H.R. 3604

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3604 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3604

To encourage reduction of disposable plastic products in units of the 
National Park System, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 23, 2025

Mr. Quigley introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To encourage reduction of disposable plastic products in units of the 
National Park System, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Reducing Waste in National Parks 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DISPOSABLE PLASTIC PRODUCTS REDUCTION IN UNITS OF THE NATIONAL 
PARK SYSTEM.

(a) Program for Reduction of Disposable Plastic Products in Units 
of the NPS.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Director shall establish for the National Park System a 
program for reduction of disposable plastic products and, if 
applicable, elimination of the sale and distribution of disposable 
plastic products under subsection (b). Each regional director shall 
implement the plan for park units in their region.
(b) Elimination of Sale and Distribution of Disposable Plastic 
Products.--
(1) In general.--Each regional director concerned shall 
eliminate the sale of water in disposable plastic products and 
the sale and distribution of other disposable plastic products 
to the greatest extent feasible in the relevant unit of the 
National Park System after consideration of the following 
factors, when applicable, with respect to the relevant unit:
(A) The costs and benefits to the overall 
operations.
(B) The amount of waste that would be eliminated.
(C) The infrastructure costs and funding sources 
for bottle refill stations.
(D) Any contractual implications with respect to 
concessioners, including considerations of new 
leaseholder surrender interest or possessory interest.
(E) The operational costs of bottle refill 
stations, including utilities and regular public health 
testing.
(F) The cost and availability of bisphenol A-free 
reusable containers.
(G) The effect on concessioner and cooperation 
association sales revenue.
(H) The availability of water within concession 
food service operations.
(I) The ability to provide visitor education in the 
unit and online so that visitors may come prepared with 
their own water bottles.
(J) Input from the National Park Service Office of 
Public Health.
(K) The feasibility of posting signs so that 
visitors can easily find bottle refill stations.
(L) Safety considerations for visitors who may 
resort to not carrying enough water or drinking from 
surface water sources with potential exposure to 
disease.
(M) Any input from concessioners and cooperating 
associations within the relevant unit.
(2) Units of nps previously eliminated sale of water in 
disposable plastic products.--With respect to a unit of the 
National Park System that did not offer for sale water in 
disposable plastic products before the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the applicable superintendent of the relevant unit 
may continue to not offer for sale water in disposable plastic 
bottles.
(c) Proactive Visitor Education Strategy.--Each regional director 
concerned shall develop for the relevant unit of the National Park 
System a proactive visitor education strategy to address visitor 
expectations of water availability and explain the rationale for the 
program and its implementation in the relevant unit.
(d) Continuity Within Unit of the NPS.--Each regional director 
concerned shall, to the extent possible, implement the program in a 
manner that is consistent throughout the relevant unit of the National 
Park System, including incorporation of such program into any agreement 
with an organization operating within the relevant unit, including a 
concessioner operating plan and cooperating association scope of sales.
(e) Biennial Evaluation.--Each regional director concerned shall, 
not less than once every 2 years--
(1) conduct an evaluation of the program for the relevant 
unit of the National Park System, including--
(A) public response to the program;
(B) visitor satisfaction with the availability of 
water;
(C) buying behavior with respect to products sold 
in disposable plastic products;
(D) public safety including information on cases of 
dehydration or exposure to disease from drinking from 
surface water; and
(E) disposable plastic bottle collection rates; and
(2) submit the evaluation to the Director and the Secretary 
of the Interior.
(f) Definitions.--For the purposes of this Act--
(1) the term ``Director'' means the Director of the 
National Park Service;
(2) the term ``disposable plastic products'' includes--
(A) disposable plastic beverage bottles;
(B) carryout bags made from film plastic;
(C) plastic food ware, including plastic food ware 
products marketed as compostable or biodegradable; and
(D) expanded polystyrene products;
(3) the term ``program'' means the program for recycling 
and reduction of disposable plastic products established under 
subsection (a); and
(4) the term ``regional director concerned'' means, with 
respect to a unit of the National Park System, the regional 
director of the region of the National Park System in which the 
relevant unit is located, working in coordination with the 
superintendent of such unit.
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