[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2520 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2520

   To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire by donation 
     certain property in Alabama to provide for the protection and 
    preservation of certain rare paleontological resources on that 
                   property, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 19, 2003

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire by donation 
     certain property in Alabama to provide for the protection and 
    preservation of certain rare paleontological resources on that 
                   property, 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. UNION CHAPEL FOSSIL FOOTPRINT SITE PRESERVATION ACT.

    (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Union Chapel 
Fossil Footprint Site Preservation Act''.
    (b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Fossils have scientific and educational value and it is 
        in the national interest to preserve and protect sites of 
        paleontological significance.
            (2) The Union Chapel Mine is a paleontologically 
        significant site that has been the focus of an extensive 
        collaborative effort over the past 2 1/2 years by amateur 
        collectors and professional paleontologists from the Geological 
        Survey of Alabama, the University of Alabama, Emory University, 
        the University of Florida, and the University of South Alabama.
            (3) The site is significant because it has yielded an 
        unusually large quantity of rare pre-dinosaur fossil trackways 
        dating from the early Pennsylvanian Period (approximately 310 
        million years ago, about 100 million years before the first 
        dinosaurs).
            (4) Material obtained from spoil piles at the site includes 
        over 1,300 vertebrate and invertebrate tracks, some new to 
        science, as well as a wide array of fossil plants. The 
        trackways are due mainly to primitive amphibians, horseshoe 
        crabs, and other arthropods. These tracks now comprise the 
        largest collection of specimens documenting the existence of 
        these animals in north central Alabama during the Coal Age.
            (5) An extensive photographic database of over 1,800 
        digital images has been compiled using material from the site.
            (6) At least 4 presentations at scientific meetings have 
        been delivered relating to findings at the site and a monograph 
        and 2 manuscripts for publication in scientific journals are 
        being prepared.
            (7) It is estimated by geologists working at the Union 
        Chapel Mine that far more fossil material exists within the 
        remaining spoil piles at the site and that undisturbed tracks 
        and other trace fossils within the adjoining high wall may 
        constitute an unparalleled resource for scientific exploration 
        of this ancient ecosystem.
            (8) The Union Chapel Mine has now been recognized by 
        international experts in the field as the most important Coal 
        Age footprint site in the world.
    (c) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act include the following:
            (1) To authorize the Secretary to acquire by donation from 
        the New Acton Coal Mining Company, Inc., the Union Chapel 
        Paleozoic Footprint Preserve to preserve and develop it for 
        further paleontological research.
            (2) To grant an exemption from the requirements of the 
        Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 
        1201 et seq.), for further reclamation of the site to the owner 
        of the Union Chapel Mine, the New Acton Coal Mining Company, 
        Inc. of Cordova, Alabama.
            (3) To authorize the complete restoration of funds held in 
        escrow pending further reclamation of the Union Chapel Mine by 
        the Director of the Surface Coal Mining Commission of the State 
        of Alabama to the New Acton Coal Mining Company, Inc.
    (d) Authorization to Acquire the Union Chapel Paleozoic Footprint 
Preserve.--If offered by a willing owner, the Secretary shall accept, 
by donation only, the 35 acres of land (and all related facilities and 
other appurtenances thereon) generally depicted on the map entitled 
``Union Chapel Mine'', ASMC permit number 3778, for permanent 
preservation of that property.
    (e) Application of Certain Law.--The requirements of the Surface 
Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.), 
shall not apply to the New Acton Coal Mining Company, Inc. regarding 
further reclamation of the Union Chapel Paleozoic Footprint Preserve.
    (f) Return of Funds in Escrow.--All funds held in escrow on the 
date of the enactment of this Act pending further reclamation of the 
Union Chapel Mine by the Director of the Surface Coal Mining Commission 
of the State of Alabama may be returned to the New Acton Coal Mining 
Company, Inc.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $500,000 for the following:
            (1) To preserve and protect the paleontological resources 
        located within the exterior boundaries of the Union Chapel 
        Paleozoic Footprint Preserve.
            (2) To provide opportunities for scientific research in a 
        manner compatible with paragraph (1).
            (3) To provide the public with opportunities for 
        educational activities in a manner compatible with paragraph 
        (1).
    (h) Map on File.--The map referred to in subsection (d) shall be on 
file and available for public inspection in the appropriate office of 
the Department of the Interior.
    (i) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section, the following 
definitions apply:
            (1) Union chapel paleozoic footprint preserve.--The term 
        ``Union Chapel Paleozoic Footprint Preserve'' means the 
        property (and all facilities and other appurtenances thereon) 
        described in subsection (d).
            (2) Union chapel mine.--The term ``Union Chapel Mine'' 
        means the surface coal mine in Union Chapel, Alabama.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
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