Sponsor
Becca Balint
Representative · D-VT
Representative · D-VT
The bill enhances preservation, public access, education, and NPS stewardship at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP—benefiting visitors, local communities, and farmers—but increases federal land-acquisition and management authority and costs and may impose new restrictions or uncertainty for nearby landowners and local planners.
Visitors and nearby communities benefit from clarified park boundaries, protected historic and working-farm landscapes (Mansion, Billings Farm, King Farm), and clearer Scenic Zone rules that preserve views, recreation, and tourism value.
Farmers, forestry workers, and local businesses can continue agricultural and forestry operations and may gain tourism-related economic support from preserved farm and museum resources.
Students, educators, and the public gain expanded educational programs, workshops, and stewardship programming about agriculture, forestry, and conservation at the park.
Nearby homeowners and landowners may face new or expanded restrictions, federal oversight, or limits on land use (including in the Scenic Zone) that could reduce development options or property values.
Taxpayers could see increased federal spending because of land acquisitions, expanded park management responsibilities, and operating the new Institute, potentially requiring NPS resource reallocations.
Private land availability for nonfederal uses could shrink if the Park acquires or restricts additional parcels, reducing options for homeowners and local land uses.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Revises the park boundary, updates acquisition rules and permitted uses for King Farm, changes scenic zone language, and creates an NPS Stewardship Institute at the park.
Introduced February 5, 2025 by Becca Balint · Last progress February 5, 2025
Revises the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park boundaries, updates how the National Park Service can acquire land inside the new boundary, and sets specific use rules for the King Farm parcel (focusing on agriculture, conservation, and education). It also changes the park’s scenic zone language and creates a new National Park Service Stewardship Institute at the park to promote stewardship, research, education, and partnerships. The bill requires that the new boundary map be kept on file for public inspection, limits land purchases to willing sellers (or transfers/exchanges), guarantees access rights between the King Farm parcel and the park, and authorizes the Institute as a park program to run workshops, research, and outreach about conservation and stewardship.