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This bill would expand the boundaries of Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Vermont and update how the park is managed. It adds more land to the park, including the historic mansion area, nearby buildings, part of Mt. Tom, the Billings Farm and Museum area, and King Farm. It also gives the National Park Service more flexibility to acquire land in the park area, sets rules for access if King Farm is acquired, and allows that land to be used for farming, forestry, conservation, and education. The bill also creates a National Park Service Stewardship Institute at the park to support training, research, public programs, and sharing of best practices in conservation and land care.
- The park boundary would be changed to match a newer 2023 map instead of the older one now in law.
- The expanded park would include the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller Mansion, surrounding buildings, part of Mt. Tom, the Billings Farm and Museum area, and King Farm.
- The Park Service would be allowed to get land through donation, purchase from willing sellers, transfer from another federal agency, or land exchange.
- If King Farm is acquired, it must keep access to and from the park, and it may be used for agriculture, forestry, conservation, and educational activities tied to the history of a working farm and forest.
Official Summaries
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park Establishment Act Amendments Act of 2025
This bill expands the boundaries of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock, Vermont, allows the National Park Service (NPS) to acquire land within the boundaries through a variety of means, and provides statutory authority for the National Park Service Stewardship Institute, which is a program of the park.
Specifically, the bill expands the boundary of the park to include the King Farm.
The bill also allows the NPS to acquire lands within the park by purchasing, transferring, or exchanging land in addition to the current authorization to acquire land by donation.
The acquired King Farm land must include rights of access between the acquired land and the park. The acquired King Farm land may be used for certain agricultural, forestry, conservation, and educational purposes.
The bill also outlines the purposes of the National Park Service Stewardship Institute.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 416 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 416
To amend the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Establishment Act to expand the boundary of the Marsh-Billings-
Rockefeller National Historical Park in the State of Vermont, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 5, 2025
Mr. Welch (for himself and Mr. Sanders) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Establishment Act to expand the boundary of the Marsh-Billings-
Rockefeller National Historical Park in the State of Vermont, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National
Historical Park Establishment Act Amendments Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. BOUNDARY EXPANSION.
Section 3 of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical
Park Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 410vv-1) is amended by striking
subsection (b) and inserting the following:
``(b) Boundaries; Map.--
``(1) Boundaries.--
``(A) In general.--The boundaries of the park shall
be as generally depicted on the map entitled `Marsh-
Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Proposed
Boundary Revision', numbered 456/190,048, and dated
August 2023.
``(B) Inclusions.--The park shall include the
following:
``(i) A historic zone, including--
``(I) the Marsh-Billings-
Rockefeller Mansion;
``(II) surrounding buildings; and
``(III) a portion of the area known
as `Mt. Tom'.
``(ii) A protection zone, including the
area occupied by the Billings Farm and Museum.
``(iii) The King Farm, which shall be
divided between the historic zone described in
clause (i) and the protection zone described in
clause (ii), as determined by the Secretary to
be appropriate.
``(2) Availability of map.--The map described in paragraph
(1)(A) shall be on file and available for public inspection in
the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.''.
SEC. 3. ACQUISITION OF LAND.
Section 4 of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical
Park Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 410vv-2) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and
inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may acquire land or an
interest in land within the boundary of the park by--
``(A) donation;
``(B) purchase from a willing seller with donated
or appropriated funds;
``(C) transfer from a Federal agency; or
``(D) exchange.
``(2) King farm.--Acquisition by the Secretary of the land
described in section 3(b)(1)(B)(iii) shall include--
``(A) a right of access from the land acquired to
the park; and
``(B) a right of access to the land acquired from
the park.''; and
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``(3) The
Secretary'' and inserting the following:
``(3) Commercial operation.--The Secretary''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(e) King Farm.--On acquisition by the Secretary of the land
described in section 3(b)(1)(B)(iii), the acquired land may be used
for--
``(1) agricultural and forestry purposes, including the
growing and harvesting of crops and trees, animal husbandry,
and other agricultural operations customary in the State of
Vermont;
``(2) conservation purposes in a manner that preserves the
historic character of a working farm and forest; and
``(3) educational purposes relating to agriculture,
forestry, and conservation activities, including the study of
natural history.''.
SEC. 4. SCENIC ZONE.
Section 5(a) of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical
Park Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 410vv-3(a)) is amended by striking
```Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park Scenic Zone Map'
and dated November 19, 1991'' and inserting ```Marsh-Billings-
Rockefeller National Historical Park, Proposed Boundary Revision',
numbered 456/190,048, and dated August 2023''.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STEWARDSHIP INSTITUTE.
The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 410vv et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 6 through 10 as sections 7
through 11, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 5 the following:
``SEC. 6. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STEWARDSHIP INSTITUTE.
``(a) In General.--There is established at the park the National
Park Service Stewardship Institute (referred to in this Act as the
`Institute').
``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Institute are--
``(1) to highlight and encourage the advancement of
stewardship practices through workshops, public programs,
learning opportunities, and similar programming;
``(2) to create opportunities within the National Park
Service to identify and share innovation through research,
evaluation, and dialogue; and
``(3) to identify and exchange best practices and enhance
leadership capacity, partnership development, and community
engagement in the fields of conservation and resource
stewardship.
``(c) Administration.--The Institute shall be managed as a program
of the park.''.
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