[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 21, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H8860-H8861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GRAZING AT GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 708) to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
study concerning grazing use of certain land within and adjacent to
Grand Teton National Park, WY, and to extend temporarily certain
grazing privileges, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 708
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) open space near Grand Teton National Park continues to
decline;
(2) as the population continues to grow in Teton County,
Wyoming, undeveloped land near the park becomes more scarce;
(3) the loss of open space around Teton Park has negative
impacts on wildlife migration routes in the area and on
visitors to the Park, and its repercussions can be felt
throughout the entire region;
(4) a few ranches make up Teton Valley's remaining open
space, and the ranches depend on grazing in Grand Teton
National Park for summer range to maintain operations;
(5) the Act that created Grand Teton National Park allowed
several permittees to continue livestock grazing in the Park
for the life of a designated heir in the family;
(6) some of the last remaining heirs have died, and as a
result the open space around the Park will most likely be
subdivided and developed;
(7) in order to develop the best solution to protect open
space immediately adjacent to Grand Teton National Park, the
Park Service should conduct a study of open space in the
region; and
(8) the study should develop workable solutions that are
fiscally responsible and acceptable to the National Park
Service, the public, local government, and landowners in the
area.
SEC. 2. STUDY OF GRAZING USE AND OPEN SPACE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall
conduct a study concerning grazing use and open space in
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, and associated use of
certain agricultural and ranch lands within and adjacent to
the Park, including--
(1) base land having appurtenant grazing privileges within
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, remaining after January
1, 1990, under the Act entitled ``An Act to establish a new
Grand Teton National Park in the State of Wyoming, and for
other purposes'', approved September 14, 1950 (16 U.S.C.
406d-1 et seq.); and
(2) any ranch and agricultural land adjacent to the Park,
the use and disposition of which may affect accomplishment of
the purposes of the Act.
(b) Purpose.--The study shall--
(1) assess the significance of the ranching use and
pastoral character of the land (including open vistas,
wildlife habitat, and other public benefits);
(2) assess the significance of that use and character to
the purposes for which the park was established and identify
any need for preservation of, and practicable means of,
preserving the land that is necessary to protect that use and
character;
(3) recommend a variety of economically feasible and viable
tools and techniques to retain the pastoral qualities of the
land; and
(4) estimate the costs of implementing any recommendations
made for the preservation of the land.
(c) Participation.--In conducting the study, the Secretary
of the Interior shall seek participation from the Governor of
the State of Wyoming, the Teton County Commissioners, the
Secretary of Agriculture, affected land owners, and other
interested members of the public.
(d) Report.--Not later than 3 years from the date funding
is available for the purposes of this Act, the Secretary of
the Interior shall submit a report to Congress that contains
the findings of the study under subsection (a) and makes
recommendations to Congress regarding action that may be
taken with respect to the land described in subsection (a).
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF GRAZING PRIVILEGES.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary
of the Interior shall reinstate and extend for the duration
of the study described in section 2(a) and until such time as
the recommendations of the study are implemented, the grazing
privileges described in
[[Page H8861]]
section 2(a)(1), under the same terms and conditions as were
in effect prior to the expiration of the privileges.
(b) Effect of Change in Land Use.--If, during the period of
the study or until such time as the recommendations of the
study are implemented, any portion of the land described in
section 2(a)(1) is disposed of in a manner that would result
in the land no longer being used for ranching or other
agricultural purposes, the Secretary of the Interior shall
cancel the extension described in subsection (a).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah [Mr. Hansen] and the gentleman from American Samoa [Mr.
Faleomavaega] each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen].
Mr. HANSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 708 and urge its adoption.
Senator Thomas of Wyoming introduced similar legislation in the form of
S. 308 in the Senate. The Subcommittee on National Parks and Public
Lands of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held hearings on
that legislation and it has been widely supported by the people of
Jackson Hole, WY, the administration, conservation groups, and the
ranching community.
I applaud the gentlewoman from Wyoming [Mrs. Cubin] for her hard work
on this issue and I am pleased to be sending this message to the
President for his signature after it is worked out with the Senate.
H.R. 708 recognizes the increasing demand on private lands within the
Jackson Hole area of Wyoming and the benefits that open space and
ranching provide Grand Teton National Park. This legislation would
require the Secretary to conduct a study concerning grazing and open
space in and around Grand Teton National Park. Moreover, the Secretary
must analyze the benefits of existing ranching and grazing operations
to wildlife, the national park, and other public benefits.
This legislation initiated by the gentlewoman from Wyoming recognizes
the development pressures on resort lands in and around national parks.
