Title II — National Parks

“(j) Authority To Grant Easements and Rights-of-Way.—

“(1) In general.—The Secretary of the Interior may grant, to any State or local government, an easement or right-of-way over Federal lands within Gateway National Recreation Area for construction, operation, and maintenance of projects for control and prevention of flooding and shoreline erosion.

“(2) Charges and reimbursement of costs.—The Secretary may grant such an easement or right-of-way without charge for the value of the right so conveyed, except for reimbursement of costs incurred by the United States for processing the application therefore and managing such right. Amounts received as such reimbursement shall be credited to the relevant appropriation account.”

“(b) Transfer From the State to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.—

“(1) In general.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, or the provisions of the August 13, 1991, Ground Lease Agreement (‘Lease’) between the Department of the Interior and the State of New Jersey (‘State’), upon notice to the National Park Service, the State may transfer without consideration, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may accept, all State improvements within the land assignment and right of way, including the James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory (‘Laboratory’), two parking lots, and the seawater supply and backflow pipes as generally depicted on the map entitled ‘Gateway National Recreation Area, James J. Howard Marine Science Laboratory Land Assignment’, numbered 646/142,581A, and dated April 2018 (‘Map’) and any related State personal property.

“(2) Lease amendment.—Upon the transfer authorized in paragraph (1), the Lease shall be amended to exclude any obligations of the State and the Department of the Interior related to the Laboratory and associated property and improvements transferred to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. However, all obligations of the State to rehabilitate Building 74 and modify landscaping on the surrounding property as depicted on the Map, under the Lease and pursuant to subsection (a), shall remain in full force and effect.

“(3) Use by the national oceanic and atmospheric administration.—Upon the transfer authorized in paragraph (1), the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is authorized to use the land generally depicted on the Map as a land assignment and right of way and associated land and appurtenances for continued use of the Laboratory, including providing maintenance and repair, and access to the Laboratory, the parking lots and the seawater supply and back flow pipes, without consideration, except for reimbursement to the National Park Service of agreed upon reasonable actual costs of subsequently provided goods and services.

“(4) Agreement between the national park service and the national oceanic and atmospheric administration.—Upon the transfer authorized in paragraph (1), the Director of the National Park Service and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall enter into an agreement addressing responsibilities pertaining to the use of the land assignment within the Sandy Hook Unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area as authorized in paragraph (3). The agreement shall prohibit any new construction on this land, permanent or nonpermanent, or significant alteration to the exterior of the Laboratory, without National Park Service approval.

“(5) Restoration.—

“(A) Notwithstanding any provision of the Lease to the contrary, if the State does not transfer the improvements as authorized in paragraph (1), and these improvements are not used as or in support of a marine science laboratory, the State shall demolish and remove the improvements and restore the land in accordance with the standards set forth by the National Park Service, free of unacceptable encumbrances and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations regarding known contaminants.

“(B) If the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration accepts the improvements as authorized in paragraph (1) and these improvements are not used as or in support of a marine science laboratory, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall be responsible for demolishing and removing these improvements and restoring the land, in accordance with the standards set forth by the National Park Service, free of unacceptable encumbrances and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations regarding known contaminants.”

“(g) Conveyance of Reversionary Interest.—

“(1) In general.—If the Secretary determines that it is no longer in the public interest to operate and maintain the center, subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may enter into 1 or more agreements—

“(A) to convey the reversionary interest held by the United States and described in the quitclaim deed dated April 13, 1998, instrument number 19170, and as recorded in book 98, page 55015, in Pottawattamie County, Iowa (referred to in this subsection as the ‘deed’); and

“(B) to extinguish the requirement in the deed that alterations to structures on the property may not be made without the authorization of the Secretary.

“(2) Consideration.—A reversionary interest may be conveyed under paragraph (1)(A)—

“(A) without consideration, if the land subject to the reversionary interest is required to be used in perpetuity for public recreational, educational, or similar purposes; or

“(B) for consideration in an amount equal to the fair market value of the reversionary interest, as determined based on an appraisal that is conducted in accordance with—

“(i) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions; and

“(ii) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.

“(3) Execution of agreements.—The Secretary shall execute appropriate instruments to carry out an agreement entered into under paragraph (1).

“(4) Effect on prior agreement.—Effective on the date on which the Secretary has executed instruments under paragraph (3) and all Federal interests in the land and properties acquired under this Act have been conveyed, the agreement between the National Park Service and the State Historical Society of Iowa, dated July 21, 1995, and entered into under subsection (d), shall have no force or effect.”

“(46) Pike national historic trail.—The Pike National Historic Trail, a series of routes extending approximately 3,664 miles, which follows the route taken by Lt. Zebulon Montgomery Pike during the 1806–1807 Pike expedition that began in Fort Bellefontaine, Missouri, extended through portions of the States of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, and ended in Natchitoches, Louisiana.”