HR7031-119

What This Bill Does

The Making National Parks Safer Act focuses on emergency communications in National Park System units. It defines emergency communications centers, interoperability, Next Generation 9-1-1, appropriate congressional committees, and the Secretary. Within one year after enactment, the Interior Secretary, acting through the National Park Service, must assess emergency communications centers in parks to identify the status of Next Generation 9-1-1 implementation, estimated purchase costs for centers that have not begun implementation, and estimated maintenance and operating costs across all park emergency communications centers. When the assessment is complete, Interior must submit a report to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and House Natural Resources Committee and publish it on the Department website. The report must identify jurisdictional, technological, legal-authority, and legal-agreement issues affecting implementation. Within one year after that report, the Secretary must develop a plan to install Next Generation 9-1-1 systems at identified park emergency communications centers, consulting with State and local emergency operations officials, stakeholders selected by park superintendents, Commerce, Transportation, and the FCC. Parks where sufficient systems are installed or being installed can be excluded.

Who Benefits and How

National park visitors, park employees, emergency callers, emergency responders, dispatchers, and gateway communities benefit if parks can receive, process, share, and route 9-1-1 data more reliably. National Park Service superintendents and emergency communications staff benefit from a systemwide assessment of costs, gaps, jurisdictional barriers, technology issues, and legal agreements. Congress benefits from a public report and implementation plan before funding or oversight decisions.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Interior and National Park Service staff must inventory emergency communications centers, estimate purchase, operation, and maintenance costs, publish a report, and create an installation plan. Park superintendents must identify relevant stakeholders and judge whether existing systems are sufficient. State and local emergency operations officials, Commerce, Transportation, and FCC staff must participate in interoperability consultations. Federal taxpayers may bear future costs for Next Generation 9-1-1 equipment, maintenance, and operations.

Key Provisions

• Defines emergency communications centers, interoperability, Next Generation 9-1-1, and covered committees.
• Requires Interior to assess Next Generation 9-1-1 implementation status in National Park System emergency communications centers.
• Requires estimates of purchase, maintenance, and operating costs for park Next Generation 9-1-1 systems.
• Requires a public report to congressional natural resources committees identifying jurisdictional, technological, authority, and legal-agreement issues.
• Requires a plan to install Next Generation 9-1-1 systems in identified park communications centers.
• Requires consultation with State and local emergency officials, park stakeholders, Commerce, Transportation, and the FCC.