S. 1516 · On the floor · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture Study Act

What it does

Direct the Department of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and two other mound sites in Illinois.
Evaluate the national significance of the study area and the suitability of designating it as a National Park System unit.
Consider alternative preservation and protection methods by other governmental entities or nonprofits.
Identify cost estimates for federal acquisition, development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance of the study area.

Official summary

Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture Study Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of an area made up of (1) Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville, IL; (2) the Emerald Mounds in St. Clair County, Illinois; and (3) the Pulcher Mounds in Monroe and St. Clair Counties, Illinois. (The National Park Service uses special resource studies when determining whether to designate sites as National Historical Sites.) The study must evaluate the national significance of the study area; determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the study area as a unit of the National Park System; consider other alternatives for preservation, protection, and interpretation of the study area by other governmental entities or nonprofit organizations; and identify cost estimates for any federal acquisition, development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance associated with such alternatives. Interior must report on the results of the study and make recommendations to specified congressional committees.

Latest action

Jul 23, 2026: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 478.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources