(Note:Most of the actions taken on the areas and subjects listed below were taken as part of H.R. 4236, the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996, which was signed into law by the President on 11/12/96 as P.L. 104-333, 110 Stat. 4093.This act included 116 sections, of which 76 affected the National Park Service.Additionally, there were 18 other separate laws of the 104thCongress affecting the National Park Service.Unless otherwise noted below with a different public law number, all actions were part of P.L. 104-333.)
New NPS units created:
Tallgrass Prairie NP (KS)
Nicodemus NHS (KS)
Washita Battlefield NHS (OK)
New Bedford Whaling NHP (MA)
Boston Harbor Islands NRA (MA)
Affiliated area created:
Aleutian World War II National Historic Area (AK)
Designation of other areas:
Vancouver National Historic Reserve (WA)
Great Falls Historic District (NJ)
AIDS Memorial Grove (CA)
New heritage areas:
Coal (WV)
Tennessee Civil War
Augusta Canal (GA)
Steel Industry (PA)
Essex (MA)
South Carolina
Ohio &Erie Canal (OH)
Shenandoah Valley battlefields (VA)
Hudson River Valley (NY)
America's Agriculture Heritage Partnership (IA) –under Department of Agriculture
Cache la Poudre River National Water Heritage Area (CO) –P.L. 104-323
Modifications to existing heritage areas:
Blackstone River Valley boundary expansion (RI and MA)
Study of extending Illinois and Michigan Canal Heritage Corridor (IL)
Extension of commission for Blackstone River Valley NHC (RI &MA) (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1997) –P.L. 104-208.
Boundary modifications:
Yucca House NM (CO)
Zion NP (UT)
Pictured Rocks NL (MI)
Independence NHP (PA)
Craters of the Moon NM (ID)
Hagerman Fossil Beds NM (ID)
Wupatki NM (AZ)
Walnut Canyon NM (AZ)
Colonial NHP (VA)
Cumberland Gap NHP (VA)
Big Thicket N Pres. (TX)
Women's Rights NHP (NY)
White Sands NM (NM) (included in the FY 1997 Defense Authorization Act) –P.L. 104-201
NPS administrative reforms:
Employee housing authorities
Minor boundary adjustment authority
Elimination of reporting requirements
Senate confirmation of NPS director and establishment of two deputy directors
Reauthorization of NPS Advisory Board
Challenge Cost-Share Authority
Cost Recovery for Damage to Park Resources
Authorizes general cooperative agreement authority for the National Park Service (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY 1997) –P.L. 104-208.
Miscellaneous other authorities:
Authorizes the creation of the Presidio Trust to manage the Presidio at Golden Gate NRA (CA)
Authorizes federal funds to protect Sterling Forest (NY &NJ)
Authorizes park administrative and visitors' facilities outside Zion NP
Removes limitation on expenditure of funds for park buildings
Provides authority for transportation of children to and from units of system
Increases amount available for expenditure on VIP program
Allows visitor center to be built outside Rocky Mountain NP (CO)
Allows the town of Grand Lake to permanently maintain a cemetery in Rocky Mountain NP (CO)
Revises regulations on Glacier Bay cruise ships (AK)
Allows Boston Public Library to distribute information on Boston NHP (MA)
Extends authority for Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Authorizes NPS to contribute toward building of visitor center at Natchez NHP (MS)
Allows continued traditional fishing of red fish within Katmai NP (AK)
Eliminates use of reservation by Army Corps of Engineers at Ft. Pulaski NM (GA)
Authorizes U.S. Commemorative Coins for Black Revolutionary War Patriots, Yellowstone NP, National Law Enforcement Memorial, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt –P.L. 104-329.
Extends comment period on rules affecting overflights of Grand Canyon NP (AZ) (included in the Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996) –P.L. 104-264.
Authorizes transfer of lands on National Children's Island –P.L. 104-163.
Authorizes transfer of certain roads in Shenandoah NP to the state of Virginia (included in the National Highway System Designation Act) –P.L. 104-59.
Authorizes telecommunications towers on federal land (included in the Telecommunications Act of 1996) –P.L. 104-104.
Authoritzes general aviation on Pearson Field in Fort Vancouver NHS (WA) (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1996) –P.L. 104-134.
Terminates the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation and transfers properties to the Pennsylvania Avenue NHS (DC) (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1996) –P.L. 104-134.
