[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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