National Park System Protection and Resources Management Act of 1983

(Measure passed House, amended, roll call #378 (321-82))

National Park System Protection and Resources Management Act of 1983 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) collect, analyze, and document data on the factors which degrade or threaten to degrade the natural and cultural resources of the national park system; and (2) transmit to Congress a biennial State of the Parks report. Provides that such report shall include: (1) a description of the condition of each national park unit's natural and cultural resources, of the factors which damage or threaten such resources, and of the ongoing and planned mitigation actions and their results; (2) a description of the systemwide efforts to address the resource protection requirements listed above; (3) a discussion of systemwide resource protection and management policies for natural and cultural park resources; (4) a discussion of the adequacy of congressional appropriations in addressing protection and resource management programs; and (5) a discussion of funding needs to implement such policies and measures. Requires the National Park Service to solicit public involvement in the preparation of such report.

Requires the Secretary to submit to the appropriate congressional committees an annual report on the 50 most critical natural and the 50 most critical cultural resource problems within the national park system.

Directs the Secretary to contract with the National Academy of Sciences for development of a plan for the National Park Service to conduct natural and cultural resources inventories and research on the problems and solutions with respect to national parks. Requires the plan to be submitted to the Secretary and the appropriate congressional committees.

Requires that resource management plans for each national park unit be prepared and updated continually. Provides that general management plans for each park unit shall be based upon the park's resource management plan.

Directs the Secretary to review and revise the current land classification system for the preservation and use of national park system lands. Requires the development of a new classification for maximum resource protection for sensitive ecosystems and cultural resources of special research value.

Requires that those park units designated as biosphere reserves or world heritage sites receive priority consideration for monitoring and resource protection efforts. Expresses the sense of Congress that park and legislative officials establish ways to ensure the protection of international parks designated as biosphere reserves.

Permits the Secretary to exercise the authority to issue leases within a national park unit, permit the use or development of such an area, or dispose of lands and waters within such an area only if the exercise of such authority will not have a significant adverse effect on the park unit. Requires the Secretary to refuse to take an action in an area adjacent to a national park unit if such action is likely to have an adverse effect on park values and if the public interest in preventing such adverse effect outweighs the public interest value of the proposed value.

Requires Federal agencies undertaking or proposing to approve a Federal action which may have significant adverse effect on the natural or cultural resources of a national park unit to promptly notify the Secretary of the action. Requires the Secretary to respond with comments and recommendations and to notify the appropriate congressional committees of the notifying agency's decisions made in response to such comments and recommendations. Requires the Secretary to notify a Federal agency in any case where the agency does not notify the Secretary with respect to a proposed action determined by the Secretary as having a potentially adverse effect on a national park unit. Provides that an agency receiving such a notification shall comply with the requirements of this Act. Prohibits the approval of a Federal action on Federal lands or waters administered by the Secretary and located within a national park unit until the Secretary concurs in such action. Exempts emergency, disaster, and national security actions as well as actions which pertain to the control of air space, actions regulated under the Clean Air Act, and actions required for the maintenance or rehabilitation of structures and facilities from the notification requirements under this Act.

Provides for the Secretary to cooperate with, and provide technical assistance to, governmental and other entities to protect national park system resources. Requires the superintendent of each park unit to work with governmental and other entities which influence or control lands, resources, and activities within or adjacent to the park unit to develop a mutually compatible land use plan for the general area. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to local governments for park resource protection and for the development of such plan. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1984 through 1986 for such grants. Provides that such cooperative efforts shall be initiated in at least two park units for each administrative region, as well as in all biosphere reserves and world heritage sites, within one year after enactment of this Act. Requires that such efforts be initiated within two years after enactment of this Act in all national park units. Requires that each park unit or regional office have on its staff a person to coordinate the activities required by this Act. Directs the Secretary to initiate a training program for park personnel in the principles and techniques necessary to carry out the requirements of this Act.

Requires the Secretary to establish a public information program to inform park visitors and the public of the need to protect park resources.

Directs the Secretary to assure that the National Park Service includes adequate numbers and distribution of professional and scientific personnel to provide for park resource protection and management.

Requires that general management plans for each national park unit be updated at least every ten years.

Requires the Director of the National Park Service to assist potential donors of property located adjacent to or within national park units in satisfying the requirements under the Internal Revenue Code relating to charitable contributions.

Provides that if provisions of this Act conflict with provisions of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, the provisions of such Act shall prevail.

Authorizes appropriations to the Department of the Interior to carry out this Act.