[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 23, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H3691-H3693]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  AMAGANSETT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

  Mr. LONGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill

[[Page H3692]]

(H.R. 1836) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire 
property in the town of East Hampton, Suffolk County, NY, for inclusion 
in the Amagansett National Wildlife Refuge.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1836

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

     SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY FOR INCLUSION IN THE 
                   AMAGANSETT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

       (a) Authority to Acquire Property.--The Secretary of the 
     Interior may acquire, for inclusion in the Amagansett 
     National Wildlife Refuge, the area known as the Shadmoor 
     Parcel, consisting of approximately 98 acres (as determined 
     by the Secretary) located along the Atlantic Ocean adjacent 
     to municipal park land in the town of East Hampton, Suffolk 
     County, New York.
       (b) Management of Acquired Interests.--Lands and interests 
     acquired by the United States under this section shall be 
     managed by the Secretary of the Interior as part of the 
     Amagansett National Wildlife Refuge.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maine [Mr. Longley] and the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds] 
will each be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maine [Mr. Longley].
  Mr. LONGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. LONGLEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. LONGLEY. Mr. Speaker, today we are considering H.R. 1836, a bill 
to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire property in the 
town of East Hampton, NY, for inclusion in the Amagansett National 
Wildlife Refuge. This legislation was introduced by Congressman Michael 
Forbes on June 14, 1995. An identical bill was proposed by New York 
Senators Patrick Moynihan and Al D'Amato on November 17, 1995.
  These measures would allow the Secretary of the Interior to acquire a 
98-acre ocean-front parcel of land in Montauk, East Hampton Town, NY, 
known as Shadmoor. The land would be added to the Amagansett National 
Wildlife Refuge, which is part of the Long Island Refuge complex 
located 10 miles to the west. The town of East Hampton owns a 20-acre 
parcel of land adjacent to the eastern boundary of the Shadmoor 
property.

  Currently, title to the Shadmoor property is held by private 
individuals who are interested in developing a housing project on this 
site. In fact, the owners are proposing to build 14 homes and have a 
development permit pending before the town of East Hampton.
  The Shadmoor parcel does contain one of the largest populations of 
New York State's most endangered plant, a flowering plant that lives in 
only 12 places in the world; 4 of these locations are on Long Island. 
In addition, this property contains six other rare plants and historic 
World War II coastal defenses. The Shadmoor property consists of 
maritime shrub land, freshwater wetlands, and maritime grasslands.
  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been interested in this 
property for a number of years. In fact, the Shadmoor parcel was 
targeted for acquisition in the Service's 1991 Northeast Coastal Areas 
study. To date, they have lacked the financial resources to buy this 
98-acre parcel of land. On November 3, 1995, the East Hampton Town 
Board approved a resolution expressing their commitment to share the 
acquisition cost of the Shadmoor property with the Fish and Wildlife 
Service. The Service hopes to pursue acquisition in partnership with 
the town and private land protection groups.
  The National Wildlife Refuge System is comprised of Federal lands 
that have been acquired for the conservation and enhancement of fish 
and wildlife. Totaling about 91.7 million acres, the System provides 
habitat for hundreds of fish and wildlife species, including more than 
165 species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered 
Species Act. The first wildlife refuge was established by President 
Theodore Roosevelt at Pelican Island, FL, in 1903 to protect egrets, 
herons, and other birds that were being killed to provide feathers for 
the fashion industry.
  The Shadmoor property will provide a useful addition to the System, 
and I urge an ``aye'' vote on this bill.

                              {time}  1645

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is absolutely correct. As a 
matter of fact, there is probably not much left to be said, which has 
probably been noticed by the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LONGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentleman from 
New York [Mr. Forbes].
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Maine and my 
colleague from Massachusetts.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1836 has been described quite adequately, and I 
take the well today to urge the adoption of H.R. 1836, legislation to 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to move forward in the purchase 
of Shadmoor and make it a part of the Amagansett National Wildlife 
Refuge.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a very important activity, one that I think is 
of eminent importance, given the fact that the Town of East Hampton has 
before it an application to develop this esthetic, historical and 
ecologically delicate property, something I think that we do not want 
to see certainly in my part of the world. The Shadmoor property, which 
has been described as a 98-acre dramatic ocean front property, is 
critical to the area of Montauk that this parcel rests on.
  It is fitting, I think, also to recognize that Theodore Roosevelt, 
who began the national refuge system, spent some time on this parcel. 
In fact in 1898, when the 10th Black Cavalry returned from Cuba with 
the Rough Riders, they deployed from this site. So there is some ironic 
association between this parcel and of course the individual who 
started the whole national refuge system.
  The Amagansett Wildlife Refuge would be well served to have this 
important parcel included. Not only is this parcel the siting of some 
habitat of plant species that are rather rare, and my colleague has 
already alluded to the fact that the sandplain gerardia, one of New 
York State's rarest plants, there are only five places left on Long 
Island where this rare species of plant is located. Of course Shadmoor 
is one of those critically located sites.
  Shadmoor also is home to six State rare species, including the 
grasslead ladies tresses orchid and the New England blazing star. 
Shadmoor, as I said, was the site of the deployment of the 10th Black 
Cavalry as well as the site during World War II where bunkers were 
built that can still be seen today.
  This legislation is critically important. I think, before we go too 
further, I would like to recognize first of all some individuals who 
have been laboring long and hard to try to preserve Shadmoor in 
perpetuity. Certainly I think the Nature Conservancy, Sara Davidson and 
Stuart Lowry from the Nature Conservancy on Long Island. Also Carol 
Morrison and Rau Fridel of the Concerned Citizens of Montauk. And of 
course the Town Board and Town of East Hampton have all championed the 
preservation of Shadmoor.

  It is critical that this legislation receive approval not just by the 
House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate but that it be signed into 
law. I believe that, thanks to the support of director Mollie Beatty of 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, that we have moved forward and that 
it is highly likely that we can get this included in the Amagansett 
Wildlife Refuge.
  This important parcel obviously needs to be preserved. Long Island 
and New York State have received almost no Federal dollars over the 
last 20 years for the acquisition of lands to protect endangered 
species. Nationally few dollars have been used to protect the habitat 
of critically imperiled plant species. Preserving 98 acres of dramatic 
ocean front at Montauk, Long Island will be an important addition to 
this whole national refuge system.
  I thank both the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] and the gentleman 
from New Jersey [Mr. Saxton] my good friend, for moving this 
legislation forward and for making it possible for the House to take 
into consideration this legislation today.
  I urge its adoption.
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I was wrong. There was more to be said. I 
agree with this gentleman, too.

[[Page H3693]]

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present to the 
House H.R. 1836, introduced by our colleague from New York, Mike 
Forbes, to add a 98-acre ocean-front parcel of land in Montauk, NY, to 
the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  During our committee's deliberations on this bill, a local supervisor 
and a group of concerned citizens testified in strong support of 
protecting this property called Shadmoor, which is essential habitat 
for several highly endangered plants.
  While it is unclear how much it will cost the Federal Government to 
purchase this tract of land, I am encouraged by the fact that the local 
community in the Town of East Hampton, NY, has voted to share in the 
acquisition costs. This is a positive step in the right direction.
  I am prepared to support H.R. 1836 based on this innovative cost-
sharing commitment and the stipulation that those private citizens who 
now own Shadmoor are fully compensated for their property prior to its 
inclusion in the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge complex.
  I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 1836 and I compliment Congressman Mike 
Forbes for his outstanding leadership in this matter.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House is considering 
H.R. 1836, the Amagansett National Wildlife Refuge Act, which was 
introduced by Representative Michael Forbes.
  H.R. 1836 would allow the Secretary of the Interior to acquire a 98-
acre ocean-front parcel of land in Montauk, East Hampton Town, NY, 
known as Shadmoor.
  This parcel contains one of the largest populations of New York 
State's most endangered plant, the sandplain gerardia.
  The Shadmoor property represents valuable habitat for this endangered 
plant. I urge all Members to support the legislation.
  Mr. STUDDS. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LONGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further request for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Upton). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Maine [Mr. Longley] that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 1836.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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