H.R. 298 (113th Congress)

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Great Seal of the United States
Full title To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to evaluate the significance of the Mill Springs Battlefield located in Pulaski and Wayne Counties, Kentucky, and the feasibility of its inclusion in the National Park System, and for other purposes.
Introduced in 113th United States Congress
Introduced on January 15, 2013
Sponsored by Rep. Harold Rogers (R, KY-5)
Number of Co-Sponsors 2
Effects and Codifications
U.S.C. section(s) affected 16 U.S.C. § 1a–5
Agencies affected National Park Service, United States Congress, United States Department of the Interior
Legislative history

The bill H.R. 298 is a bill that would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to evaluate the significance of the Mill Springs Battlefield in Kentucky (relating to the Battle of Mill Springs fought on January 19, 1862, in Pulaski and Wayne Counties during the Civil War) and the feasibility of its inclusion in the National Park System (NPS).[1][2] The battle was the third largest Civil War battle in Kentucky and is considered important because it "blazed a trail for Union troops to move from Kentucky into Tennessee."[3]

The bill was introduced into the United States House of Representatives during the 113th United States Congress.

Provisions of the bill

This summary is based largely on the summary provided by the Congressional Research Service, a public domain source.[1]

The bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to evaluate the significance of the Mill Springs Battlefield in Kentucky (relating to the Battle of Mill Springs fought on January 19, 1862, in Pulaski and Wayne Counties during the Civil War) and the feasibility of its inclusion in the National Park System (NPS). Requires such study, among other things, to analyze: (1) the effect of the Battlefield's designation as a unit of the NPS on existing commercial and recreational activities, energy production and transmission infrastructure, and the authority of state and local governments to manage those activities; and (2) the identification of any authorities, including condemnation, that will compel or permit the Secretary to influence or participate in local land use decisions (such as zoning) or place restrictions on non-federal lands if the Battlefield is designated as an NPS unit. Requires owners of private property adjacent to the Battlefield to be notified of the commencement and scope of this study.[1]

Congressional Budget Office report

This summary is based largely on the summary provided by the Congressional Budget Office, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on October 30, 2013. This is a public domain source.[4]

H.R. 298 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the Mill Springs Battlefield in Kentucky to evaluate the national significance of the site and to determine the feasibility of designating the site as a unit of the National Park System. Based on information provided by the National Park Service and assuming the availability of appropriated funds, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that conducting the study would cost about $250,000 over the next three years. Enacting H.R. 298 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.[4]

H.R. 298 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.[4]

Procedural history

H.R. 298 was introduced into the United States House of Representatives on January 15, 2014 by Rep. Harold Rogers (R, KY-5).[5] The bill was referred to the United States House Committee on Natural Resources and the United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation. On December 2, 2013, the bill was ordered reported (amended) by the committee, alongside House Report 113-280.[5] The House passed the bill in a voice vote under a suspension of the rules on April 28, 2014.[2][5]

Debate and discussion

Rep. Rogers, who introduced the bill, said that "the Battle of Mill Springs is a source of great pride and interest to the people I serve."[6] Rogers argued that the Battlefield was a "jewel" and would be "an excellent addition to the National Park Service."[6]

The Department of the Interior, in a statement given at a subcommittee hearing, said that it "supports" the enactment, but believes that "priority should be given to the 28 previously authorized studies for potential units of the National Park System, potential new National Heritage Areas, and potential additions to the National Trails System and National Wild and Scenic Rivers System that have not yet been transmitted to the Congress."[7]

See also

References

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External links

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.