Bill > S282

This bill aims to provide greater access and management guidelines for the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine. The legislation allows the Secretary of the Interior to acquire additional land within a designated "authorized acquisition area" through voluntary purchases, donations, or exchanges, but explicitly prohibits the use of eminent domain. Once acquired, these lands will be automatically incorporated into the National Monument and its boundaries will be adjusted accordingly. The bill ensures that existing recreational activities like hunting and fishing can continue on newly acquired lands, and uniquely allows for the hand-gathering of fiddlehead ferns for personal, non-commercial use, subject to environmental considerations. The Secretary is also required to collaborate with local communities and tribal governments to provide public education about the land's natural environment and historical management practices. Additionally, the bill permits non-commercial timber harvests in accordance with the monument's management plan and ensures existing access rights for timber removal are preserved. To enhance public safety, the Secretary must develop educational materials and procedures to manage interactions between visitors and logging operations in the area. The legislation also allows the Secretary to acquire up to 10 acres of land near the monument for administrative purposes and visitor services, with the potential to develop cooperative information centers in partnership with state, tribal, local governments, or private entities.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Government Affairs

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/282/all-info