# Chesapeake National Recreation Area Act of 2025 - Plain Language Summary

## What This Bill Does

This bill creates a new national recreation area around the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake National Recreation Area would become part of the National Park System and would protect and preserve the natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources of the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding areas. The area would be managed by the Secretary of the Interior (the federal official overseeing the National Park Service) and would be open to the public for recreation and enjoyment.

## Who Benefits and Is Affected

**Beneficiaries:** The general public would gain access to Chesapeake Bay recreational areas, and local communities would benefit from tourism and economic activity. Environmental advocates would benefit from increased protection of the bay's natural resources. Young people are specifically included through youth representatives on an advisory commission.

**Affected Parties:** Landowners in the area could be impacted if their land is acquired (though the bill specifies only willing sellers and donations). The Army will transfer some land from Fort Monroe National Monument to the new recreation area once environmental remediation is complete. State and local governments would work with federal management.

## Key Provisions

- **Phased Establishment:** The recreation area won't officially open until enough land is acquired to make it a functional park unit
- **Land Acquisition:** The government can acquire land through donations, purchases from willing sellers, exchanges, or transfers from other federal agencies
- **Fort Monroe Integration:** Certain lands at Fort Monroe National Monument will eventually be transferred to the new recreation area
- **Advisory Commission:** A commission including youth representatives will advise on management and potential expansion of the area
- **Flexibility:** The Secretary can identify and add additional sites near the bay in the future