If the public policy is to drive these long-held ranching families out
of business, we must be prepared to deal with the consequences of
ranches being sold to pay the estate taxes and development into resort
communities.
In some groups' zeal to drive livestock grazing off the public lands,
we are leaving no alternative to these landowners but to sell out to
developers. The gentlewoman from Wyoming has convinced the people of
Jackson Hole to stand back and take another look at this situation and
assess the benefits of these ranches on wildlife and the park itself. I
urge my colleagues to support H.R. 708.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam 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. Madam Speaker, I wish to thank the chairman of the
Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands, the gentleman from
Utah, [Mr. Hansen], for his management of this legislation, and also
the chief sponsor of this legislation, the gentlewoman from Wyoming
[Mrs. Barbara Cubin] for her leadership in providing this legislation
for our consideration.
Madam Speaker, the goals of H.R. 708 are quite laudable. The National
Park Service and the Jackson Hole community are concerned that the
ranchlands and open space surrounding Grand Teton National Park may be
developed, furthering the loss of wildlife habitat, migration routes,
and scenic values.
Much of the land south of Grand Teton has already been developed or
is under pressure of development. H.R. 708 provides for a study to
determine if there are viable means to preserving open space and
ranching operations for the benefit of both the park and the community.
When the Committee on Resources held a markup of H.R. 708, an
amendment in the nature of a substitute was adopted that incorporated
many of the suggested changes made by the National Park Service. The
changes that were made improved the bill. This study has the potential
to be a win-win situation for both the park and the local community. I
hope that this is the case and look forward to seeing the final study.
Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 708, as amended, and urge my colleagues
to approve this proposed bill.
Mrs. CUBIN. Mr. Speaker, Jackson Hole, WY is one of the most
beautiful and unique areas of our Nation. Over 3 million visitors per
year come to hike, camp, ski, and sightsee amidst the grandeur of the
Teton range and the winding Snake River in Grand Teton National Park
and the Greater Yellowstone area beyond.
Many wildlife species such as moose, bear, eagles, and trumpeter swan
make the valley their home, while the largest elk herd in the lower 48
states annually migrates through it to winter on the wildlife refuge at
its southern end.
While much of the valley is protected in perpetuity by Federal
ownership, some of the most valuable wildlife habitat, migration
routes, and scenic vistas remain in private ownership as working ranch
lands.
Conservation groups in Jackson Hole and around the country have
worked for years to help protect these ranches from development through
the use of scenic easements and other means and are to be commended for
their good work.
The concept of preserving and protecting parts of the Teton Range and
Jackson Hole date from the time settlers moved into the valley in the
late 1800's. In January 1929 the U.S. Senate reported on a bill to
establish Grand Teton National Park and stated:
The Teton range presents the most profoundly impressive view in
America. It is a gift to the Nation and posterity in which the people
of Wyoming may be proud, and the wilderness surrounding them may be
preserved in their natural state for the benefit and enjoyment of the
people of these United States and future generations to come.
In 1950, the act establishing Grant Teton National Park allowed the
continuation of grazing privileges within the boundaries of the new
park for the life of the designated heirs of the current holders of
grazing permits.
Early management of the park determined that managing cattle in a
concentrated area with irrigated grass was less destructive to the
resource and less intrusive to the visiting public than random grazing
throughout the park.
The purpose of my legislation, H.R. 708, is not about granting
special grazing rights; it is about doing the right thing to maintain
the scenic wonderment that encompasses this magnificent area and keep
the area open for wildlife, especially migratory elk.
This pristine land obviously comes with a price tag. Real estate
prices have skyrocketed, and intense development pressure has occurred
because of this fact.
Through this legislation I have worked in cooperation with officials
from Grant Teton National Park to resolve many issues. I know that all
parties involved in this matter are striving to reach the same goal:
maintain the scenic beauty that those of us who have been fortunate
enough to spend time in the Tetons will continue to enjoy the park for
a long time to come.
I have incorporated some changes to the legislation proposed by the
Park Service during the National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee
hearing this summer, and the bill reflects some, but not all, of those
changes.
Mr. Speaker, I am dedicated to maintaining the highly valuable open
space and ranching culture in this vicinity of the park. The
authorization of a 3-year study will allow time to explore a network of
relationships and avoid the indiscriminate development that will occur
on these pastoral lands.
Mr. HANSEN. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen] that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 708, 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.
The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to require the
Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study concerning grazing use and
open space within and adjacent to Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming,
and to extend temporarily certain grazing privileges.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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