HR 1192119th CongressIn Committee

To ensure that Big Cypress National Preserve may not be designated as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes.

Introduced: Feb 11, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill would bar any designation of Big Cypress National Preserve (in Florida) as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS). In other words, Congress would be preventing BCNP from being upgraded to wilderness status or placed into the NWPS, which carries a higher level of protection and typically stricter use restrictions. The text provided includes only this prohibition (Section 1) and does not show additional policy changes or funding provisions. If enacted, BCNP would remain a National Preserve with its current management framework rather than becoming wilderness.

Key Points

1Prohibition on designation: Big Cypress National Preserve may not be designated as wilderness or added to the National Wilderness Preservation System.
2Scope of protection: The prohibition would block future Congressional or administrative actions that would change BCNP’s status to wilderness or NWPS, which would otherwise impose stricter protections and uses.
3Current status preserved: The bill does not appear to alter BCNP’s existing designation as a National Preserve or the range of uses typically allowed under that status, beyond preventing wilderness designation.
4Legislative action: Introduced in the House on February 11, 2025, sponsored by a Florida delegation, referred to the Committee on Natural Resources; no further text beyond Section 1 is provided in the excerpt.
5Limit of the bill’s scope: The full text shown only contains the prohibition; it does not specify funding, management changes, or other policy provisions.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected:- Visitors and recreational users of Big Cypress National Preserve (e.g., hikers, hunters, anglers, conservationists) who might otherwise face stricter restrictions under a wilderness designation.Secondary group/area affected:- Local Florida communities and economies tied to BCNP tourism and outdoor recreation, which could be influenced by changes in land-use restrictions.- National Park Service and other federal land managers overseeing BCNP and the broader Everglades region, which would continue managing the preserve under the National Preserve framework rather than wilderness protections.Additional impacts:- Conservation policy dynamics: The bill would shape future debates about wilderness designations in Florida and set a clear legal barrier to BCNP becoming wilderness, potentially influencing adjacent areas (like Everglades National Park) and related preservation efforts.- Legislative trajectory: As introduced, the bill would require passage by both houses and presidential approval to take effect; its progress would depend on committee action and broader legislative priorities.

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