S 1016119th CongressIn Committee

Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act

Introduced: Mar 13, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act would authorize the federal government to transfer two parcels of land, located entirely within the Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi, to the State of Mississippi. The transfer would be without any purchase price (no consideration) and would be subject to terms the Secretary of the Interior determines appropriate. After the transfer, the boundary of the park would be adjusted to reflect the removal of those parcels from the park’s federal land. The conveyed land is earmarked for state facilities: about 3.66 acres for a welcome center or similar public use, and about 6.48 acres for an interpretive center or museum or other public use.

Key Points

1Conveyance of two parcels: Approximately 3.66 acres and 6.48 acres of National Park Service land within the park boundary would be transferred to the State of Mississippi without payment, subject to terms and conditions set by the Secretary of the Interior.
2Intended uses for the conveyed land: The 3.66-acre parcel would be used as a welcome center or other public use; the 6.48-acre parcel would be used as an interpretive center or museum or other public use.
3Boundary modification: Once the land is conveyed, the Secretary must modify the park’s boundary to reflect the transfer of these parcels.
4Land identification: The parcels are described on maps named “VICK-2024-01” and “VICK-2024-02” to show exact locations.
5Purpose and scope: The act is titled the Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act and aims to facilitate state-managed visitor and interpretive facilities while adjusting the park’s boundaries accordingly.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Visitors to Vicksburg National Military Park (their access to, and interpretation of, battlefield history could shift within the state-managed facilities).- The State of Mississippi, which would take ownership and responsibility for operating the welcome center and interpretive/museum facilities.- Local community in Vicksburg, which may benefit from new visitor facilities and related economic activity.Secondary group/area affected- National Park Service and the broader federal land-holding entities, due to a reduction in the park’s federal land area and the corresponding boundary change.- Federal responsibilities for land management and preservation within the park, including any ongoing preservation programs tied to the conveyed parcels.Additional impacts- Financial: The conveyance is without consideration, meaning no purchase price is exchanged; the state would assume ongoing maintenance and operations costs for the new facilities.- Management and use restrictions: The terms and conditions the Secretary may impose could govern how the land is used and preserved, and any conservation or interpretation requirements.- Public access and interpretation: The change could shift some public-facing functions (e.g., welcome/interpretive centers) from federal to state management, potentially affecting programming, staffing, and funding sources.- Legal and regulatory: The boundary adjustment would require alignment with park boundaries and could influence how the park is administered under federal law and historic preservation requirements.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Nov 18, 2025