S. 1059 would revise the boundary of the Big Bend National Park in Texas to include an additional 6,100 acres of land. The legislation stipulates that the Department of the Interior acquire the land through donation, purchase, or exchange. S. 1059 specifically prohibits the use of eminent domain (the ability to take private property for public use) or condemnation to acquire the land.
Using information from the National Park Service (NPS) and local landowners, CBO expects the agency would acquire most of the land by donation within the first year following enactment. Using information about similar land management activities, CBO estimates that any costs incurred by the NPS to manage the additional land would be insignificant; that spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
