Death Valley (above), Joshua Tree, and the Mojave National Preserve stand to grow a bit under legislation passed by Congress and headed to President Trump for his signature/NPS

A massive public lands bill that protects Yellowstone and North Cascades national parks from mining on their doorsteps, designates some 1.3 million acres of wilderness, and permanently authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday evening and now heads to President Trump for his signature.

The measure, passed on a 363-62 vote, also expands the size of both Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks, creates a national monument honoring civil rights icon Medgar Evers in Mississippi and a Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument in Kentucky, while changing the designations of some other park system units.

The House's action was widely applauded by conservation groups and park advocates.

“This package is the biggest piece of conservation legislation passed in years, and encompasses decades of hard work by NPCA and our allies," said Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association. "From Yellowstone’s iconic landscape to the fragile wilderness of the California desert and centuries-old archaeological structures in Ocmulgee National Monument, this legislation protects some of our nation’s most treasured public lands, wilderness areas, waterways, wildlife, and outstanding recreational opportunities."

The bill also: 

* Redesignates Ocmulgee Mounds National Monument in Georgia as a national historical park;

* Redesignates Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in New Hampshire as national historical park;

* Redesignates Golden Spike National Historic Site in Utah as a national historical park, and;

* Expands Shiloh National Military Park in Tennessee by adding battlefields at Davis Bridge and Fallen Timbers in Tennessee, and Russell House in Tennessee and Mississippi to Shiloh.

“We celebrated when the Natural Resources Management Act passed the Senate and we are thrilled by its passage in the House today," said Phil Francis, chair of the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks. "The protection of our irreplaceable natural and cultural resources is truly a bipartisan issue and we applaud Congress for working together to ensure continued protection of our national parks and public lands.”

At the Outdoor Industry Association, Patricia Rojas-Ungar, vice president of government affairs, said the measure changes "the trajectory of public land protection and advocacy for the next generation for the better. We are thankful of the tireless hours many key senators and representatives, public lands advocates and American citizens put in to get this across the finish line."

“Public lands bring Americans together, and that’s why Republicans and Democrats in the House voted overwhelmingly today for a bill that ensures the Land and Water Conservation Fund will be around for our kids and grandkids,” said Diane Regas, president and CEO of The Trust for Public Land. “Today’s historic vote, following a 92-8 vote in the Senate, means that more people can have access to hiking trails, city parks and wild landscapes. Americans expect their public officials to work together, and today’s vote to give more people access to public lands is something we can all celebrate.”

The bill also authorizes for seven years the Every Kid Outdoors program, which provides fourth graders with a free entry park pass for themselves and their families to visit all of our federally managed public lands, waters, and shores. The package also includes authorization for the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps, which strengthens career pathways for youth and young veterans in the stewardship of our public lands and waters.

"Today’s historic vote is a win for our kids and our planet," said Jackie Ostfeld, who oversees the Outdoors Alliance for Kids for the Sierra Club. "It fills me with great hope to see our elected leaders come together in this time of deep division and pass a bipartisan bill that gets our kids outdoors, creates career pathways for youth and veterans in conservation, and protects and establishes close to home nature access for millions."

Wilderness designations called for in the measure include:

* Emery County wilderness, UT 661,200 acres

* California Desert wilderness, CA 375,500 acres

* Organ Mountain Desert Peaks wilderness, NM 241,500 acres

* Cerros del Norte wilderness, NM 22,000 acres

* San Juan County wilderness, NM 9,400 acres

* Devil’s Staircase wilderness, OR 30,600 acres

More than 620 miles of additions to the Wild and Scenic Rivers System include:

* Green River, UT 63 miles

* Lower Farmington additions, CT 62 miles

* Wood-Pawcatuck, RI 110 miles

* Nashua, MA and NH 53 miles

* Franklin Creek, Wasson Creek, Molalla, Elk Creek, OR 256 miles

* California Desert 77 miles

Additions to the National Trails System include:

* North Country National Scenic Trail extension 1,400 miles

* Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail extension 1,200 miles

National park additions include:

* California (Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Mojave) 39,835 acres

* Georgia (Ocmulgee Mounds, Kennesaw, Fort Frederica) 2,163 acres