[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 308 Referred in House (RFH)]

  2d Session
                                 S. 308


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 21, 1998

                 Referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study concerning 
grazing use and open space of certain land within and adjacent to Grand 
Teton National Park, Wyoming, and to extend temporarily certain grazing 
                              privileges.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) open space near Grand Teton National Park continues to 
        decline;
            (2) as the population continues to grow in Teton County, 
        Wyoming, undeveloped land near the park becomes more scarce;
            (3) the loss of open space around Grand Teton National Park 
        has negative impacts on wildlife migration routes in the area 
        and on visitors to the park, and its repercussions can be felt 
        throughout the entire region;
            (4) a few ranches make up Teton Valley's remaining open 
        space, and the ranches depend on grazing in Grand Teton 
        National Park for summer range to maintain operations;
            (5) the Act that created Grand Teton National Park allowed 
        several permittees to continue livestock grazing in the park 
        for the life of a designated heir in the family;
            (6) some the last remaining heirs have died, and as a 
        result of the possible termination of ranching, the open space 
        around the park may likely be subdivided and developed;
            (7) in order to develop the best solution to protect open 
        space immediately adjacent to Grand Teton National Park, the 
        National Park Service should conduct a study of grazing in the 
        area and its impact on open space in the region; and
            (8) the study should develop workable solutions that are 
        fiscally responsible and acceptable to the National Park 
        Service, the public, local government, and landowners in the 
        area.

SEC. 2. STUDY OF GRAZING USE AND OPEN SPACE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter 
referred to as the ``Secretary''), shall conduct a study concerning 
grazing use and open space in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming 
(hereinafter referred to as the ``park''), and associated use of 
certain agricultural and ranch lands within and adjacent to the park, 
including--
            (1) base land having appurtenant grazing privileges within 
        the park, remaining after January 1, 1990, under the Act 
        entitled ``An Act to establish a new Grand Teton National Park 
        in the State of Wyoming, and for other purposes'', approved 
        September 14, 1950 (16 U.S.C. 406d-1 et seq.); and
            (2) any ranch and agricultural land adjacent to the park, 
        the use and disposition of which may affect accomplishment of 
        the purposes of the park's enabling Act.
    (b) Purpose.--The study shall--
            (1) assess the significance of the ranching use and 
        pastoral character (including open vistas, wildlife habitat, 
        and other public benefits) of the land;
            (2) assess the significance of that use and character to 
        the purposes for which the park was established, and identify 
        any need for preservation of, and practicable means of 
        preserving, the land that is necessary to protect that use and 
        character; and
            (3) recommend a variety of economically feasible and viable 
        tools and techniques to retain the pastoral qualities of the 
        area, and estimate the costs of implementing any 
        recommendations made for the preservation of the land.
    (c) Participation.--In conducting the study, the Secretary shall 
consult with the Governor of the State of Wyoming, the Teton County 
Commissioners, the Secretary of Agriculture, affected landowners, and 
other interested members of the public.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 3 years from the date funding is made 
available, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that 
contains the findings of the study under subsection (a) and makes 
recommendations to Congress regarding action that may be taken with 
respect to the land described in subsection (a).

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF GRAZING PRIVILEGES.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary shall 
reinstate and extend for the duration of the study described in section 
2(a) and until such time as 6 months after the recommendations of the 
study are submitted, the grazing privileges described in section 
2(a)(1), under the same terms and conditions as were in effect prior to 
the expiration of the privileges.
    (b) Effect of Change in Land Use.--If, during the period of the 
study or until 6 months after the recommendations of the study are 
submitted, any portion of the land described in section 2(a)(1) is 
disposed of in a manner that would result in the land no longer being 
used for ranching or other agricultural purposes, the Secretary shall 
cancel the extension described in subsection (a).

            Passed the Senate September 16, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                    GARY SISCO,

                                                             Secretary.