[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 157 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 50
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 157
[Report No. 113-19]
To provide for certain improvements to the Denali National Park and
Preserve in the State of Alaska, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 28, 2013
Ms. Murkowski (for herself and Mr. Begich) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
April 22, 2013
Reported by Mr. Wyden, without amendment
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for certain improvements to the Denali National Park and
Preserve in the State of Alaska, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Denali National Park Improvement
Act''.
SEC. 2. KANTISHNA HILLS MICROHYDRO PROJECT; LAND EXCHANGE.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appurtenance.--The term ``appurtenance'' includes--
(A) transmission lines;
(B) distribution lines;
(C) signs;
(D) buried communication lines;
(E) necessary access routes for microhydro project
construction, operation, and maintenance; and
(F) electric cables.
(2) Kantishna hills area.--The term ``Kantishna Hills
area'' means the area of the Park located within 2 miles of
Moose Creek, as depicted on the map.
(3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled
``Kantishna Hills Micro-Hydro Area'', numbered 184/80,276, and
dated August 27, 2010.
(4) Microhydro project.--
(A) In general.--The term ``microhydro project''
means a hydroelectric power generating facility with a
maximum power generation capability of 100 kilowatts.
(B) Inclusions.--The term ``microhydro project''
includes--
(i) intake pipelines, including the intake
pipeline located on Eureka Creek, approximately
\1/2\ mile upstream from the Park Road, as
depicted on the map;
(ii) each system appurtenance of the
microhydro projects; and
(iii) any distribution or transmission
lines required to serve the Kantishna Hills
area.
(5) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Denali National Park
and Preserve.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(b) Permits for Microhydro Projects.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may issue permits for
microhydro projects in the Kantishna Hills area.
(2) Terms and conditions.--Each permit under paragraph (1)
shall be--
(A) issued in accordance with such terms and
conditions as are generally applicable to rights-of-way
within units of the National Park System; and
(B) subject to such other terms and conditions as
the Secretary determines to be necessary.
(3) Completion of environmental analysis.--Not later than
180 days after the date on which an applicant submits an
application for the issuance of a permit under this subsection,
the Secretary shall complete any analysis required by the
National Environment Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.) of any proposed or existing microhydro projects located
in the Kantishna Hills area.
(c) Land Exchange.--
(1) In general.--For the purpose of consolidating ownership
of Park and Doyon Tourism, Inc. lands, including those lands
affected solely by the Doyon Tourism microhydro project, and
subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary may exchange Park land
near or adjacent to land owned by Doyon Tourism, Inc., located
at the mouth of Eureka Creek in sec. 13, T.16 S., R. 18 W.,
Fairbanks Meridian, for approximately 18 acres of land owned by
Doyon Tourism, Inc., within the Galena patented mining claim.
(2) Map availability.--The map shall be on file and
available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of
the National Park Service.
(3) Timing.--The Secretary shall seek to complete the
exchange under this subsection by not later than February 1,
2015.
(4) Applicable laws; terms and conditions.--The exchange
under this subsection shall be subject to--
(A) the laws (including regulations) and policies
applicable to exchanges of land administered by the
National Park Service, including the laws and policies
concerning land appraisals, equalization of values, and
environmental compliance; and
(B) such terms and conditions as the Secretary
determines to be necessary.
(5) Equalization of values.--If the tracts proposed for
exchange under this subsection are determined not to be equal
in value, an equalization of values may be achieved by
adjusting the quantity of acres described in paragraph (1).
(6) Administration.--The land acquired by the Secretary
pursuant to the exchange under this subsection shall be
administered as part of the Park.
SEC. 3. DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appurtenance.--
(A) In general.--The term ``appurtenance'' includes
cathodic protection or test stations, valves, signage,
and buried communication and electric cables relating
to the operation of high-pressure natural gas
transmission.
(B) Exclusions.--The term ``appurtenance'' does not
include compressor stations.
(2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Denali National Park
and Preserve in the State of Alaska.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(b) Permit.--The Secretary may issue right-of-way permits for--
(1) a high-pressure natural gas transmission pipeline
(including appurtenances) in nonwilderness areas within the
boundary of Denali National Park within, along, or near the
approximately 7-mile segment of the George Parks Highway that
runs through the Park; and
(2) any distribution and transmission pipelines and
appurtenances that the Secretary determines to be necessary to
provide natural gas supply to the Park.
(c) Terms and Conditions.--A permit authorized under subsection
(b)--
(1) may be issued only--
(A) if the permit is consistent with the laws
(including regulations) generally applicable to utility
rights-of-way within units of the National Park System;
(B) in accordance with section 1106(a) of the
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16
U.S.C. 3166(a)); and
(C) if, following an appropriate analysis prepared
in compliance with the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the route of the
right-of-way is the route through the Park with the
least adverse environmental effects for the Park; and
(2) shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the
Secretary determines to be necessary.
SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF THE WALTER HARPER TALKEETNA RANGER STATION.
(a) Designation.--The Talkeetna Ranger Station located on B Street
in Talkeetna, Alaska, approximately 100 miles south of the entrance to
Denali National Park, shall be known and designated as the ``Walter
Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document,
paper, or other record of the United States to the Talkeetna Ranger
Station referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference
to the ``Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station''.
Calendar No. 50
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 157
[Report No. 113-19]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for certain improvements to the Denali National Park and
Preserve in the State of Alaska, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
April 22, 2013
Reported without amendment