[House Document 108-151]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                     

108th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 108-
151
 
  REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S 
                         NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              TRANSMITTING

  IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROVISIONS OF THE ``1997 EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL 
    APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR RECOVERY FROM NATURAL DISASTERS, AND FOR 
OVERSEAS PEACEKEEPING EFFORTS, INCLUDING THOSE IN BOSNIA'' (PUBLIC LAW 
    105-18), A REQUEST TO MAKE AVAILABLE EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR THE 
           DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S NATIONAL PARK SERVICE




  January 20, 2004.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and 
                         ordered to be printed
                                           The White House,
                                      Washington, January 15, 2004.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: In accordance with provisions of the 
``1997 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Recovery 
from Natural Disasters, and for Overseas Peacekeeping Efforts, 
Including those in Bosnia'' (Public Law 105-18), I hereby 
request and make available $22.5 million in emergency funding 
for the Department of the Interior's National Park Service.
    These funds would allow for the repair and replacement of 
concession facilities at Yosemite National Park that were 
damaged in a 1997 flood.
    The Congress required that certain prerequisites be met 
before these funds could be released. These requirements have 
been met and I designate the funds made available today as an 
emergency requirement consistent with the requirements of 
Public Law 105-18.
    The details of this action are set forth in the attached 
letter from the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget.
            Sincerely,
                                                    George W. Bush.
                [Estimate No. 24, 108th Cong. 1st Sess.]

                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                  Washington, DC, January 13, 2004.
The President,
The White House.
    Submitted for your consideration is a request to make 
available previously appropriated contingent emergency funds 
for the Department of the Interior's (DOI's) National Park 
Service. These funds were made contingent upon your submission 
of a budget request to the Congress that includes a designation 
of the amount requested as an emergency requirement.
    Public Law 105-18, the 1997 Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations Act for Recovery from Natural Disasters, and for 
Overseas Peacekeeping Efforts, Including those in Bosnia, 
provided $187.3 million in emergency funding for the Park 
Service. Of this amount, $30.0 million was provided for the 
restoration of facilities operated by the Yosemite Concession 
Service Corporation (YCSC) in Yosemite National Park that were 
damaged in a 1997 flood. Your approval of this request would 
now make available $22.5 million to DOI. An additional $7.5 
million in property damage insurance proceeds has been paid by 
YCSC.
    P.L. 105-18 also stipulates that in order for the funds to 
be available, the Secretary of the Interior must certify that a 
specific amount of such funds are required and the Solicitor of 
the Interior must certify that YCSC has fully met its 
obligations. These requirements have been met.
    The National Park Service has faced many delays since these 
funds were appropriated in 1997. Before it could proceed with 
specific plans for rebuilding, the Park Service had to finalize 
its Yosemite Valley Plan. Although the plan was finished in 
2000, it was delayed by lawsuits by various environmental 
groups. The litigation was not resolved until 2002. Then, the 
Park Service was sued over the Merced River Wild and Scenic 
Comprehensive Management Plan, which was finally resolved in 
2003. The Park Service is now moving ahead and is ready to 
issue contracts for construction to begin in the spring of 
2004.
    I recommend that you designate this request as an emergency 
requirement in accordance with provisions of P.L. 105-18. No 
further congressional action will be required.
    I have carefully reviewed this proposal and am satisfied 
that it is necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the 
Secretary of the Interior in recommending that you make the 
requested funds available by signing the enclosed letter to the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
            Sincerely,
                                          Joshua B. Bolten,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

    Emergency Appropriations: Amounts Previously Appropriated Made 
                       Available by the President

Department of the Interior: National Park Service--
    Construction........................................     $22,500,000

    Public Law 105-18, the 1997 Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations Act for Recovery from Natural Disasters, and for 
Overseas Peacekeeping Efforts, Including those in Bosnia, 
provided $187.3 million in emergency funding for the National 
Park Service (NPS). To date, $157.3 million has been designated 
as an emergency requirement and made available by the 
President.
    Of the total appropriation, $30.0 million was provided for 
the restoration of facilities operated by the Yosemite 
Concession Service Corporation (YCSC) in Yosemite National Park 
that were damaged in a 1997 flood. Based on P.L. 105-18, the 
funds were made contingent upon:
          (1) The Secretary of the Interior certifying that a 
        specific amount of these funds are required for the 
        Federal portion of the costs to repair or replace 
        concession use facilities;
          (2) The Solicitor of the Department of the Interior 
        certifying that YCSC has met its obligations to repair 
        or replace concession use facilities; and
          (3) The President transmitting a budget request for a 
        specific dollar amount, including designation of the 
        entire amount of the request as an emergency 
        requirement.
    The Secretary of the Interior has certified that $22.5 
million of these funds is required for the Federal portion of 
the costs and the Solicitor of the Interior has certified that 
this payment fully satisfies the obligations of YCSC.

                                
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