[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 89 (Tuesday, July 12, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                    OCRACOKE LIGHT STATION TRANSFER

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill, H.R. 4364, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to transfer 
administrative jurisdiction over certain lands for inclusion in the 
Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4364

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

     SECTION 1. TRANSFER OF OCRACOKE LIGHT STATION TO SECRETARY OF 
                   THE INTERIOR.

       The Secretary of Transportation shall transfer 
     administrative jurisdiction over the Federal property, 
     consisting of approximately 2 acres, known as the Ocracoke 
     Light Station, to the Secretary of the Interior, subject to 
     such reservations, terms, and conditions as may be necessary 
     for Coast Guard purposes. All property so transferred shall 
     be included in and administered as part of the Cape Hatteras 
     National Seashore.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota [Mr. Vento] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Vento].


                             general leave

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H.R. 4364, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4364, as amended, would transfer administrative 
jurisdiction over the Ocracoke Light Station from the U.S. Coast Guard 
to the Department of the Interior.
  H.R. 4364 was introduced by Representative Lancaster on May 5, 1994, 
and was jointly referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and the 
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. The Committee on Natural 
Resources reported the bill to the House with a technical amendment on 
June 22, 1994. The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries has 
included the provisions of the bill in Coast Guard authorization 
legislation approved in that committee before the recess. The 
committees have mutually agreed to pursue both paths to enactment, and 
I appreciate the accommodations made by my colleagues on the Merchant 
Marine and Fisheries Committee to see that this bill is enacted.
  The Ocracoke Light Station is located in the village of Ocracoke 
which is surrounded by the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North 
Carolina. The light station consists of a 2-acre tract of land which 
includes the 1823 lighthouse, a double keepers quarters and four 
outbuildings, and is currently administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. 
The National Park Service houses 2 employees of the Cape Hatteras 
National Seashore, who are required to live on the island, in the 
keepers quarters. Through grants from the State of North Carolina the 
National Park Service has undertaken a study and rehabilitation of the 
historic structures; the National Park Service also currently provides 
maintenance for the keepers quarters and the outbuildings.

  The U.S. Coast Guard intends to divest itself of the Ocracoke Light 
Station and has been negotiating with the National Park Service on 
transferring the property. H.R. 4364 directs the Secretary of 
Transportation of transfer administrative jurisdiction over the 
Ocracoke Light Station to the Secretary of the Interior subject to such 
terms as may be necessary for Coast Guard purposes. The Coast Guard 
would retain the right by permit to operate and maintain the lantern, 
but all other property so transferred would be included in and 
administered as part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
  Both the National Park Service and the U.S. Coast Guard have 
testified in favor of this transfer. The Committee on Natural Resources 
made only one technical change. The bill, as introduced, referred to 
the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area in three places. 
While an earlier law described the area by that title, the correct 
reference is Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and the committee changed 
the references accordingly.
  I believe the light station is an appropriate site for the National 
Park Service to administer. The light station is listed on the National 
Register of Historic Places, and the National Park Service already 
cooperates in providing interpretation there. This is an efficient and 
appropriate transfer and I urge my colleagues' support.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4364 is a bill to expand Cape Hatteras National 
Seashore by adding another lighthouse to the park.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vento has explained the bill in detail, and I think 
it is safe to say that this legislation is neither significant nor too 
costly. Since it is noncontroversial, I do not intend to oppose it; 
however, I would make the point that preservation of historic buildings 
has not been identified by Congress as an objective of the Park Service 
at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The 1937 act establishing this park 
specifically calls for the area to be set aside as an undeveloped, 
primitive wilderness, except for such development necessary to support 
appropriate recreational use.
  I make this point simply because just a few months ago, the 
superintendent of this park announced that he had insufficient funds to 
open the most popular campground in the park, because of a $30,000 
funding shortfall. It is not clear what the total budgetary impact of 
taking over these buildings will be at the park, but the Park Service 
testified that it will cost at least $75,000 for essential repairs.
  It is a perpetual source of concern to this Member that the National 
Park Service seeks to continually expand its responsibilities without 
much hope in sight of financial relief. While this small site might not 
seem like much, funds are already so tight at this park, that we can be 
assured there will be some impact on park programs at Cape Hatteras. It 
seems curious to me that the Park Service has insufficient funds to 
operate existing visitor use facilities, but sufficient funds to take 
on the management of new lands and facilities.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Lancaster], the principal sponsor of 
this legislation.
  Mr. LANCASTER. Mr. Speaker, I urge approval of H.R. 4364, a bill to 
transfer administrative jurisdiction of the Ocracoke, NC, light station 
from the Coast Guard to the National Park Service. I thank Chairman 
Vento for expeditiously considering this legislation.
  North Carolina's Outer Banks are justly famous for lighthouses. One 
of the most appealing lighthouses is found on Ocracoke Island. Although 
it is 170 years old, it is still a functioning aid to navigation, 
providing guidance and comfort to mariners who sail the waters where 
the infamous pirate Blackbeard met his fate.
  You can read about Ocracoke Island and see a picture of its 
lighthouse in the Washington Post of June 29. If you ever want to go 
there, plan to ride one of the State's ferry boats. There are no 
bridges.
  Cape Hatteras National Seashore embraces nearly all of Ocracoke 
Island, except for the small pocket of land on which Ocracoke Village 
is set. The light station is within the bounds of the village.
  In recent years, under an agreement between the Coast Guard and the 
Park Service, the park has used and paid for the upkeep of the 
outbuildings on the site; it has also maintained the grounds.
  Even though it is not part of the park, the lighthouse attracts 
thousands of visitors each year. The lighthouse itself has 
traditionally not been open to the public, although last summer a local 
resident, Mr. Dale Mutro, volunteered to man the ground floor to 
provide information about the structure and its history.
  The Coast Guard agrees with the Park Service that administrative 
jurisdiction for the light station should belong to Cape Hatteras 
National Seashore. This will enable the Park Service to enhance 
interpretative services and to plan for continued preservation. Since 
the beacon is still needed for navigational purposes, the Coast Guard 
will retain responsibility for it.
  My bill was jointly referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
and the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. Both committees 
have been most cooperative in considering the bill promptly so that it 
could be brought to the House floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, House approval of my bill will be a major step toward 
the preservation of Ocracoke's historical landmark for future 
generations.

                              {time}  1320

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I think this is a good bill. It is part of 
the 1969 general management plan that this should be included in this 
site. There is no question about that in terms of its historic 
significance, and I commend the bill to my colleagues.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Fields of Louisiana). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Vento] that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4364, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to direct 
the Secretary of Transportation to transfer administrative jurisdiction 
over certain lands for inclusion in the Cape Hatteras National 
Seashore.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________