To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Star-Spangled Banner Trail in the States of Maryland and Virginia and the District of Columbia as a National Historic Trail.

May 3, 2005

Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. GILCHREST) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Star-Spangled Banner Trail in the States of Maryland and Virginia and the District of Columbia as a National Historic Trail.

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 `Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail Act'.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF TRAIL.

Section 5(a) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(25) STAR-SPANGLED BANNER NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL-

`(A) IN GENERAL- The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail (referred to in this paragraph as the `trail'), an approximately 290-mile long trail extending from southern Maryland through the District of Columbia and Virginia, and north to Baltimore, Maryland, commemorating the Chesapeake Campaign of the War of 1812 (including the British invasion of Washington, District of Columbia, and its associated feints and the Battle of Baltimore in summer 1814), as generally depicted on the maps contained in the draft report entitled `Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement', and dated March 2004.

`(B) MAP- A map generally depicting the trail shall be maintained on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.

`(C) ADMINISTRATION- Subject to subparagraph (E)(ii), the trail shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior.

`(D) LAND ACQUISITION- No land or interest in land outside the exterior boundaries of any federally administered area may be acquired by the United States for the trail except with the consent of the owner of the land or interest in land.

`(E) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION- The Secretary of the Interior shall--

`(i) encourage communities, owners of land along the trail, and volunteer trail groups to participate in the planning, development, and maintenance of the trail; and

`(ii) consult with other affected landowners and Federal, State, and local agencies in the administration of the trail.

`(F) INTERPRETATION AND ASSISTANCE- Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of the Interior may provide to State and local governments and nonprofit organizations interpretive programs and services and, through Fort McHenry National Monument and Shrine, technical assistance, for use in carrying out preservation and development of, and education relating to the War of 1812 along, the trail.'.

END