Wrap-up Report On 111th Congress Issued

The NPS Digest published a "Wrap-up Report On 111th Congress" that highlights the list of National Park Service-related laws enacted during the most recent Congress. In all, there were more than 300 NPS-related bills introduced in the House and Senate during 2009 and 2010 session. By far, the two most important bills were the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.

These two pieces of legislation had a significant impact on our national parks:

* The $787 billion Recovery Act provided $750 million for the National Park Service to spend on the maintenance backlog and other critical needs and an additional $170 for the Department of Transportation to spend on national park roads.

* The Omnibus Public Land Management Act resulted in the designation of more than two million acres of wilderness in nine states. The new act also authorized three new units of the National Park System: Paterson Great Falls in New Jersey; the William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home, in Hope, Arkansas; and the River Raisin Battlefields in Monroe, Michigan.

* Thousands of miles of new scenic and historic trails were also designated by the Omnibus, including the Arizona National Scenic Trail, the New England National Scenic Trail, the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail, and additions to the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Two other types of trails, the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail and the Votes for Women History Trail Route, were also authorized.

To read the full report, and see the complete list of National Park Service-related laws enacted during the 111th Congress, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com