S. 3313Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act

A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to issue a right-of-way for an emergency exit on certain National Park Service land in the State of Virginia, and for other purposes.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated September 25, 2026 at 2:51 AM UTC

The Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to create an emergency exit route across National Park Service land on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Wintergreen, Virginia. The goal is to provide a designated right‑of‑way that can be used during fire emergencies or other urgent situations. The action applies to federal lands managed by the Interior Department and involves reporting to congressional committees.

Key Provisions

Amends the 1936 Act to require the Secretary of the Interior to issue a right‑of‑way shown on a specific map titled “Blue Ridge Parkway, Proposed Wintergreen Emergency Egress Near Milepost 9.6.”
The Secretary may issue the right‑of‑way only after completing an evaluation of alternative routes that avoid crossing federal land, including whether existing trails could be converted to roads.
An analysis of expected fire‑ecology behavior for the proposed route must be completed.
All required environmental and statutory reviews must be finished, specifically compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and the relevant provisions of Title 54 of the U.S. Code.
The Secretary must report the findings and certification to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Legislative Activity

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5 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 680.

September 23, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

December 2, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

December 2, 2025

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.

National Parks Subcommittee

July 21, 2026

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

July 29, 2026

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

September 23, 2026

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 680.

September 23, 2026

Bill Text

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Reported to SenateIssued September 23, 2026

Calendar No. 680

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3313

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

December 2, 2025

Mr. Kaine (for himself and Mr. Warner) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

September 23, 2026

Reported by Mr. Lee, with an amendment

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

A BILL

To require the Secretary of the Interior to issue a right-of-way for an emergency exit on certain National Park Service land in the State of Virginia, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act.

Right-of-way for emergency exit, Blue Ridge Parkway

Section 2 of the Act of June 30, 1936 (49 Stat. 2041, chapter 883; 54 Stat. 250, chapter 277; 16 U.S.C. 460a–3), is amended—

(1)

by striking Secretary of the Interior may issue and inserting the following: “Secretary of the Interior—

(1)

may issue

;

(2)

by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(2)

shall issue the right-of-way generally depicted as Proposed Egress on the map entitled Proposed Wintergreen Emergency Egress Near Milepost 9.6, numbered 601/194,694, and dated September 2024, if the Secretary certifies that—

(A)

an evaluation has been completed of alternatives to the right-of-way for egress that do not cross Federal land that includes evaluating whether existing trails can be converted to roads;

(B)

an analysis of expected fire ecology behavior in the event of a fire emergency has been completed with respect to the right-of-way; and

(C)

any required reviews with respect to the right-of-way have been completed in accordance with—

(i)

the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and

(ii)

division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act.

Right-of-way for emergency exit, Blue Ridge Parkway

Section 2 of the Act of June 30, 1936 (49 Stat. 2041, chapter 883; 54 Stat. 250, chapter 277; 16 U.S.C. 460a–3), is amended—

(1)

by striking Secretary of the Interior may issue and inserting the following:

Secretary of the Interior—

(1)

may issue

;

(2)

by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(2)

shall issue the right-of-way generally depicted as Proposed Egress on the map entitled Blue Ridge Parkway, Proposed Wintergreen Emergency Egress Near Milepost 9.6, numbered 601/194,694, and dated September 2024, if the Secretary reports to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate that—

(A)

an evaluation has been completed of alternatives to the right-of-way for egress that do not cross Federal land that includes evaluating whether existing trails can be converted to roads;

(B)

an analysis of expected fire ecology behavior in the event of a fire emergency has been completed with respect to the right-of-way; and

(C)

any required reviews with respect to the right-of-way have been completed in accordance with—

(i)

the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and

(ii)

division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code.

September 23, 2026

Reported with an amendment