September 18, 2025
Mr. Tiffany (for himself, Mr. Steil, Mr. Wied, Mr. Grothman, Mr. Fitzgerald, and Mr. Van Orden) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To provide for the designation of Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act
.
Sec. 2. Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve
(a) In general
(1) Redesignation
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, established under Public Law 91–424 (16 U.S.C. 460w et seq.), shall be known and designated as Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve
, comprised of—
(A)
Apostle Islands National Park; and
(B)
Apostle Islands National Preserve.
(2) Apostle islands national park
(A) Boundaries
The boundaries of Apostle Islands National Park are the boundaries of the area generally depicted as Apostle Islands National Park Proposed Boundary
on the Map.
(B) Ashland harbor breakwater light
Nothing in this Act creates a protective perimeter or buffer zone around the boundary of the property labeled Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light
on the Map.
(3) Apostle Islands national preserve
The boundaries of Apostle Islands National Preserve are the boundaries of the area generally depicted as Apostle Islands National Preserve Proposed Boundary
on the Map.
(b) Administration
(1) In general
The Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve shall be administered by the Secretary as a single unit of the National Park System in accordance with—
(A)
this section;
(B)
the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—
(i)
sections 100101(a), 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of title 54, United States Code; and
(ii)
chapters 1003 and 3201 of title 54, United States Code; and
(C)
except as provided in paragraph (2), Public Law 91–424 (16 U.S.C. 460w et seq.).
(2) Hunting, fishing, and trapping
(A) Hunting and trapping
(i) Apostle Islands National Park
Except where permitted under a treaty, statute, or executive order pertaining to a Tribe, hunting and trapping are prohibited within Apostle Islands National Park.
(ii) Apostle Islands National Preserve
The Secretary shall administer hunting and trapping within Apostle Islands National Preserve—
(I)
in the same manner that hunting and trapping were administered on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act within the portion of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore that comprises Apostle Islands National Preserve; and
(II)
in accordance with section 5 of Public Law 91–424 (16 U.S.C. 460w–4) and other applicable laws.
(B) Fishing
The Secretary shall administer fishing within the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve—
(i)
in the same manner that fishing was administered within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on the day before the date of enactment of this Act; and
(ii)
in accordance with section 5 of Public Law 91–424 (16 U.S.C. 460w–4) and other applicable laws.
(C) Private land
Nothing in this section prohibits hunting, fishing, or trapping on private land in accordance with applicable State and Federal laws.
(c) References and map
(1) References
(A) In general
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
shall be deemed to be a reference to Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve
.
(B) Public law 91–424
Any reference in Public Law 91–424 (16 U.S.C. 460w et seq.) to the lakeshore
shall be deemed to be a reference to Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve
.
(2) Map
The Map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
(d) Interpretive features
The Secretary shall include at the principal visitor centers of the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve the following interpretive features:
(1)
Signage that describes the history of the region, including information about the Ojibwe tribes, early European settlers, fur trade, logging, stone quarries, lighthouses and commercial fishing.
(2)
A copy of this Act.
(e) Treaty and reserved rights
Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting any rights granted, reserved, or established pursuant to treaty, statute, or executive order pertaining to any Tribe, including, but not limited to, rights to hunt, trap, fish, and gather on lands included within the boundary of Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve or any other rights asserted by any Tribe.
(f) Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Map
The term Map means the map titled Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Proposed Boundaries
, numbered 633/193,514, and dated October 2024.
(2) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.