Bill · S. 1408· Senate(119-S-1408)
Chesapeake National Recreation Area Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 4/10/2025
- Last activity
- 4/10/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Sponsored by
- Chris Van Hollen
- Cosponsors
- - 3 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill seeks to establish the Chesapeake National Recreation Area as a new unit of the National Park System within Maryland and Virginia. The area is intended to preserve and protect the natural, cultural, and historic resources of the Bay and its surrounding areas. The Secretary of the Interior must determine that enough land has been acquired before the park is officially established. The Act also includes provisions to revise the boundary of the Fort Monroe National Monument to incorporate certain land into the new recreation area. Additionally, the bill creates a Chesapeake National Recreation Area Advisory Commission to assist with management and planning.
Yes· 3 of 6
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+5
The bill establishes a national recreation area to preserve and protect the natural resources of the Chesapeake Bay.
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?+5
The bill creates a structured management plan and advisory commission for the new national park unit.
Would Native Americans be better off under this?+4
The Advisory Commission includes representatives from Indian Tribes traditionally associated with the Bay.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Resource Preservation and Access: The establishment of the National Recreation Area aims to "preserve, protect, interpret, and provide for the public enjoyment of, and access to, the natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources" of the Bay (Section 3(a)(1)).
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Coordinated Management: The Secretary is directed to coordinate the management of the new area with the Chesapeake Gateways and the Bay Program to enhance public understanding of the region's significant resources (Section 5(f)(2)).
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Community Consideration: When creating the management plan, the Secretary must consult with State and local governments to "seek to minimize park-related traffic impacts... on nearby communities" (Section 8(c)).
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Inclusive Decision Making: The creation of an Advisory Commission allows for various stakeholders, including representatives from commercial fishing, agriculture, and Indian Tribes, to provide recommendations on management and potential new sites (Section 9(d)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Land Acquisition Restrictions: Any land or interest in land owned by a State or a political subdivision of a State that falls within the boundary can "only be acquired by donation" (Section 4(c)).
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Mandatory Land Acquisition for Establishment: The National Recreation Area cannot be established until the Secretary determines that a "sufficient quantity of land or interests in land has been acquired to constitute a manageable park unit" (Section 3(a)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+5Improves Public Land Management+5
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Native Americans+4Good For Young Adults+3Good For Farmers+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+3
- 5/8/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/10/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Angela AlsobrooksDemocrat · Maryland
James JusticeRepublican · West Virginia
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Mark WarnerDemocrat · Virginia