[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1487 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1487

  To provide for public participation in the declaration of national 
monuments under the Act popularly known as the Antiquities Act of 1906.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 20, 1999

  Mr. Hansen introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for public participation in the declaration of national 
monuments under the Act popularly known as the Antiquities Act of 1906.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Monument NEPA Compliance 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) National monument designations, when done properly, are 
        an important method of preserving historic landmarks, and 
        objects and antiquities of historic or scientific interest.
            (2) Because national monuments affect the people of the 
        United States, it is important for the public to have an 
        opportunity to participate in the national monument designation 
        process.
            (3) Requiring the President to comply with requirements of 
        the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 in designating 
        national monuments would help insure that national monument 
        designations are in the public interest and that the public has 
        an opportunity to participate in the designation process.

SEC. 3. COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT OF 1969 IN 
              DECLARING NATIONAL MONUMENTS.

    Section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431; 
popularly known as the Antiquities Act of 1906), is amended--
            (1) by striking ``That the President of the United States 
        is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to'' and inserting 
        ``(a) In General.--The President, subject to subsections (b) 
        and (c), may''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Compliance With National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes of section 102 of the 
        National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332), a 
        declaration by the President under this Act of an area to be 
        national monument shall be treated as--
                    ``(A) an action by an agency of the Federal 
                Government; and
                    ``(B) a major Federal action significantly 
                affecting the quality of the human environment.
            ``(2) Preparation of environmental impact statement.--The 
        President shall direct the Secretary of the Interior to prepare 
        the environmental impact statement required under section 102 
        of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
        4332; in this section referred to as a `monument impact 
        statement') for any declaration of a national monument under 
        this section.
            ``(3) Public review and comment.--(A) The Secretary shall 
        provide sufficient time for the public to review and comment on 
        each monument impact statement, including--
                    ``(i) at least 6 months to review and comment on 
                the draft monument impact statement; and
                    ``(ii) 4 months to review and comment on the final 
                monument impact statement before the issuance of the 
                record of decision for the monument impact statement.
            ``(B) The Secretary shall also hold appropriate public 
        hearings, on the record, during all phases of preparation of 
        the monument impact statement, including during scoping.
            ``(C) The President may not declare a national monument 
        before the expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the 
        date on which the record of decision for the monument impact 
        statement is issued.
    ``(c) Protection of Resources During Deliberations.--
            ``(1) In general.--If directed by the President, the 
        Secretary shall make an emergency withdrawal of lands under 
        section 204(e) of the Federal Land Management and Policy Act of 
        1976 (43 U.S.C. 1714(e)) to protect resources on the lands 
        during deliberations on a proposal to declare the lands to be a 
        national monument. The area of the lands withdrawn shall be no 
        larger than the smallest area compatible with the proper care 
        and management of the objects to be protected by the monument 
        designation.
            ``(2) 24-month limitation.--The duration of a withdrawal 
        under this subsection shall not exceed 24 months.''.
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