# 119-s-282: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Access Act

119-s-282, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Access Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME] (I-ME); status passed_senate (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-282
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-282
- Congress: 119
- Title: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Access Act
- Status: passed_senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-28
- Sponsor: Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME] (I-ME)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Expand the Monument through targeted land acquisitions** so the Interior Secretary can add willing‑seller parcels inside a mapped Authorized Acquisition Area and manage them under National Park Service rules. The bill also preserves certain traditional uses and builds local and Tribal partnerships for education and visitor services. - Families and visitors would see more public land available for outdoor recreation because hunting, fishing, and other activities that existed before acquisition may continue on newly acquired parcels. It would allow hand gathering of fiddlehead ferns for noncommercial personal use, with limits if needed to protect resources. - Tribal governments and local communities would have a formal role in public education about the monument's ecology, Native practices, timber history, and landscape shaping and could partner on cooperative visitor centers and services. - Landowners and the timber sector would face acquisitions only from willing sellers because eminent domain is prohibited. The bill preserves existing outside access rights for timber removal and allows noncommercial timber harvests on monument land as the management plan permits.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Hunting, fishing, and fiddlehead gathering: benefit, low. If the government buys a parcel, you would keep hunting, fishing, or other recreation that happened the day before the sale. The activity would need to fit the Monument’s Presidential Proclamation and rules. You would also be able to hand gather fiddlehead ferns for personal use and eating. You wou…
- Logging road safety for visitors: benefit, low. The Secretary would give clear safety notices about logging trucks and equipment on roads in or near the Monument. The Secretary would work with loggers, truckers, visitors, and others to set safe road procedures. The goal would be to cut crash risks around active logging operations.
- Teach nature and history with Tribes: benefit, low. The Secretary would work with local communities and Tribal governments to teach visitors about this place. Lessons would cover the natural environment and land management history. They would include Native practices and the history of timber management.
- Voluntary land sales and visitor center: benefit, low. The Interior Secretary would be allowed to buy land from willing sellers in a mapped area. The map is 686/193,181, dated March 2024. Bought parcels would become part of the Monument, and its boundary would shift. The Secretary would also be able to buy up to 10 acres nearby for offices and visitor…
- Noncommercial timber work when needed: mixed, low. The Secretary would be allowed to do noncommercial timber harvests on Monument lands when needed. Any harvest would have to follow the Monument’s management plan. Trees would not be sold for profit.

## Related bills

- 119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act
- 119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1968: Working Waterfronts Act of 2025
- 119-s-1503: Equality Act
- 119-s-3659: SECURE Minerals Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-s-282 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/282)

## Related
- [119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2763)
- [119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3869)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1968: Working Waterfronts Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1968)
- [119-s-1503: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1503)
- [119-s-3659: SECURE Minerals Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3659)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-282 (as of 2026-09-10).