Kentucky lawmakers file bill to expand Mammoth Cave National Park. How would that work?

Two Kentucky lawmakers are pushing to expand Mammoth Cave National Park through federal legislation that would extend its boundary by nearly 1,000 acres, add new cave passages and help the park acquire several historic artifacts.

Together, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) have introduced the Mammoth Cave National Park Boundary Adjustment Act, according to a joint news release from the lawmakers.

The legislation would add 980 acres of land to the national park. It is home to the world’s longest known cave system with more than 400 miles explored. Still, the park estimates there could be another 600 miles to discover within the limestone labyrinth.

Extending the park’s southern boundary in Edmonson and Barren counties will confer several benefits, lawmakers contend. Those benefits include acquiring additional habitat land and adding Coach Cave and James Cave to the national park.

The park would acquire part of the land from The Nature Conservancy. The transaction will include a sale between both entities, Jessica Cooper, a spokesperson for the park confirmed. However, the cost to remains unclear at this time.

At its founding in 1941, Mammoth Cave National Park totaled 45,310 acres, according to Molly Schroer, the park’s management analyst. Today, it’s grown to 52,830 acres. The park’s “authorized boundary” extends out even farther to 70,618 acres (or about 110 square miles).

Within that perimeter, the park can acquire more land without an act of Congress.

“The land that would be added to our Authorized Boundary in the legislation would be 980 (acres), but the park is only actively looking to add the 550 acres that we would acquire from The Nature Conservancy to our official boundary,” Schroer wrote in an email to the Herald-Leader.

Schroer was unable to say definitively whether The Nature Conservancy acquisition would be the largest in the park’s history, but noted other relatively recent acquisitions include:

• 1967: Park City Entrance Road, 284 acres donated by the commonwealth of Kentucky.

• 1992: Wondering Woods, 116 acres purchased from the Conservation Fund.

• 2022: Turley Entrance Land, 4 acres donated to the park by a private individual.

Visits to National Park sites in KY declined in 2022. This site was still the most popular

Coach and James caves have prehistoric and have historic artifacts the park wants to preserve and manage, the release said. Schroer declined to disclose the nature of the artifacts, calling that information “sensitive.”

“In an effort to protect the resources in the caves surrounding the area, we are not disclosing information on what may be protected there. Both Coach and James (caves) are gated and closed to the public because of these sensitive resources,” Schroer wrote in an emailed response.

In 2021, tourism to Mammoth Cave National Park generated nearly $70 million in economic activity, the release said. Expansion of the park is expected to boost that activity for the surrounding communities.

National Park Service data show 663,147 people visited Mammoth Cave National Park in 2022.

“I introduced a bill to allow the park to acquire specific land to put cultural heritage artifacts and habitats under the care and expertise of the Mammoth Cave National Park Service,” Congressman Guthrie said in the release. “I’m proud to partner with Leader McConnell on this effort to expand Mammoth Cave National Park for National Park Service employees and volunteers to conserve and (for) people to enjoy for generations to come.”

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, McConnell previously introduced the bill in 2022. It was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, where it later died.

“Beyond its role in driving tourism to our Commonwealth, the park also plays a crucial role in the region’s economic growth, supporting good jobs for the people of Kentucky,” Sen. McConnell said. “I’m proud to partner with Congressman Guthrie on this important initiative once again which will expand the critical habitats that the National Park Service protects and preserves in the park.”

According to additional comments from Schroer, acquiring The Nature Conservancy’s land will allow the park to preserve James and Coach caves and protect the important gray bat and Indiana bat habitat within.

“Each cave sees between 150,000 – 200,000 hibernating federally endangered gray bats each year, and one of the caves is federally designated as Critical Habitat for the endangered Indiana bat,” Schroer wrote in her email to the Herald-Leader.

This story may be updated.

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