KATAHDIN WOODS AND WATERS NATIONAL MONUMENT ACCESS ACT

On 2024-12-18, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) delivered a floor speech titled "KATAHDIN WOODS AND WATERS NATIONAL MONUMENT ACCESS ACT" in the Senate. The speech addressed taxes and also covered the environment, foreign policy. It referenced legislation including HR3415, HR5443, S7149, among other bills.

KATAHDIN WOODS AND WATERS NATIONAL MONUMENT ACCESS ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 188 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024) [Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 188 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024)] [Senate] [Pages S7149-S7151] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] KATAHDIN WOODS AND WATERS NATIONAL MONUMENT ACCESS ACT The bill (S. 4209) to provide greater regional access to the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in the State of Maine, and for other purposes, which had been reported from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed as follows: S. 4209 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 ``Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Access Act''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Authorized acquisition area.--The term ``authorized acquisition area'' means the designated area outside the boundary of the National Monument depicted as ``Authorized Acquisition Area'' on the map entitled ``Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Proposed Boundary Adjustment'', numbered 686/193,181 and dated March 2024. (2) National monument.--The term ``National Monument'' means the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in the State of Maine established by the Proclamation. (3) Proclamation.--The term ``Proclamation'' means Presidential Proclamation Number 9476, dated August 24, 2016 (54 U.S.C. 320301 note). (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior. SEC. 3. ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL LAND FOR NATIONAL MONUMENT. (a) Boundary.--The boundaries of the National Monument shall be the boundaries established by the Proclamation. (b) Acquisition.-- (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may acquire, by purchase from a willing seller, donation, or exchange, land or interests in land within the authorized acquisition area. (2) Prohibition on use of eminent domain.--Nothing in this Act authorizes the use of eminent domain to acquire land or an interest in land. (c) Treatment of Acquired Land; Boundary Adjustment.--On acquisition by the Secretary of any land pursuant to subsection (b)-- (1) the land shall be included in the National Monument; and (2) the boundaries of the National Monument shall be adjusted accordingly. SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION OF NATIONAL MONUMENT. (a) Administration.--The Secretary shall administer the National Monument (including the land added to the National Monument under this Act) in accordance with-- (1) this Act; (2) the Proclamation; and (3) the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System. (b) Hunting, Fishing, and Outdoor Recreation on Acquired Land.--The Secretary shall allow hunting, fishing, or any other outdoor recreation activity on land acquired pursuant to section 3(b)-- (1) if that activity was in existence on the day before the date of acquisition of the land; and (2) consistent with the management of that activity under the Proclamation. (c) Collection of Fiddlehead Ferns.-- (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall allow the gathering by hand of fiddlehead ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) in the National Monument for noncommercial personal use and consumption by the general public. (2) Limitation.--If the Secretary determines that the gathering of fiddlehead ferns [[Page S7150]] (Matteuccia struthiopteris) under paragraph (1) may adversely affect resources of the National Monument, the Secretary may limit the gathering of fiddlehead ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) under that paragraph in accordance with applicable regulations. (d) Public Education.--In accordance with the mission of the National Park Service, the Secretary shall collaborate with local communities and Tribal governments to educate the public regarding the natural environment and history of land management in the National Monument, including the shaping of that landscape by Native communities and practices, successive generations of timber management, and other activities. (e) Forestry.--In accordance with the management plan for the National Monument, the Secretary may conduct such noncommercial timber harvests as the Secretary determines to be necessary. (f) Protection of Existing Access.--Nothing in this Act affects valid existing rights, including existing rights of access through the National Monument for the removal of timber outside the boundaries of the National Monument. (g) Public Safety.-- (1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide to the public appropriate safety education and notification materials to ensure safe interactions between visitors and logging trucks, equipment, and operations on roads in or adjacent to the National Monument. (2) Procedures.--The Secretary shall collaborate with affected stakeholders to establish procedures to meet the needs of visitors to the National Monument, logging and trucking operations, and other users of roads in or adjacent to the National Monument to ensure safe interactions between active logging operations and visitors. SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE SITES AND VISITOR FACILITIES. (a) In General.--To facilitate the administration of the National Monument, the Secretary may acquire, by purchase from a willing seller, donation, or exchange, not more than 10 acres of land or interests in land, including improvements, for the administration of the National Monument and visitor services outside the boundaries, but within the vicinity, of the National Monument. (b) Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into agreements with State of Maine, units of Tribal or local government, or private entities-- (1) to carry out this section; and (2) to develop a cooperative information center for the National Monument. Unanimous Consent Request--H.R. 3415 Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I rise today to pass important legislation in the State of Wyoming. This bill has only to do with Wyoming and no other State. It is H.R. 3415, the Pilot Butte Power Plant Conveyance Act. It allows the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to transfer the ownership of the facility to stakeholders in my home State of Wyoming. The Pilot Butte power plant is owned by the Federal Government, but it has not been in service since 2008. It closed when it became too costly to operate. So it has been sitting idle there in Wyoming in a small area of 2\1/2\ acres for the past 15 years. It is owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and they are planning to demolish it. To be clear, we are talking about a mothballed hydroelectric structure. We are talking about 2 acres of Bureau of Reclamation land. This is essentially 1\1/2\ football fields in size. That is how small of a footprint this is. Well, the Midvale Irrigation District in Pavillion, WY, reached out to the Wyoming congressional delegation--all three members of the delegation--saying that they were willing to take ownership of this power plant that has been sitting idle for 15 years and ready to be demolished. Midvale Irrigation proposed this transfer as a solution to provide energy to local users. The local people right there came to us. They said that they will make the needed repairs to bring this power station back into operation. If enacted, the bill will enable the facility to be revived after years and years of neglect and sitting idle. Communities in my home State of Wyoming will once again be able to get electricity from this local source of hydropower. This transfer is the only option to save the facility for future use. Without this bill, the Bureau of Reclamation plans to demolish the facility. As a result, it is going to cost the American taxpayers over $7 million to destroy this property. This bill that I have introduced, sponsored by the entire Wyoming delegation, is a win-win. The American people will no longer own a mothballed facility that is going to cost $7 million to demolish, and the people of Wyoming will be able to put the hydropower plant back into use. Now, there has been a lot of conversation about the consultations and discussions that I have had with community members and stakeholders. I have met directly with both the Eastern Shoshone and the Northern Arapahoe Tribes regarding this specific bill and the hydropower plant. Since February--February of this year--my office has been actively engaged in discussions with all parties involved. This summer, my staff visited the facility and met with all of the stakeholders. Everyone wants to see the facility operating again, and I am confident that the people of Wyoming will properly manage this facility in a way that benefits everyone in the local community. The House of Representatives passed this legislation unanimously back in February. It has the support of the entire Wyoming delegation. So, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 3415, which was received from the House; further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? The junior Senator from Minnesota. Ms. SMITH. Madam President, reserving the right to object, I want to say that I understand that Senator Heinrich from New Mexico has concerns about the Pilot Butte Power Plant Conveyance Act, and I share his concerns. The Eastern Shoshone and the Northern Arapahoe Tribes are rightfully concerned about the lack of official Federal Government to Tribal consultation on this proposal which would directly impact their reservation. I know that one of our most fundamental responsibilities as a body is to honor our trust and treaty obligations to Tribal nations and to uphold that government-to-government relationship. I want to say that I appreciate Senator Barrasso's work with my colleagues on these land bills, and I am not objecting to any others of t

Referenced legislation: S961, HR3415, S4209, HR5443