Sponsor
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Representative · D-DC
Representative · D-DC
The bill increases access, local investment, and economic activity in urban National Park units but risks diverting resources from conservation and historic preservation, raising public costs, and creating noise, crowding, and wear for nearby residents.
Urban residents will gain increased access to park amenities (playgrounds, events, recreation) because the NPS is directed to promote active uses in urban units.
Local governments and nearby communities will see more investment and programming at National Park System urban units, improving neighborhood quality of life.
Small businesses and vendors near urban parks will likely see increased economic activity from events, concessions, and higher foot traffic.
Conservation and historic preservation priorities may receive fewer NPS resources as attention shifts to active urban uses, risking degradation or neglect of sensitive natural or historic sites.
Taxpayers and local governments could face increased costs to implement new programming, build infrastructure, or support concessions tied to expanded urban park uses.
Nearby residents may experience more noise, crowding, and wear on park resources from increased events and recreation, reducing local quality of life and straining sensitive park areas.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds "active use" and an "urban area" definition to the National Park Service purposes to promote recreational and community activities in urban park units.
Official title: To expand the mission of the National Park Service to include active use of System units located in urban areas, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 18, 2025 by Eleanor Holmes Norton · Last progress February 18, 2025
Adds language to the National Park Service’s core purposes to promote and prioritize active uses of System units in urban areas and defines key terms. It expands the statutory goals of Title 54 to explicitly include encouraging playgrounds, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, sports and recreation facilities, community events, programming, and concessions in parks located in places designated as urban by the decennial census.