Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, and U.S. Representative Rick Nolan have introduced a bill that would make it easier for the National Park Service to manage land in Voyageurs National Park.
The bill would transfer lands currently controlled by the Bureau of Land Management to the National Park Service. The current system requires burdensome and redundant processes, complicating management and increasing taxpayer costs.
“Voyageurs National Park is our nation’s premier water-based Park and we must preserve it so visitors can continue to experience it for decades to come,” said Klobuchar. “Our new legislation will provide more consistency to the land management of Voyageurs National Park while also saving taxpayer dollars. We’ll keep working to make Voyageurs National Park an even better place to visit and enjoy.”
The proposal would also exchange tracts of state and federal land for improved management.
The bills (H.R.4944/S.2805) have been introduced to the House Natural Resources Committee and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In the House, the legislation was referred to subcommittee.