[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 84 (Monday, June 10, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H6042-H6044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REGARDING THE CHICKAMAUGA AND CHATTANOOGA NATIONAL MILITARY PARK
Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 848) to increase the amount authorized to be appropriated for
assistance for highway relocation regarding the Chickamauga and
Chattanooga National Military Park in Georgia, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 848
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. INCREASE IN AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 1(c) of the Act entitled ``An Act to authorize and
direct the National Park Service to assist the State of
Georgia in relocating a highway affecting the Chickamauga and
Chattanooga National Military Park in Georgia'', approved
December 24, 1987 (101 Stat. 1442), is amended by striking
``$30,000,000'' and inserting ``$51,000,000''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California [Mr. Pombo] and the gentleman from American Samoa [Mr.
Faleomavaega] will each be recognized for 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Pombo].
Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. POMBO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 848, legislation to
increase the authorization ceiling for construction of a by-pass road
around Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park.
In 1890, Congress designated the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National
Military Park as the first national military park, in recognition of
several important Civil War engagements which occurred there. Like many
of the Civil War engagements, the site of this battle occurred along an
important transportation corridor, in this case the route leading into
Chattanooga, TN.
Mr. Speaker, there is still a high degree of conflict along that
transportation corridor, U.S. Highway 27, but today the conflict is
between commuter traffic using this road, and those persons who have
come to the park to understand and appreciate the important events
which took place there 133 years ago. In fact, 90 percent of the 17,200
vehicles using this road daily, including about 800 18-wheelers, are
nonpark visitors. The heavy use of this road intrudes significantly on
the historic scene, and makes it almost impossible for visitors of the
park to use the road as part of the autotour route.
Several years ago, there was a proposal to expand the highway through
the park to four lanes. Such a proposal would only have resulted in a
greater number of vehicles going through the park. In 1987, Congress
passed a law authorizing a bypass around the park in order to protect
the park, and improve safety for nonpark traffic.
Unfortunately, due to the amount of rock encountered and fill
required, the cost for this project has risen since the original 1987
estimate. Even with the Federal/State matching requirements, the
estimated cost of the Federal Government for this road has risen to
about $52 million. However there is no question this funding
authorization is needed to ensure the protection of this important
park.
[[Page H6043]]
I am pleased that Mr. Deal has sponsored this legislation and I am
glad to be able to support him today. Quite a few Members of this body,
and the other body, believe that the best thing they can do for the
National Park Service, or for their district, is to create a new
national park area. I am pleased that Mr. Deal has focused on taking
care of an important historic park which Congress has already set
aside; and as this one issue amply illustrates, there is much work to
do in our existing park system. This Congress is focusing its attention
on those areas rather than adding to the backlog of projects facing the
Park Service, and the national deficit at the same time. I commend Mr.
Deal for his work, and encourage all my colleagues to support this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 848 would increase the amount
authorized for the Federal share of the costs of relocating Highway 27
around the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Park from $35 million to
$51.9 million. A similar version of this bill was passed by the House
during the 103d Congress. We have no objection to enactment of this
legislation.
The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park was
established in 1890 as the first national military park. It was created
to commemorate and interpret the battle of Chickamauga in northern
Georgia, which took place from September 19 through 22, 1863. ``Chick-
Chat'' was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The park is
maintained as closely as possible to its historic condition with the
terrain, vegetation and historic road system that existed in 1863
largely intact.
However, one of the crucial arteries over which the battle was waged,
Lafayette Road, locally known as Highway 27, is now a major commuter
and commercial route.
The 3.7 miles of the highway located within the park present a
significant impediment to visitor safety and enjoyment of the park, and
its increasing use threatens the park's resources.
Public Law 100-211 authorized $30 million in Federal funds to assist
the State of Georgia in relocating this section of the highway around
the park. The Federal contribution was limited to 75 percent of the
total cost of relocation, with the funding contingent upon approval by
the Secretary of the Interior of the design and location of the by-
pass.
Total appropriated funds stood at $25.446 through fiscal year 1995.
Of that, $1.9 was rescinded from the fiscal year 95 appropriation.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, the total estimated
costs now stand at $69.2 million. The revised Federal share would,
therefore, be $51.9 million.
H.R. 848, as reported by the Resources Committee, increases the
authorized appropriation to $51.9 million. We note that the Clinton
administration also supports enactment of the bill.
{time} 1415
The Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 848, the bill of
the gentleman from California, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Deal], the author of the bill.
[Mr. DEAL of Georgia asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, both gentlemen have adequately
addressed this issue as to its purposes. I would simply like to
elaborate that this is one of the oldest military parks in our country.
