[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 117 (Wednesday, July 19, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


            IMPROVEMENT MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

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                          HON. JAMES V. HANSEN

                                of utah

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 19, 1995
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to 
facilitate improvement management of the National Park Service. The 
bill I am introducing today amends two separate statutes, the Land and 
Water Conservation Fund Act and the 1970 Act to Improve the 
Administration of the National Park System.
  The first title of the bill clarifies the existing authority of the 
National Park Service to make minor boundary revisions. Currently, the 
National Park Service has some generic authority to make such boundary 
adjustment ``is an arbitrary one made on a case by case basis.'' In 
1991, Congress passed legislation to authorize a 19-acre donation of 
land to Ocmulgee National Monument. In 1992, the National Park Service 
accepted a 125-acre donation at Shiloh National Military Park without 
any legislation. What is needed is legislation to define what is meant 
by a minor adjustment to ensure consistency and to relieve Congress 
from spending time on relatively insignificant and noncontroversial 
legislation.
  The second title to this bill authorizes the National Park Service to 
enter into agreements to provide essential facilities for park 
administration, visitor use and park employee housing on non-Federal 
lands. Currently authorities restrict the use of Federal moneys on non-
Federal lands and frustrate efforts to initiate partnership projects on 
adjacent non-Federal lands.
  For example, park administrative and visitor center locations may 
often make better sense and serve the public better on non-Federal 
lands. These locations open opportunities for partnerships, such as the 
recent proposal at Rocky Mountain National Park to provide a visitor 
center on private land next to the park at no construction cost to the 
Federal Government.
  I urge my colleagues to support both of these good government 
measures to improve the management of the National Park System.


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