WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives today approved a bill that would allow Acadia National Park to acquire more land and build a station on the mainland from which to bus visitors to Mount Desert Island.

The provisions are included in a larger natural resources bill, which the Senate approved earlier this month. The bill will be sent to President Bush, who is expected to sign it.

Acadia National Park is Maine’s only national park. A study by Michigan State University indicated that Acadia brings almost $130 million in visitor spending to the region and supports more than 2,600 jobs.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rep. Michael Michaud, D-Maine, sponsored the legislation, which was also supported by Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe and Demoratic Rep. Tom Allen.

“This legislation will help make the park stronger and healthier than ever leading up to its centennial anniversary in 2016,” Collins said in a statement. “The regional economy benefits greatly from the park’s continued success and it is important to Maine that we ensure it has the tools necessary to thrive,” Michaud said in a statement.

Congress established the park’s boundaries in 1986. The bill will provide Acadia National Park with $28 million to purchase and sell land and give the park the ability to negotiate land swaps with towns.

In addition, the bill would allow the National Park Service to spend money to build an “inter-modal transportation facility” and a maintenance center in Trenton to ferry people on and off the island.

The legislation also would reauthorize the Acadia National Park Advisory Commission for 20 years. The commission is made up of representatives from
the towns near the park and state and federal officials.