Path to Florida Springs National Park Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4656 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4656

 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource 
  study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing 
  Florida Springs National Park in Central and North Florida, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 23, 2025

   Mr. Fine introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource 
  study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing 
  Florida Springs National Park in Central and North Florida, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Path to Florida Springs National 
Park Act''.

SEC. 2. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

    (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (2) Study area.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``study area'' means 
                approximately 2,800 square miles of land in Florida 
                located south of Jacksonville, north of Orlando, and 
                east of Gainesville.
                    (B) Inclusion.--The term ``study area'' includes--
                            (i) Ocala National Forest;
                            (ii) Lake George, Relay, Tiger Bay, 
                        Seminole Forest (Lake Tracy Unit), Rock Springs 
                        Run, Marshall Swamp, Ocala (Lake Delancy and 
                        Church Lake Units), Belmore, Camp Blanding, 
                        Ocklawaha River, and Grove Park Wilderness 
                        Management Areas;
                            (iii) Lake George, Heart Island, Rice 
                        Creek, Hull Swamp, Crescent Lake, Lochloosa 
                        Wildlife, Clark Bay, Silver Springs Forest, 
                        Newnans Lake, Murphy Creek, Horseshoe Point, 
                        Moses Creek, and Pellicer Creek Conservation 
                        Areas;
                            (iv) Lake George, Tiger Bay, Seminole, 
                        Etoniah Creek, Jennings, and Matanzas State 
                        Forests, and Indian Lake State Forest 
                        Campground;
                            (v) Lower Wekiva River Preserve, Dunns 
                        Creek, Haw Creek Preserve, Paynes Prairie 
                        Preserve, De Leon Springs, Blue Spring, and 
                        Faver Dykes State Parks;
                            (vi) Longleaf Pine Preserve, Ocklawaha 
                        Prairie Restoration Area, Deep Creek Preserve, 
                        Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, and 
                        Princess Place; and
                            (vii) Lake Disston Park.
    (b) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a special resource 
study of the study area.
    (c) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection (b), the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) evaluate the national significance of the study area;
            (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 
        designating the study area as a unit of the National Park 
        System;
            (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 
        protection, and interpretation of the study area by the Federal 
        Government, State or local government entities, or private and 
        nonprofit organizations;
            (4) consult with interested Federal agencies, State or 
        local governmental entities, private and nonprofit 
        organizations, or any other interested individuals; and
            (5) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, 
        development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance 
        associated with the alternatives described in paragraphs (2) 
        and (3).
    (d) Applicable Law.--The study required under subsection (b) shall 
be conducted in accordance with section 100507 of title 54, United 
States Code.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds 
are first made available to carry out the study under subsection (b), 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate a report that describes--
            (1) the results of the study; and
            (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.
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