Congressional Record, Volume 141 Issue 47 (Tuesday, March 14, 1995)

[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 47 (Tuesday, March 14, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H3103-H3104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

WALNUT CANYON NATIONAL MONUMENT BOUNDARY MODIFICATION ACT OF 1995

Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 562) to modify the boundaries of Walnut Canyon National
Monument in the State of Arizona, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 562

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 ``Walnut Canyon National
Monument Boundary Modification Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

(a) Findings.--The Congress finds that:
(1) Walnut Canyon National Monument was established for the
preservation and interpretation of certain settlements and
land use patterns associated with the prehistoric Sinaguan
culture of northern Arizona.
(2) Major cultural resources associated with the purposes
of Walnut Canyon National Monument are near the boundary and
are currently managed under multiple-use objectives of the
adjacent national forest. These concentrations of cultural
resources, often referred to as ``forts'', would be more
effectively managed as part of the National Park System.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to modify the
boundaries of the Walnut Canyon National Monument (hereafter
in this Act referred to as the ``national monument'') to
improve management of the national monument and associated
resources.

SEC. 3. BOUNDARY MODIFICATION.

Effective on the date of enactment of this Act, the
boundaries of the national monument shall be modified as
depicted on the map entitled ``Boundary Proposal--Walnut
Canyon National Monument, Coconino County, Arizona'',
numbered 360/80,010, and dated September 1994. Such map shall
be on file and available for public inspection in the offices
of the Director of the National Park Service, Department of
the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation
with the Secretary of Agriculture, is authorized to make
technical and clerical corrections to such map.

SEC. 4. ACQUISITION AND TRANSFER OF PROPERTY.

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to acquire
lands and interest in lands within the national monument, by
donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or
exchange. Federal property within the boundaries of the
national monument (as modified by this Act) is hereby
transferred to the administrative jurisdiction of the
Secretary of the Interior for management as part of the
national monument. Federal property excluded from the
monument pursuant to the boundary modification under section
3 is hereby transferred to the administrative jurisdiction of
the Secretary of Agriculture to be managed as a part of the
Coconino National Forest.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.

The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director
of the National Park Service, shall manage the national
monument in accordance with this Act and the provisions of
law generally applicable to units of the National Park
Service, including ``An Act to establish a National Park
Service, and for other purposes'' approved August 25, 1916
(39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1, 2-4).

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as
may be necessary to carry out this Act.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arizona [Mr. Hayworth] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the
gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. Richardson] will be recognized for 20
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Hayworth].
Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. HAYWORTH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 562, a
bill to modify the boundary at Walnut Canyon National Monument in
Arizona.
The purpose of this legislation is to allow consistent management of
the archeological resources in Walnut Canyon.
Walnut Canyon National Monument was established in 1915 to serve and
protect the ruins of prehistoric Sinaguan settlements.
Within the canyon there are five steep, rocky ridges that extend into
the canyon from the rims. Archeological sites cluster around these
dramatic features, which were called forts by early archeologists.
My legislation would extend the boundary of the monument to include
an additional two forts and associated
[[Page H3104]] archeological areas by transferring approximately 1,279
acres currently managed by the U.S. Forest Service to the Walnut Canyon
National Monument managed by the Park Service.
During consideration at the Resources Committee, an en bloc amendment
to H.R. 562 was adopted.
This amendment changed the map reference used in this legislation to
include 53 acres of land owned by a private property owner adjacent to
the current Monument boundary.
The landowner in question has asked that this land be included and
has indicated his desire to work with the Park Service to bring about a
land exchange.
The amendment also inserts an authorization for appropriations into
the bill. I believe that this language provides an important safeguard
for the private landowner should his efforts at exchange fail.
Mr. Speaker, my legislation enjoys the strong support of the
Flagstaff City Council and the Coconino County Board of Supervisors.
Mr. Speaker, I understand the administration has no objection to this
legislation.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank the chairman of the
Resources Committee and the chairman and ranking member of the National
Parks, Forests, and Lands Subcommittee for their assistance in moving
this important bill.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 562.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. RICHARDSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, first to my colleague from Arizona,
congratulations; I assume this is the first bill he has managed.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 562, as introduced, would have modified the
boundaries of the Walnut Canyon National Monument to provide for the
inclusion of approximately 1,239 acres to be administratively
transferred to the National Park Service from the Forest Service and
the deletion of 54 acres which would be administratively transferred to
the Forest Service from the National Park Service.

{time} 1500
The bill was subsequently amended by the Resources Committee to also
include within the monument boundaries 53 acres of private property.
Mr. Speaker, we support the bill, and, as I noted at committee markup,
I find it ironic that when Representative Karan English introduced this
legislation last year, it included a private property owner.
Subsequently, that owner decided, that after supporting being in the
bill, he no longer wanted to be included. Representative English asked
that his property be deleted and the committee and the House passed the
bill in the 103d Congress without this property. That same private
landowner now again wants his property included in the bill and the
committee amendment accomplishes this.
My good friend, the gentleman from Arizona, assured me this is the
last time we will deal with this issue. I supported this amendment in
committee because the resource values of that private property would be
an excellent addition to the monument. I just hope this landowner does
not again change his mind.
With that being said, Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 562, as amended,
and recommend its approval by the House.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I certainly welcome the support of the gentleman from
New Mexico [Mr. Richardson], my good friend, and once again, as we did
in committee, let me allay the fears of my good friend from New Mexico
because the landowner now in question has decided that we are married,
and we are going to stay married with this provision.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. Therefore I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I too, yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shays). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Hayworth] that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 562, as amended.
The question was taken.
Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.

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