National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978

(Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment)

National Parks and Recreation Act - =Title I: Development Ceiling Increases= - Makes specific increases in the limitations on funds for development within 29 units of the National Park System and affiliated areas.

=Title II: Acquisition Ceiling Increases= - Raises the limitations on appropriations for the acquisition of lands within three units of the National Park System.

Increases the authorization of appropriations, from $19,802,000 to $47,802,000, for the acquisition of lands within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho.

=Title III: Boundary Changes= - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enlarge the boundaries of 21 units of the National Park System and authorizes appropriations of specified amounts of acquisition of lands by reason of such revisions.

States it is the policy of Congress that wilderness, wildlife conservation, and park and recreation values of United States property be conserved, enhanced, and developed. Provides that the Secretary, the Administrator of General Services, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall establish a system to permit full and early opportunity for studies of the suitability of Federal real property for implementation of the congressional policy.

Redesignates the City of Refuge National Historical Park as the Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park.

Deeds a lot on Black Hammock Island, Florida, to the National Park Foundation, to be sold at fair market value.

Adds lands to the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site and the Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Pennsylvania.

Revises the boundaries of: (1) Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Wyoming; (2) Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, North Dakota and Montana; (3) Boston National Historical Park, to add Dorchester Heights; (4) Fort Clatsop National Memorial; (5) Gateway National Recreation Area, New York, to add Sailors Snug Harbor; (6) Petersburg National Battlefield, Virginia, to add Eppes Manor; (7) Sequoia National Park, California, to add Mineral King Valley; (8) Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, Ohio; (9) Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area; (10) Golden Gate National Recreation Area; (11) Point Reyes National Seashore; (12) Antietam National Battlefield, Maryland; (13) Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park; (14) Alibates Flint Quarries and Texas Panhandle Pueblo Culture National Monument; (15) Fire Island National Seashore, New York; and (16) Adams National Historic Site, Massachusetts.

Authorizes the Secretary to grant easements and rights-of-way to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and other political subdivisions therein for purposes of the vehicular, pedestrian, and utility access to that portion of the Boston Navy Yard outside the boundaries of the Boston National Historical Park.

=Title IV: Wilderness= - Designates ten areas as wilderness areas.

=Title V: Establishment of New Areas and Additions to National Trails System= - Provides for the establishment of Guam National Seashore War in the Pacific National Historical Park on Guam; Pinelands National Reserve and the Federal Project Review Area, New Jersey; Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site, Pennsylvania; Saint Paul's Church, Eastchester, New York; Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawaii; American Memorial Park, Saipan; Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site, Texas; Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California; and Ebbey's Landing National Historical Park, Washington.

Provides for the establishment of: (1) an Advisory Commission for the Kaloka-Honokohau National Historical Park; and (2) the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Advisory Commission.

Authorizes the establishment of the Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Pennsylvania, the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, Virginia, and the Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Maryland.

Directs the Secretary to transmit to the appropriate committees of Congress a feasibility/suitability study of the Crow Creek Village archeological site, Buffalo County, South Dakota, as a unit of the National Park System. Directs the Secretary of the Army to preserve and protect such site until two years from the date of submission of such study.

Amends the National Trails System Act to allow the inclusion of historic trails within the National Scenic Trails System. Makes the purpose of such historic trails to be the identification and protection of the historic route and its historic remnants and artifacts for public use and enjoyment.

Establishes the Oregon National Historic Trail, the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, the Overmountain Victory Trail, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, and the Iditarod National Historic Trail.

Sets forth criteria for inclusion in the National Historic-Trail System.

Requires the Secretary charged with the administration of each respective trail to: (1) establish an advisory council for each such trail and (2) submit to specified committees of the House and Senate, a comprehensive plan for the acquisition, management, development, and use of the trail.

Authorizes appropriations to implement the provisions of this Title but excludes funding for the acquisition of lands for certain trails.

=Title VI: Miscellaneous Provisions= - Authorizes the Secretary to acquire and upgrade Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

Provides for a study of the desirability of establishing segments of the Ridgelands east of San Francisco Bay as a unit of the National Park System.

Authorizes appropriations through fiscal year 1983 for the preservation of historical and archaeological data.

Authorizes appropriations for studies and management planning of areas suitable for inclusion in the System.

Provides for a study of the Oak Creek Canyon, Yavapi, Soldiers Wash-Mormon Canyon areas in Arizona for inclusion in the park system, and the boundary of Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona.

Changes the reporting date for the Land and Water Conservation Fund accomplishments.

Changes the date of the map referencing the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.

