Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act
The Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire about 6,100 acres of land or interests in land to be added to Big Bend National Park in Texas. The acquisitions would occur through voluntary means—donations or land exchanges—and, once acquired, the land would be incorporated into the park and managed under existing park laws and regulations. The act prohibits the use of eminent domain or condemnation to obtain the land. A map (dated November 2022) shows the specific tracts proposed for inclusion, and the map must be available for public inspection. No funding or appropriations are specified in the text. In short, the bill aims to expand the park boundary using voluntary land contributions or exchanges, with the added lands becoming part of the park and subject to its rules, without allowing the federal government to seize private land through condemnation.
Key Points
- 1Allows the Secretary to acquire about 6,100 acres of land or interests in land by donation or exchange to be included in the park boundary.
- 2Upon acquisition, the park boundary is revised to include the new land, and the land is administered as part of the park under applicable laws and regulations.
- 3The specific tracts to be included are depicted on a map titled “Big Bend National Park, Proposed Boundary Adjustment” (dated November 2022); the map must be available for public inspection.
- 4The Secretary may not use eminent domain or condemnation to obtain the land.
- 5The acquisition and boundary change are to be carried out in accordance with existing laws governing the Park, including management and regulatory frameworks.