[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5470 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5470
To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Route 66
National Historic Trail, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 18, 2025
Mr. LaHood (for himself and Ms. Leger Fernandez) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Route 66
National Historic Trail, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Route 66 National Historic Trail
Designation Act''.
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF ROUTE 66 NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL.
Section 5(a) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a))
is amended--
(1) by redesignating the second paragraph (31) (relating to
Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail) as paragraph
(32); and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(33) Route 66 national historic trail.--
``(A) In general.--The Route 66 National Historic
Trail, a trail that includes all the alignments of U.S.
Highway 66 in existence between 1926 and 1985,
extending along a route of approximately 2,400 miles
from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, as
generally depicted on the map entitled `Route 66
National Historic Trail, Proposed Route', numbered P26/
141,279, and dated December 2017.
``(B) Availability of map.--The map described in
subparagraph (A) shall be on file and available for
public inspection in the appropriate offices of the
National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
``(C) Administration.--
``(i) In general.--The Route 66 National
Historic Trail shall be administered by the
Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Director of the National Park Service. Such
administration shall be conducted in a manner
that respects and maintains the idiosyncratic
nature of the Route 66 National Historic Trail.
``(ii) Tribal consultation.--Consistent
with Executive Order 13175 (25 U.S.C. 5301
note; relating to consultation and coordination
with Indian Tribal Governments) and all other
applicable Federal law, the Secretary of the
Interior shall conduct active, meaningful, and
timely consultation with all affected Indian
Tribes prior to undertaking an activity with
respect to the Route 66 National Historic Trail
that would have substantial direct impacts on 1
or more Indian Tribes.
``(D) Land acquisition.--The United States may not
acquire for the Route 66 National Historic Trail any
land or interest in land--
``(i) outside the exterior boundary of any
federally managed area without the consent of
the owner of the land or interest in land; or
``(ii) that extends more than an average of
one-quarter of a mile on either side of the
trail.
``(E) No buffer zone created.--Nothing in this Act,
the acquisition of the land or an interest in land
authorized by this Act, or the management plan for the
Route 66 National Historic Trail shall be construed to
create buffer zones outside of the Trail. That
activities or uses can be seen, heard, or detected from
the acquired land shall not preclude, limit, control,
regulate, or determine the conduct or management of
activities or uses outside of the trail.
``(F) Energy.--Nothing in this Act, the acquisition
of land or an interest in land authorized by this Act,
or the management plan for the Route 66 National
Historic Trail shall prohibit, hinder, or disrupt the
current or future development, production,
transportation, or transmission of energy, including
the construction or maintenance of pipelines, renewable
energy projects, or other infrastructure for the
development, production, transportation, or
transmission of energy.
``(G) Eminent domain or condemnation.--In carrying
out this Act, the Secretary of the Interior may not use
eminent domain or condemnation.
``(H) Not a designation of `lands in the national
park system'.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, the designation of the Route 66 National Historic
Trail by this paragraph shall not have the effect of
designating the Route 66 National Historic Trail or any
land on which the Route 66 National Historic Trail is
located as `lands in the National Park System' for
purposes of section 28(b)(1) of the Mineral Leasing Act
(30 U.S.C. 185(b)(1)).
``(I) No new authorities or permit.--
``(i) No effect on authority to grant
easements or rights-of-way.--
``(I) In general.--Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, the
designation of the Route 66 National
Historic Trail by this paragraph shall
not alter or affect the existing
authority of any Federal, State, or
local agency or official to grant
easements or rights-of-way over, under,
across, or along any portion of the
area designated as the Route 66
National Historic Trail.
``(II) Authority of heads of
federal agencies to grants easements or
rights-of-way.--Notwithstanding the
designation of the Route 66 National
Historic Trail by this paragraph, the
head of any Federal agency having
jurisdiction over any Federal land on
which the Route 66 National Historic
Trail designated by this paragraph is
located (other than land that is
considered to be `lands in the National
Park System' for purposes of section
28(b)(1) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30
U.S.C. 185(b)(1)) as a result of a
designation under any other law), shall
have the authority to grant easements
or rights-of-way over, under, across,
or along any applicable portion of the
Route 66 National Historic Trail in
accordance with the laws applicable to
the Federal land.
``(ii) No new permits required.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
designation of the Route 66 National Historic
Trail by this paragraph shall not subject the
Route 66 National Historic Trail or any land on
which the Route 66 National Historic Trail is
located to any other Federal laws (including
regulations) requiring a Federal permit or
authorization that would otherwise be made
applicable as a result of the designation of
the Route 66 National Historic Trail as a
component of the National Trails System.''.
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