National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2498
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-29: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T07:03:16Z
AI-Generated Summary
National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act (S. 2498)
Purpose
This legislation authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to extend certain existing leases in National Park System units without requiring a new competitive bidding process. The goal is to support long-term investments by allowing qualifying leases to continue under specific conditions.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service, may extend a lease entered under part 18 of title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 3, 2025) without following the bidding rules in sections 18.7 or 18.8 of those regulations.
- Extension is permitted only if:
- The lessee has held the lease for at least 5 years before the extension begins.
- The lessee is complying with all lease terms and conditions.
- The Secretary determines the extension serves the best interests of managing the specific National Park System unit.
- The Secretary must update the relevant regulations within 90 days of the bill's enactment to incorporate this new authority.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Current regulations under part 18 of title 36 CFR generally require competitive bidding for lease extensions or new leases.
- This bill creates an exception that allows direct extensions for qualifying long-term leases, bypassing the standard competitive process when the listed conditions are met.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: The National Park Service gains flexibility in managing leases, potentially reducing administrative workload associated with bidding for compliant, long-standing lessees.
- Citizens: May lead to more stable operations by lessees in parks, such as lodging or services, which could affect visitor experiences depending on how extensions are granted.
- No direct effects on international relations are outlined in the bill.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- The Secretary of the Interior and National Park Service, which gain new discretionary authority.
- Current lessees who meet the 5-year and compliance criteria, who could benefit from extended terms without competition.
- Users and operators within National Park System units, whose contracts and activities may be influenced by lease decisions.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill expands administrative discretion for the executive branch in managing federal property leases within the National Park System.
- It does not alter constitutional structures or introduce new legal standards beyond modifying regulatory requirements for specific leases.
- Implementation depends on the Secretary's determination of "best interests," which remains subject to existing oversight and legal review processes.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-29: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2025-07-29: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act — issued 2025-07-29 — PDF (2 pages)