[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 139 (Thursday, September 29, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
      PROTECTING YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK'S GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today as a cosponsor to the 
amendment filed today to protect Yellowstone National Park's treasured 
geothermal resources.
  Montana is proud to host our Nation's oldest national park. 
Yellowstone is the crown jewel of our National Park System.
  One of the biggest attributes of Yellowstone are the geothermal 
features. These features should be protected from harm's way, and we 
need to err on the side of caution. That's why I support H.R. 1137, the 
Old Faithful Protection Act.
  H.R. 1137 protects Yellowstone's geothermal features by codifying the 
water compact which the State of Montana reached with the Federal 
Government. In addition, Wyoming and Idaho were given a 2 years' reach 
similar compacts, as well. These compacts regulate water permitting 
processes for a protection zone around Yellowstone to ensure that 
development outside the park won't harm our geysers inside the park.
  There is good news and bad news about H.R. 1137. The bill has been 
reported out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. 
However, an amendment was added which would exempt Wyoming and Idaho 
from the bill. I don't support that exemption.
  Let all of us work together to protect Old Faithful.
  I yield the floor.

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