Study moves Mill Springs Battlefield a step closer to national status

    The Director of Interior will conduct a study to determine the 

feasibility of adopting the Mill Springs Battlefield into the 

National Park System, following approval of National Defense 

Authorization Act for fiscal year 2015.

    U.S. Representative Harold Rogers applauded the recent approval by Congress, which will allow the feasibility study.

    "Rich with Civil War history, the Mill Springs Battlefield makes for 

an excellent addition to the National Park Service," said Rogers. 

"This legislation puts us another step closer to educating the nation 

about this historic site in Kentucky and maintains this land for 

future generations."

    In the early 1990s, the U.S. Department of Interior classified the 

site of the Battle of Mill Springs, located in Pulaski and Wayne 

Counties, as one of the most endangered battlefields in Kentucky.

    After years of work preserving the historic site, the Mill Springs 

Battlefield Association expressed its desire to turn the site over to 

the National Park Service and the people of the United States for 

future generations to enjoy.

    The bill gives NPS three years to conduct a study to evaluate 

incorporating the battlefield into the National Park System. The 

analysis would consider the impacts on surrounding communities, 

recreational activities, and the cost of federal government operation.

    The legislation passed the U.S. House by a vote of 325-98 on 

December 4 and was approved by the U.S. Senate, with the support of Republican Leader Mitch McConnell by a vote of 89-11, on December 11. The President is expected to sign the legislation into law before the end of the year.