Authorizes the use of Federal funds other than Department of Interior funds for operating and maintaining the Ansley Wilcox House, Buffalo, New York, as an historic site.

Directs the Secretary to study the feasibility of establishing the Irvine Coast-Laguna area, California, as a unit of the National Park System.

Changes the name of the area formerly known as Badlands National Monument to Badlands National Park.

Authorizes the Secretary to convey to the National Academy of Sciences specified property located within the District of Columbia, to erect and maintain a Memorial to Albert Einstein.

Renames the area formerly known as the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park as the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Names the project for flood protection on Big Hill Creek, Kansas, the Pearson-Skubitz Big Hill Lake.

Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

=Title VII: Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Amendments= - Adds eight segments or rivers to those designated as wild and scenic rivers. Adds 14 rivers to those designated for study for potential inclusion in the wild and scenic rivers system.

Establishes the Upper Delaware Citizen Advisory Council for the Upper Delaware River region.

Increases authorizations of appropriations for five specified rivers.

Makes technical amendments to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

=Title VIII: Recognition of the Honorable William M. Ketchum= - Directs the Secretary to provide an appropriate form of recognition of the late Congressman William M. Ketchum of California, within the War in the Pacific National Historic Park, Guam, and the American Memorial Park, Saipan.

=Title IX:= Authorizes the establishment of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park in Louisiana which shall consist of: (1) Big Oak Island, (2) specified areas within the French Quarter section and Garden District of the city of New Orleans, (3) the Chalmette National Historical Park, and (4) certain forts, plantations, and Acadian towns and villages.

Allows the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with owners of properties of cultural or historical significance. Stipulates that such agreements shall contain, but need not be limited to, the right to access by the National Park Service at reasonable times all public portions of the property covered by such agreement.

Establishes the Delta Region Preservation Commission the function of which shall be to advise the Secretary in the selection of sites for inclusion in the park and in the development and implementation of a program for the historic and cultural resources of the region and a plan for management.

Authorizes appropriations for acquisition of lands, water, and interests, not to exceed $50,000,000, from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Requires the Secretary to submit to the appropriate committees of the House and the Senate a general management plan for the park.

=Title X: Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program= - Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act - Authorizes the Secretary to provide 70 percent matching rehabilitative and innovative grants and 50 percent matching program development and planning grants to local governments in urban and insular areas for recreation areas and facilities.

Provides additional grants to match State funding. Limits the total Federal share to 85 percent.

Directs the Secretary to coordinate the urban park and recreation area recovery program with the total urban recovery effort.

Authorizes appropriations for the purposes of this Act. Prohibits funding for the acquisition of land or interests in land.

Requires the Secretary to report annually on the achievements of the innovation grant program.

=Title XI: New River Gorge National River= - Directs the Secretary to establish and administer the New River Gorge National River in West Virginia. Permits the Secretary to acquire lands and waters by donation, purchase, transfer, or exchange.

Permits an owner of improved property, upon the sale of such property to the Secretary, to retain the right of occupancy for noncommercial residential purposes.

Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with organizations or individuals to mark or interpret properties of historical significance to such area.

Directs the Secretary to submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a detailed plan for the use and development of such area.

Prohibits surface mining on federally owned lands in the area where the subsurface estate is not federally owned.

Prohibits the Federal Energy Commission from licensing the construction of any water resources project in such area.

Provides for the study of three principal tributaries of such river.

Authorizes appropriations for the purposes of this Title.

=Title XII: Fort Scott National Historic Site= - Authorizes the Secretary to acquire the lands and buildings of Fort Scott located in the city of Fort Scott, Bourbon County, Kansas and establish such area as the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Prohibits the acquisition of the "Lunette Blair" building.

Repeals certain provisions of existing law that provide assistance to the city of Fort Scott for preservation of the Fort as a public historic site (Public Law 89-155). Provides that the Secretary shall assume all obligations pursuant to contracts entered into with the city of Fort Scott under such law.

Authorizes the appropriation of such funds as may be necessary for the development of the Fort Scott National Historic Site.

=Title XIII:= Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to report to the appropriate committees of Congress on the nature and extent of any proposal to exchange lands owned by Burlington Northern Railroad on either Beaverhead or Gallatin National Forests in Montana for lands owned by the United States elsewhere in such State.

Prohibits the Department of Agriculture from making such exchange until authorized to do so by concurrent resolution of the Congress.

Revises the boundaries of Hampton National Historic Site, Baltimore County, Maryland. Authorizes the Secretary to acquire land in such area by donation, purchase, or exchange. Authorizes the appropriation of such sums as may be necessary for such purpose.