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119-s-5677119th Congress

Lone Star Coastal National Recreation Area Act

Sponsored By: Senator Cornyn, John [R-TX]

Introduced

Summary

Would create the Lone Star Coastal National Recreation Area as a new National Park System unit to conserve and promote the Upper and Middle Texas Gulf Coast’s natural, cultural, and recreational resources through local partnerships and voluntary participation.

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  • Communities and local economies: would support conservation, recreation, and heritage promotion across five Texas Gulf Coast counties. The Network includes associated sites that can join by local agreement without changing ownership.
  • Private landowners: could keep title and control. Inclusion in the Network requires written consent and does not impose new federal land‑use rules on private property.
  • Federal, State, and local partners: would form a Lone Star Coastal Partnership with up to 31 members and must produce an Integrated Resource Management Plan within 3 years. Cooperative projects could receive up to 25 percent federal funding and must meet a minimum 3:1 non‑Federal match.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

How the recreation area would work

If enacted, the bill would establish the Lone Star Coastal National Recreation Area after the Secretary finds enough land has been acquired and publishes notice within 60 days. The bill limits Federal land buys to donations, willing sales, exchanges, or transfers and forbids condemnation. Landowners could keep reserved oil, gas, and similar mineral rights with reasonable surface access rules. The bill would allow hunting, fishing, off‑road vehicle use, and personal watercraft on covered lands with the prior grantor’s written consent, and short closures would be allowed for safety or emergencies.

Grants, matching, and repayment rules

If enacted, the bill would let the Secretary make cooperative agreements to pay up to 25 percent of eligible project costs for resource protection, access, education, and recreation, subject to appropriations. Recipients would have to provide at least $3 of non‑Federal match for every $1 of Federal funds; match can be cash, services, or in‑kind and can be provided before an agreement. If a federally funded project is later used in a way the Secretary finds inconsistent with the Act, the recipient would have to reimburse either the Federal amount provided or the increase in project value tied to that money, whichever is greater.

Local partnership and planning rules

If enacted, the bill would create a Lone Star Coastal Partnership of up to 31 members to coordinate coastal planning and conservation. The Secretary would appoint members within 180 days and members would serve without pay but could get travel expenses. The Partnership would have to produce an Integrated Resource Management Plan within 3 years and use locally submitted documentation when deciding which sites may join the Network. Funds appropriated or donated under the bill could not be spent until the Secretary approves the Plan.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Cornyn, John [R-TX]

TX • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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