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Congress·Reported·26 days ago

Big Cypress National Preserve: Ban on Wilderness Status

Legislative Progress

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Senate
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President

Key Points

  • This bill would prevent the Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida from being designated as a 'wilderness' area. While the land is already protected as a national preserve, a wilderness designation is the highest level of federal protection and comes with much stricter rules.
  • The main goal of the bill is to keep the land open for traditional uses like hunting, fishing, and using off-road vehicles. If the area became an official wilderness, motorized vehicles like airboats and swamp buggies would likely be banned to keep the environment in its natural state.
  • This policy matters to people who live near or visit the preserve for outdoor recreation. By blocking the wilderness label, the bill ensures that current activities can continue without the threat of new federal bans on equipment or access.
  • There is a trade-off between protecting the land and allowing people to use it. While some want the strictest protections to save wildlife, others argue that the preserve was created specifically to allow for both conservation and traditional public use.

Milestones

3 milestones4 actions
Feb 4, 2026Senate

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably and an amendment to the title.

Dec 9, 2025Senate

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.

Feb 6, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Feb 6, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

A bill to prohibit Big Cypress National Preserve from being designated as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes.

Bill NumberS 446
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably and an amendment to the title.

Sponsor

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