It is on a major route that has been there for years. Unfortunately,
U.S. Highway 27 goes through the middle of Chickamauga-Chattanooga
National Battlefield, and when the State was in the process of widening
this very important transportation corridor, which it has designs to do
all way from the Tennessee border on the top of the State of Georgia
all the way to the Florida border on the south, it required that, in
order to expand this route, to either do so in the middle of the
national military park or to attempt to bypass it. The decision was
made in 1987 to build a bypass around the outskirts of the national
military park, and it is for that purpose that this authorization is
here today.
Mr. Speaker, the cost of the project has increased from its original
estimate, and this bill is for the purpose of reaching the
authorization level that is currently projected as the cost of the
project. The State of Georgia has been more than willing to pay its
portion, and had done so and will continue to do so.
I thank both gentlemen for their support of this legislation, and I
would urge this Congress to pass this bill so this important project,
around one of the most important national military battlefields, can be
completed expeditiously.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the Resources
Committee for bringing this bill up for consideration.
H.R. 848 is a bill to increase the authorization of appropriations
for the National Park Service to assist the State of Georgia in
relocating a highway affecting the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National
Military Park. I introduced this same bill during the 103d Congress as
H.R. 3516. It passed the House by unanimous consent; however, the other
body did not bring up the bill for a vote.
The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park was
established in 1890 to commemorate the Civil War military engagements
which took place there and to allow opportunities for future study of
these historic battles. The park was administered by the War Department
until 1933 when jurisdiction was transferred to the National Park
Service. In addition to its inspirational and commemorative values, the
park is also used for military instruction, although this military
activity was substantially curtailed following its transfer to the
National Park Service. Today, the Army Command General Staff continues
to bring field classes here to study the military strategies used
during the battles.
Specifically, this project reroutes a 3.7-mile section of U.S.
Highway 27, which passes through the park by way of a 7-mile-long
bypass around the western boundary. This rerouting is necessary to
protect the natural and historic resources within the park from damages
caused by heavy traffic.
Highway 27 is a major north-south highway through the center of the
Chickamauga National Military Park connecting Chattanooga, TN to
Florida. It is a well traveled commuter route between northwest Georgia
and Chattanooga. On average, 16,200 vehicles pass through the park each
day by way of Highway 27.
U.S. Highway 27 serves as a vital north-south link amoung the three
States and its renewal is a top priority of the Georgia DOT. Highway 27
presently is undergoing construction from end to end in order to
upgrade the highway for substantial commercial usage. When complete,
Highway 27 will be a four-lane highway through rural areas of Georgia
and will include five-lane bypass sections around urban areas with
limited access.
This is an ongoing construction project. Land acquisition is mostly
completed and construction contracts have already been awarded. This
includes current construction on two bridge structures. A halt in
funding would increase future planning and construction costs and
affect the overall completion date of this project.
The original authorization was for $30 million. This bill increases
the authorization by $21.9 million. The 1987 cost estimate provided by
the Georgia Department of Transportation was based on aerial mapping
and broad planning values. The 1993 cost estimate provided by the
Federal Highway Administration is based on detailed surveys, computer
designs, and geotechnical data from on-site investigation. More cut and
fill work is required than was initially expected and a large quantity
of rock will need to be hauled from the site. Bridge structure designs
had to be changed based on geotechnical data and problems with
subsurface base materials.
Let me now explain to you how this is another example of the Federal
bureaucracy getting in the States way and costing more money. The
Georgia Department of Transportation originally wanted to widen the
portion of U.S. 27 which went through the park. The Georgia DOT
maintained that this plan was the most viable and environmentally
attainable choice and also provided the best transportation service.
This plan was estimated to cost approximately $3.9 million. In
addition, the Georgia DOT was willing to pay for this project with
State funds.
However, the National Park Service would not agree to the State's
plan. Instead, the Park Service advocated an alternative which would
require that a bypass be built around the park. In 1987, Public Law
100-211 authorized this alternative at a cost of $30 million.
[[Page H6044]]
This law authorized the National Park Service to assist the Georgia
Department of Transportation in building the bypass around the park.
The agreement between the Park Service and the Georgia DOT set up
matching funds of 75 percent Federal to 25 percent State.
To date, a total of $28.046 million in Federal funds has been
appropriated through fiscal year 1996. The State of Georgia has
contributed around $7 million to meet their end of the agreement. Let
me remind you that the original cost estimate for this project was $3
million.
I have news articles with me which show pictures of unfinished
bridges. Other articles have been entitled ``Road To Nowhere.'' This is
not the kind of thing which restores the public's faith and trust in
their Government. In fact, it creates the very opposite opinion.
The State of Georgia was more than willing to take on this project
itself; however, the Federal Government would not allow this to occur.
Therefore, the Federal Government has an obligation to Georgia to
fulfill its part of the agreement.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I note also for the Record the gentleman from New Mexico
fully supports this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Coble). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from California [Mr. Pombo] that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 848, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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