[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4521 Engrossed in House (EH)]


  2d Session

                               H. R. 4521

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

   To direct the Secretary of the Interior to authorize and provide 
  funding for rehabilitation of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier 
National Park, to authorize funds for maintenance of utilities related 
                  to the Park, and for other purposes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4521

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To direct the Secretary of the Interior to authorize and provide 
  funding for rehabilitation of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier 
National Park, to authorize funds for maintenance of utilities related 
                  to the Park, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The historic significance of the 52-mile Going-to-the-
        Sun Road is recognized by its listing on the National Register 
        of Historic Places in 1983, designation as a National Historic 
        Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers 
        in 1985, and designation as a National Historic Landmark in 
        1997.
            (2) A contracted engineering study and Federal Highway 
        Administration recommendations in 1997 of the Going-to-the-Sun 
        Road verified significant structural damage to the road that 
        has occurred since it opened in 1932.
            (3) Infrastructure at most of the developed areas is 
        inadequate for cold-season (fall, winter, and spring) 
        operation, and maintenance backlog needs exist for normal 
        summer operation.
            (4) The Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald Lodge are on 
        the National Register of Historic Places and are National 
        Historic Landmarks. Other accommodations operated by the 
        concessioner with possessory interest and listed on the 
        National Register of Historic Places are the Rising Sun Motor 
        Inn and Swiftcurrent Motel.
            (5) The historic hotels in Glacier National Park, operated 
        under concession agreements with the National Park Service, are 
        essential for public use and enjoyment of the Park.
            (6) Public consumers deserve safe hotels in Glacier 
        National Park that can meet their basic needs and expectations.
            (7) The historic hotels in Glacier National Park are 
        significantly deteriorated and need substantial repair.
            (8) Repairs of the hotels in Glacier National Park have 
        been deferred for so long that, absent any changes to Federal 
        law and the availability of historic tax credits, the 
        remodeling costs for the hotels may exceed the capacity of an 
        investor to finance them solely out of hotel revenues.
            (9) The current season of operation for hotels is 
        approximately 4 months because the developed areas lack water, 
        sewer, and fire protection systems that can operate in freezing 
        conditions, lack building insulation, and lack heating systems.
            (10) The National Park Service Concessions Management 
        Improvement Act of 1998 is based upon sound principles and is 
        achieving its basic purposes, but there appear to be selected 
        instances where the National Park Service may need additional 
        authority to conduct demonstration projects.
            (11) A demonstration project is needed for the repair of 
        the historic hotels in Glacier National Park.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Advisory committee.--The term ``Advisory Committee'' 
        means the Going-to-the-Sun Road Citizens Advisory Committee.
            (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means Glacier National Park.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 3. GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD STUDY.

    (a) Feasibility Study.--Not later than December 31, 2001, the 
Secretary, in consultation with Advisory Committee, shall complete a 
feasibility study for rehabilitation of Going-to-the-Sun Road located 
in the Park. The study shall include--
            (1) alternatives for rehabilitation of Going-to-the-Sun 
        Road and a ranking of the feasibility of each alternative;
            (2) an estimate of the length of time necessary to complete 
        each alternative;
            (3) a description of what mitigation efforts would be used 
        to preserve resources and minimize adverse economic effects of 
        each alternative;
            (4) an analysis of the costs and benefits of each 
        alternative;
            (5) an estimate of the cost of each alternative;
            (6) an analysis of the economic impact of each alternative;
            (7) an analysis of long-term maintenance needs, standards, 
        and schedules for the road, alternatives to accomplish the 
        rehabilitation, maintenance staff needs, and associated cost 
        estimates;
            (8) a draft of the environmental impact statement required 
        under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy 
        Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)); and
            (9) an analysis of improvements to any transportation 
        system relating to the Park that are needed inside or outside 
        the Park.
    (b) Continuation Maintenance.--Nothing in this section shall affect 
the duty of the Secretary to continue the program in effect on the day 
before the date of the enactment of this Act to preserve, maintain, and 
address safety concerns related to Going-to-the-Sun Road.
    (c) Implementation of Plan.--As soon as practicable after 
completing the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
            (1) consider the recommendations of the Advisory Committee;
            (2) choose an alternative for rehabilitation of the Going-
        to-the-Sun Road from the alternatives included in the study 
        based upon the final environmental impact statement required 
        under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy 
        Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)); and
            (3) begin implementation of a plan based on that choice.
Implementation actions that are authorized include rehabilitation of 
Going-to-the-Sun Road and expenditure of funds inside or outside the 
Park for transportation system improvements related to the Park and 
impact mitigation if recommended by the study and the Advisory 
Committee. The Secretary shall also seek funding for the long-term 
maintenance needs that the study identifies.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 30 days after completion of the study 
required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit a copy of the 
study to--
            (1) the Committee on Resources and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the 
        Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $200,000,000 to the Secretary to carry out this section, 
including--
            (1) implementation of the plan under subsection (c); and
            (2) the cost of any necessary environmental or cultural 
        documentation and monitoring, including the draft environmental 
        impact statement required under subsection (a)(8).

SEC. 4. MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADE OF UTILITY SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--As soon as practicable after funds are made 
available under this section, the Secretary shall begin the upgrade and 
continue the maintenance of utility systems which service the Park and 
facilities related to the Park.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section, $20,000,000.

SEC. 5. VISITOR FACILITIES PLAN.

    (a) Plan for Visitor Facilities.--Not later than December 31, 2001, 
the Secretary shall complete a comprehensive plan for visitor 
facilities in the Park. The comprehensive plan shall include the 
following:
            (1) A completed commercial services plan, as called for in 
        the Park General Management Plan.
            (2) A plan for private financing of rehabilitation of 
        lodging facilities and associated property that are listed on 
        the National Register of Historic Places or are part of a 
        district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 
        which may include historic tax credits, hotel revenue, and 
        other financing alternatives as deemed appropriate by the 
        Secretary, and which may include options such as extending the 
        Park's visitor season, additional visitor facilities, and other 
        options as deemed appropriate by the Secretary in order to 
        recover the rehabilitation costs.
            (3) A financial analysis of the plan under paragraph (2).
            (4) A plan by the Secretary to provide necessary assistance 
        to appropriate interested entities for the restoration or 
        comparable replacement of tour buses for use in the Park.
            (5) A plan for a new visitors center at the west side of 
        the Park, including an appropriate location and design for the 
        center and suitable housing and display facilities for museum 
        objects of the Park as set forth in the Park General Management 
        Plan, including any studies required to be carried out under 
        the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 
        et seq.) and other applicable laws.
            (6) A parkwide natural and cultural resources assessment, 
        in accordance with sections 203 and 204 of the National Parks 
        Omnibus Management Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-391; 112 Stat. 
        3497), including a comprehensive inventory of resources of the 
        Park.
            (7) A description of any additional authority requested by 
        the Secretary to implement the comprehensive plan.
    (b) Submission of Plan.--The Secretary shall submit copies of the 
comprehensive plan to the Committee on Resources of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate.
    (c) Implementation of Plan.--As soon as practicable after 
completion of the comprehensive plan, the Secretary shall implement the 
comprehensive plan, including construct the visitors center pursuant to 
the plan required by subsection (a)(5).
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $1,000,000 to complete the comprehensive 
plan.

            Passed the House of Representatives October 17, 2000.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.