Authorizes use of appropriated funds for the maintenance of the Company Creek Road in Lake Chelan NRA (WA) (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1996) –P.L. 104-134.
Requires transfer of a plaque from the Department of the Interior to the Daughters of the American Colonists (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1996) –P.L. 104-134.
Authorizes the National Park Foundation to expend funds under a previous law in units of the park system to improve visitor facilities (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1997) –P.L. 104-208.
Natural resource authorities:
Provides authority to use motor vehicles, fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters to control feral burros and horses
Requires Secretary to allow 50 free-roaming horses in Ozark Scenic Riverways
Authorizes cooperative research authority for NPS
Authorizes funding for Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (FL) (included in the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996) –P.L. 104-127.
Authorizes a comprehensive plan for Everglades Restoration (FL) (included in the Water Resources Development Act of 1996) –P.L. 104-303.
Authorizes acquisition of grazing permits at Great Basin NP (NV) (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1996) –P.L. 104-134.
Authorizes removal of Elwha dam in Olympic NP (WA) (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1997) –P.L. 104-208.
Cultural resource authorities:
Provides disposal authority for museum objects
Authorizes protection of Chaco culture archeological sites (NM) –P.L. 104-11.
Fee authorities:
Allows collection of fees for use of road in Delaware Water Gap NRA (PA)
Authorizes the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1996) –P.L. 104-134
Amends the authority for the Recreational Fee Demo Program (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1997) –P.L. 104-208.
Reports and audits:
Eliminates certain federal reporting requirements –P.L. 104-66.
Eliminates certain audit requirements by the General Accounting Office affecting parks with water resources –P.L. 104-316.
Congressional recognitions:
Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day
Laura Hudson Visitor Center at Jean Lafitte NHP (LA)
Robert Lagomarsino Visitor Center at Channel Islands NP (CA) (included in both P.L. 104-333 as well as the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1997, P.L. 104-208).
Studies:
Calumet Ecological Park (IL)
Legislative Taking:
Santa Cruz Island property in Channel Islands NP (CA)
Land Exchanges:
Anaktuvuk Pass in Gates of the Arctic NP ( AK)
Alaska Peninsula Subsurface Consolidationinvolving Aniakchak NM (AK)
Arlington Cemetery lands (VA) (included in the FY 1997 Defense Authorization Act) –P.L. 104-201
Giplin County and Rocky Mountain NP (CO) –P.L. 104-158.
Lake Cushman in Olympic NP (WA) (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1996) –P.L. 104-134.
Oxen Cove Park (MD) (included in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1997) –P.L. 104-208.
Trails:
Study of Old Spanish Trail
Designation of Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
Rivers:
Makes permanent protections from development for Hanford Reach of the Columbia River (WA)
Designates segment of Lamprey River (NH)
Allows State of WV to do fish stocking in New River Gorge National River (WV)
Authorizes Secretary to construct a visitor center at New River and Gauley River
Requires Secretary to create access point to Gauley River at Woods Ferry (WV)
Allows Secretary to acquire public access and parking areas at Eads Mill along Bluestone River (WV)
Provides protection for North St. Vrain Creek from any dams or impoundments within Rocky Mountain NP downstream for eight miles
Makes technical amendments to Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
Study of Wekiva River, Semiinold Creek, and Rock Springs Run (FL) –P.L. 104-311.
Extension of Commissions:
Kaloko-Honokohau NHP (HI)
Dayton Aviation Heritage NHP (OH)
FDR Memorial Commission –P.L. 104-221
Recognition of African Americans:
Extends authority for Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation to establish a commemorative work - extension until October 27, 1998.
Authorizes Secretary to make matching grants to historically black colleges
Authorizes the establishment of memorial in D.C. to Martin Luther King, Jr.
Recognition of Japanese Americans:
Authorizes establishment of memorial in D.C. to Japanese American patriotism in WWII.
Places under NPS jurisdiction land within boundaries of Manzanar NHS (CA)
Civil War sites:
Establishes the U.S. Civil War Center at Louisiana State University
Authorizes construction of visitor center at Corinth (MS)
Authorizes study of Revolutionary War sites and War of 1812 sites.
Provides an authorization of the NPS American Battlefield Protection program
Increases the authorization for completion of the relocation of the highway around
Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP (GA)
Appropriations:
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations, FY 1995 –P.L. 104-19
Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1996 –P.L. 104-134
Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 1997 –P.L. 108-208
If you have any questions, please call Don Hellmann at 202-208-5675.
Last updated: September 18, 2020