To authorize and direct the Secretary of the Interior to set aside all entrance fees, special use fees, and concession fees from the National Park System into a National Park Capital Improvement Fund at the Department of the Treasury, and to secure bonds for particular, high-priority capital improvements to the National Park System, and for other purposes.
National Park Bonds and Capital Improvements Act of 1997 - Establishes in the Treasury a National Park Capital Improvement Fund. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury (the Secretary) to: (1) deposit all revenues collected by the National Park Service from all park units in the National Park System into such Fund (and requires that the Fund be held in trust by the Secretary for the purpose of paying the debt service on the National Park Capital Improvement bonds); and (2) issue taxable bonds, with the interest paid from the Fund. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the Secretary for the purpose of managing the Fund and issuing bonds.
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to credit to the Fund specified funds collected pursuant to the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 from the operation of concessions within the National Park System under the National Park Concessions Act of 1965 and as special use fees pursuant to the National Park Organic Act of 1916 and the National Park Administration Act.
Authorizes the use of bond proceeds, subject to specified restrictions, for projects that will: (1) protect the natural, historic, cultural, scenic, and other resources of a park; (2) provide educational and interpretative programs to enrich the park resource based experience of visitors; and (3) rehabilitate, replace, or repair existing facilities or design and construct new facilities in a park unit.
Sets forth provisions regarding limits on such projects, interest on bond proceeds, and regulations for the identification and prioritization of projects to be funded pursuant to this Act.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2210)
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands.
Executive Comment Requested from Interior.
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