H.R. 3005 – Grand Canyon Bison Management Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 4:31 PM UTC

The Grand Canyon Bison Management Act orders the Secretary of the Interior to create a plan, within 180 days, for reducing the bison population in Grand Canyon National Park. The plan may use humane lethal culling by qualified volunteers and other non‑lethal methods, and it must be coordinated with Arizona wildlife officials while complying with federal environmental laws.

Key Provisions

Defines a “skilled public volunteer” as someone with a valid Arizona hunting license and any additional qualifications the Secretary sets after consulting the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.
Requires the Secretary to publish a bison management plan within 180 days of the law’s enactment.
Allows humane lethal culling of bison deemed detrimental to park use, as well as non‑lethal population‑control measures.
Permits qualified volunteers to remove and transport harvested bison from the park.
Mandates written approval from the Arizona Game and Fish Commission for the plan and any amendments.
Requires the plan’s development to follow NEPA and all other applicable federal environmental regulations.
Limits the act’s authority to actions taken under the management plan and does not affect other wildlife take activities.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.

Federal Lands Subcommittee

July 5, 2017

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 22, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

June 22, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.

Federal Lands Subcommittee

July 5, 2017

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 3005 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Tom O'HalleranD-AZ-1 · Sep 26, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 3005.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in HouseIssued June 22, 2017

I

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3005

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 22, 2017

Mr. Gosar (for himself, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Schweikert, and Mr. O'Halleran) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a bison management plan for Grand Canyon National Park, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Grand Canyon Bison Management Act.

2.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Full bison

The term full bison mean all of the remains of a bison after field dressing.

(2)

Management plan

The term management plan means the management plan published under section 3(a).

(3)

Park

The term Park means the Grand Canyon National Park.

(4)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

(5)

Skilled public volunteer

The term skilled public volunteer means an individual who possesses—

(A)

a valid hunting license issued by the State of Arizona; and

(B)

such other qualifications as the Secretary may require, after consultation with the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

3.

Bison management plan for Grand Canyon National Park

(a)

Publication of plan

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish a management plan to reduce, through humane lethal culling by skilled public volunteers and by other nonlethal means, the population of bison in the Park that the Secretary determines are detrimental to the use of the Park.

(b)

Removal of Animal

Notwithstanding section 4 of the Act of March 2, 1929 (16 U.S.C. 198c), or any other provision of law, a skilled public volunteer may remove a full bison harvested from the Park.

(c)

Coordination

The Secretary shall coordinate with and obtain written approval from the Arizona Game and Fish Commission regarding the development and finalization of the management plan and any amendments to the management plan.

(d)

NEPA Compliance

In developing the management plan, the Secretary shall comply with all applicable Federal environmental laws (including regulations), including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

(e)

Limitation

Nothing in this Act applies to the taking of wildlife in the Park for any purpose other than the implementation of the management plan.