McConnell, Guthrie file bill to add more than 500 acres to Mammoth Cave National Park

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Two Kentucky lawmakers are banding together in an effort to expand Mammoth Cave National Park.

Thursday, Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. Brett Guthrie introduced the "Mammoth Cave National Park Boundary Adjustment Act" in Congress that would add an additional 551 acres of land from the Nature Conservancy.

The land is in Edmonson and Barren counties, and includes cave passages.

The Republican lawmakers said the additional land would "enhance protections in the Green River watershed, further conserving the area's wildlife and cultural heritage while generating additional tourism to Kentucky's Second District."

Guthrie, who represents the state's 2nd Congressional District, said the national park draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, contributing almost $90 million to the local economy.

"This natural wonder has inspired people for thousands of years, playing a foundational role in the culture of our region," Guthrie said in a news release. The congressman added that expanding protections for the cave system's "important biodiversity and rich history," ensures it can be studied, maintained and enjoyed by future generations.

Mammoth Cave National Park was established as a national park in 1941 and is home to the world's longest known cave system. It stretches a mapped 426 miles, with many still undiscovered.

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