To expand the mission of the National Park Service to include active use of System units located in urban areas, and for other purposes.
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMs. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Activating National Parks in Cities Act expands the mission of the National Park Service to include promoting "active use" of national park units located in urban areas. The bill adds new legal definitions for "active use" (facilities and programming that prioritize current enjoyment and quality of life) and "urban area" (as defined by the Census Bureau).
Who Benefits and How
Urban residents near National Park Service units would benefit from expanded recreational opportunities, including playgrounds, sports facilities, bike paths, community events, and concessions. Local communities in cities could see improved quality of life through enhanced park programming and infrastructure. Concession operators and recreational facility providers may see new business opportunities in urban park units.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The National Park Service would bear additional administrative responsibilities to implement and manage expanded active-use programming in urban parks. This could require reallocation of agency resources or additional funding to develop new facilities and programs. Conservation-focused groups may have concerns about balancing preservation with increased recreational development.
Key Provisions
- Amends the National Park Service mission statement (54 USC 100101) to include promoting "active use" of System units in urban areas
- Defines "active use" to include playgrounds, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, sports facilities, community events, programming, and concessions
- Defines "urban area" based on the Census Bureau's decennial census designations
- Prioritizes "current enjoyment" and quality of life improvements for urban park visitors
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
This bill aims to expand the mission of the National Park Service (NPS) to include active use of its units located in urban areas, promoting current enjoyment and improving quality of life for city residents.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Use that prioritizes current enjoyment by people and improves quality of life, including playgrounds, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly infrastructure, sports facilities, community events, programming, and concessions.
An area defined and designated as urban in the most recent decennial census by the Secretary of Commerce.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology