[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 23, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H3694-H3695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NORTH PLATTE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE BOUNDARY REVISION
Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2679) to revise the boundary of the North Platte National
Wildlife Refuge.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2679
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REVISION OF BOUNDARY OF NORTH PLATTE NATIONAL
WILDLIFE REFUGE.
(a) Termination of Jurisdiction.--The secondary
jurisdiction of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
over approximately 2,470 acres of land at the North Platte
National Wildlife Refuge in the State of Nebraska, as
depicted upon a map entitled ``Relinquishment of North Platte
National Wildlife Refuge Secondary Jurisdiction'', dated
August 1995, and available for inspection at appropriate
offices of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, is
hereby terminated.
(b) Revocation of Executive Order.--Executive Order Number
2446, dated August 21, 1916, is hereby revoked with respect
to the lands referred to in section 1.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington [Mr. Metcalf] and the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr.
Studds] will each be recognized for 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington [Mr. Metcalf].
Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. METCALF asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2679, introduced by the gentleman from
Nebraska [Mr. Barrett] will remove about 2,470 acres of land from the
North Platte National Wildlife Refuge.
This legislation is a direct result of a report issued by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service that recommended that these lands be divested
from the refuge because they provide nothing significant toward the
refuge or the national refuge systems' purposes and goals.
While these lands may have limited value within the refuge unit, they
offer recreational opportunities to thousands of citizens who enjoy
boating, fishing, sightseeing and swimming in Nebraska. Under the terms
of this legislation, which is strongly supported by the Department of
the Interior, these lands would be removed from the
[[Page H3695]]
refuge, and they will be managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission through a lease from the Bureau of Reclamation.
While title to these lands would remain with the Federal Government,
this measure is beneficial to the refuge system and the thousands of
Americans who will enjoy utilizing Lake Minatare in the future.
I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 2679, and I compliment the gentleman
from Nebraska [Mr. Barrett] for his leadership in behalf of his
constituents and this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this has been an exhilarating half hour, and we are for
this one, too.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Nebraska [Mr. Barrett], the sponsor of the bill.
Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding this time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R.
2679, and I would like to thank the subcommittee chairman, the
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Saxton], and the ranking member of the
subcommittee, the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds], and the
chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young],
for their support and for their work on this particular measure.
The House is debating this week several pieces of legislation
relating to the environment and divestiture of 2,470 acres of land from
the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge, which is just outside of
Scottsbluff, NE, which would enhance the effectiveness of the national
wildlife refuge system.
H.R. 2679 was developed with the support of the community local
leaders and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and it is a very good
example, Mr. Speaker, of cooperation between Federal, State, and local
individuals.
The Lake Minatare refuge was established in the early part of the
century as a preserve and breeding ground for water fowl which were
native to that particular area. The refuge is also a part of a Bureau
of Reclamation irrigation project. The Fish and Wildlife Service
managed the wildlife aspect of the project, while the bureau managed
the other aspects of the land, like recreation and cabins and so forth.
And following a 1990 directive that the Fish and Wildlife Service bring
all of the areas under its jurisdiction into compliance local,
residents realized that this would essentially prohibit recreational
and residential use of Lake Minatare, and this was absolutely and
totally unacceptable.
The testimony before the fisheries subcommittee fully illustrated, I
think, that Lake Minatare is an essential part of this Scottsbluff area
community, and because of the significant local interest and the
complex management nature of the refuge, the Fish and Wildlife Service
did an environmental assessment. It determined that the best course of
action would be to terminate the service's authority over certain
portions of the land, as some areas were no longer effective as a
wildlife refuge.
I am pleased to report, Mr. Speaker, to the House the broad support
of the Fish and Wildlife Service.
My Scottsbluff district office, incidentally, reported we have over
5,000 different letters in support of this particular transfer.
The local citizens, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and I have had a
great amount of success in working together on this project. It is a
unique win-win situation, and it sets an example for Congress as we
strive to effectively manage our Nation's natural resources.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2679.
Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the gentleman from Alaska is, but we
could use a little color here. But I do not see him. I have nothing
further to say. One would never know the government is coming to an end
tomorrow, but apparently it is, and we are having a wonderful
afternoon.
We are very strongly for this bill; and I have no requests for time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey [Mr. Saxton].
(Mr. SAXTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington for
yielding this time to me. I certainly will not use anywhere near 5
minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say to the gentleman from Nebraska
[Mr. Barrett], that this is obviously the result of a good deal of
consideration by a lot of people, and I am pleased that the gentleman
has brought this bill to us, which has obviously moved through the
committee and is now here for a vote on the floor.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has found nothing significant, that the
North Platte wildlife refuge adds nothing, in their words, significant
toward the refuge or the National Refuge System purposes and goals. And
it is the position of the Department of the Interior to support the
bill as well.
So I congratulate the gentleman on the fine job that he has done in
ushering this to the House floor, and I am sure it will pass.
Congratulations.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2679, the North Platte
National Wildlife Refuge Act, which was introduced by Representative
Bill Barrett.
H.R. 2679 would remove about 2,470 acres of land from the North
Platte National Wildlife Refuge, which the Fish and Wildlife Service
has found to provide ``nothing significant towards the Refuge or the
National Refuge System purposes and goals.''
The title to these lands would remain with the Federal Government,
and they would be managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
through a lease with the Bureau of Reclamation.
I think it is important that when the Fish and Wildlife Service
recognizes that a refuge is no longer serving the function for which it
was founded, it takes steps to remove the land from the Refuge System.
This bill is strongly supported by the Department of the Interior, and
I urge all Members to support it.
Mr. DON YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2679, introduced by our
colleague from Nebraska, Bill Barrett, will remove about 2,470 acres of
land from the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge.
This legislation is a direct result of a report issued by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service that recommended that these lands be divested
from the refuge because they provide ``nothing significant toward the
refuge or the National Refuge System purposes and goals.''
While these lands may have limited value within the refuge unit, they
offer recreational opportunities to thousands of our citizens who enjoy
boating, fishing, sightseeing, and swimming in Nebraska.
Under the terms of this legislation, which is strongly supported by
the Department of the Interior, these lands would be removed from the
refuge and they will be managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission through a lease from the Bureau of Reclamation.
While title to these lands would remain with the Federal Government,
this measure is beneficial to the Refuge System and the thousands of
Americans who will enjoy utilizing Lake Minatare in the future.
I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 2679 and I compliment Bill Barrett for
his outstanding leadership on behalf of his constituents and this
legislation.
Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Washington [Mr. Metcalf] that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2679.
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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