Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management is open to hunting, fishing, and shooting, unless closed under certain procedures.

Title V

Title V establishes a National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System under the United States Geological Survey and reauthorizes the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992.

Title VI

Title VI designates new National Heritage Areas:

• Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area, Maryland and West Virginia
• Maritime Washington National Heritage Area, Washington
• Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area, Washington
• Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area, California
• Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area, Arizona
• Susquehanna National Heritage Area, Pennsylvania

It also lays out procedures for planning and management of national heritage areas.

Title VII

Title VII concerns wildlife management.

Title VIII

Title VIII concerns water and power and the Bureau of Reclamation. Among its provisions, it reauthorizes the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project, with the purpose of promoting water conservation, water supply, habitat, and stream enhancement improvements in the Yakima River basin.^[9]

Title IX

Title IX has miscellaneous provisions:

• Extends the Every Kid in a Park program for 7 years – allows free admission for fourth grade students and their families to federal lands (Every Kid Outdoors Act)^[15]
• Expedites access to public lands and waives insurance requirements for search and rescue volunteers (Good Samaritan Search and Recovery Act)
• Allows Public Land Corps programs for youth and veterans to partner with more federal agencies on conservation and restoration projects (21st Century Conservation Service Corps Act)^{[16] [17]}
• Designates the Nordic Museum in Seattle, Washington, as the National Nordic Museum (National Nordic Museum Act)
• Designates the George C. Marshall Museum and Research Library in Lexington, Virginia, as the National George C. Marshall Museum and Library
• Updates federal law to use modern terminology in reference to minority groups (21st Century Respect Act)^[18]
• Permits the designation of American World War II Heritage Cities to recognize preservation of World War II home-front history^[19]
• Designates the Quindaro Townsite National Commemorative Site^{[20] [21]}
• Designates the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York.^[22]

Title XIII

Title XIII pertains to Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Areas:

• Designates the Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area
• Designates the El Mirage Off-Highway Vehicle Area
• Designates the Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Area
• Designates the Spangler Hills Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area
• Designates the Stoddard Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area
• Expands the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area

External links

• Full text of the bill from Congress.gov
• Position on S. 47, Natural Resources Management Act from the National Parks Conservation Association

Notes and References

1. News: Senate Passes a Sweeping Land Conservation Bill. Davenport. Coral. February 12, 2019. The New York Times. March 14, 2019. en-US. 0362-4331.
2. Web site: USS Arizona Memorial site gets name change. Cole. William. March 13, 2019. Honolulu Star-Advertiser. en-US. March 26, 2019.
3. Web site: The Senate just passed the decade's biggest public lands package. Here's what's in it.. Eilperin. Juliet. Grandoni. Dino. February 12, 2019. Washington Post. en-US. March 14, 2019.
4. News: The big Alaskan land giveaway tucked into a sweeping conservation bill. Solomon. Christopher. February 13, 2019. Washington Post. March 13, 2019.
5. News: Trump signs wide-ranging bipartisan public lands bill . March 26, 2019 . agweek.com . March 12, 2019.
6. Web site: S. 47, the Natural Resources Management Act Questions and Answers . . March 22, 2019.
7. Web site: Congress names public lands conservation bill after the late John Dingell. Burke. Melissa Nann. The Detroit News. March 16, 2019.
8. Web site: Preliminary Estimate of Direct Spending and Revenue Effects ofS. 47, the Natural Resources Management Act, as introduced on January 8, 2019. February 5, 2019. Congressional Budget Office. March 16, 2019.
9. Web site: Text: S.47 — 116th Congress (2019–2020) . . March 12, 2019 . March 26, 2019.
10. Web site: New Name Suits Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park. Pfister. Tom. Forbes. en. April 10, 2019.
11. News: Trump approves five national monuments – from black history to dinosaur bones. Gammon. Katharine. March 12, 2019. The Guardian. March 17, 2019. en-GB.
12. Web site: UNCF Applauds Congress for Reauthorization of the HBCU Historic Preservation Program. UNCF. en. April 10, 2019.
13. News: House Backs Plan for John Adams Memorial. Tully-McManus. Katherine. July 23, 2018. April 10, 2019. Tully-McManus. Katherine. en.
14. Web site: Land And Water Conservation Fund Activated By 'Dingell Act'. Pfister. Tom. Forbes. March 14, 2019.
15. Web site: Heinrich, Alexander Every Kid Outdoors Act Signed Into Law. The Grant County Beat. March 16, 2019.
16. Web site: Congress tackles conservation, other outdoors issues. Perrotte. Ken. March 16, 2019.
17. Web site: The New (Bipartisan!) Conservation Corps Is a Win-Win. Solomon. Christopher. Outside. January 26, 2018. March 16, 2019.
18. Web site: House passes bill removing 'Negro' and 'Oriental' from federal regulations. Marcos. Christine. The Hill. November 28, 2017. March 16, 2019.
19. Web site: Tillis' American World War II Heritage Cities Provision Passes The Senate. Beaufort County Now. March 16, 2019.
20. Web site: Quindaro townsite commemorative designation passes Senate. Wyandotte Daily. March 16, 2019.
21. Web site: A New National Commemorative Site – Wait, What's a National Commemorative Site Anyways?. March 16, 2019.
22. Web site: National Comedy Center Officially Designated As The United States' Cultural Institution Dedicated To Comedy. Broadway World. March 16, 2019.