[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 255 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 255

  Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the proposed Disney 
     theme park in the historic Northern Piedmont area of Virginia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 16, 1994

   Mr. Andrews of Texas (for himself, Mr. Bryant, Mr. Slattery, Mr. 
     Torricelli, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Roemer, Mr. 
Beilenson, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Stark, Mr. Laughlin, Mr. Smith of Iowa, 
Mrs. Unsoeld, Mr. Andrews of Maine, Mr. Durbin, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Evans, 
Mr. Leach, Mr. Horn, and Mr. Wilson) submitted the following concurrent 
  resolution; which was referred jointly to the Committees on Natural 
  Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Public Works and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the proposed Disney 
     theme park in the historic Northern Piedmont area of Virginia.

Whereas the Northern Piedmont area of Virginia is a place which is dear to the 
        hearts of all Americans and inextricably bound to the Nation's formation 
        from the Colonial Period through the American Revolution, the Federal 
        Period, and the years leading to the Civil War;
Whereas the Northern Piedmont area is the land of the Founding Fathers--
        Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe--and boasts some of the most 
        spectacularly beautiful landscapes in America;
Whereas the American Civil War is recognized as the defining point in the 
        history of the United States;
Whereas the Northern Piedmont area is home to 32 Civil War battle sites and 38 
        historic districts;
Whereas the Northern Piedmont area stands as the gateway to the Blue Ridge 
        Mountains and Shenandoah National Park;
Whereas great effort has been expended to ensure that much of the Northern 
        Piedmont area remains today much as it was during the period of the 
        American Revolution and the Civil War;
Whereas Congress recognized the importance of the Northern Piedmont area in 1988 
        by exercising a seldom used legislative taking to prevent inappropriate 
        development on historically significant land near Manassas National 
        Battlefield Park, site of 2 of the most important battles of the Civil 
        War;
Whereas the Walt Disney Company's proposed theme park, ``Disney's America'', 
        would be located in the heart of the Northern Piedmont area;
Whereas the proposed theme park would bring to the Northern Piedmont area 
        extensive real estate development equivalent, in effect, to a new city 
        comprised of 2,281 new residential buildings, 2 golf courses, and 
        1,900,000 square feet of new retail shopping space, in addition to an 
        unknown amount of additional development on the fringes of the Disney 
        property;
Whereas a traffic study authorized by and conducted for the Walt Disney Company 
        indicates that traffic in the vicinity of the proposed theme park will, 
        at a minimum, double by the year 2010;
Whereas such an increase would greatly affect the 2 main thoroughfares, Virginia 
        Route 234 and United States Highway 29, that lead through the Manassas 
        National Battlefield Park, which is the historic site nearest to the 
        proposed theme park;
Whereas the cumulative effect of this massive development and increased traffic 
        congestion would represent a serious threat to the area's historic, 
        scenic, and environmental resources;
Whereas it is the responsibility of the executive branch to ensure compliance 
        with Federal environmental, transportation, and historic preservation 
        statutes; and
Whereas it is the duty of the Congress to oversee the stewardship of the 
        Nation's invaluable and irreplaceable historic resources, while 
        upholding the right of States to promote economic development and the 
        right of individuals and corporations to engage in commerce: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the Department of the Interior, the Department of 
        Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other 
        executive agencies with relevant jurisdiction should evaluate 
        the Walt Disney Company's proposed theme park and ensure that 
        it is in strict compliance with existing Federal environmental, 
        transportation, and historic preservation statutes;
            (2) the congressional committees of jurisdiction should 
        hold comprehensive hearings to examine the environmental, 
        transportation, and historic preservation aspects of both the 
        proposed theme park and the associated development of the area 
        surrounding the proposed theme park;
            (3) the historic Northern Piedmont area of Virginia should 
        not be the site of a massive theme park and real estate 
        project; and
            (4) the Walt Disney Company should seek another location 
        for its proposed theme park--whether elsewhere in the County of 
        Prince William or in the Commonwealth of Virginia--where the 
        impact of the proposed theme park would not disturb areas of 
        such great historical significance as the Northern Piedmont 
        area of Virginia.

                                 <all>