[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 107 (Monday, August 3, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H6912-H6913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM NEW AREA STUDIES ACT

  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1728) to provide for the development of a plan and a management 
review of the National Park System and to reform the process by which 
areas are considered for addition to the National Park System, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1728

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``National Park System New 
     Area Studies Act''.

     SEC. 2. STUDY OF NEW PARK SYSTEM AREAS.

       Section 8 of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5; popularly 
     known as the National Park System General Authorities Act) is 
     amended as follows:
       (1) By inserting ``General Authority.--'' after ``(a)''.
       (2) By striking the second through the seventh sentences of 
     subsection (a).
       (3) By designating the last two sentences of subsection (a) 
     as subsection (e) and inserting in the first of such 
     sentences before the words ``For the purposes of carrying'' 
     the following: ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--''.

[[Page H6913]]

       (4) By inserting the following after subsection (a):
       ``(b) Studies of Areas for Potential Addition.--(1) At the 
     beginning of each calendar year, along with the annual budget 
     submission, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the 
     Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and to 
     the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United 
     States Senate a list of areas recommended for study for 
     potential inclusion in the National Park System.
       ``(2) In developing the list to be submitted under this 
     subsection, the Secretary shall give consideration to those 
     areas that have the greatest potential to meet the 
     established criteria of national significance, suitability, 
     and feasibility. The Secretary shall give special 
     consideration to themes, sites, and resources not already 
     adequately represented in the National Park System.
       ``(3) No study of the potential of an area for inclusion in 
     the National Park System may be initiated after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection, except as provided by specific 
     authorization of an Act of Congress.
       ``(4) Nothing in this Act shall limit the authority of the 
     National Park Service to conduct preliminary resource 
     assessments, gather data on potential study areas, provide 
     technical and planning assistance, prepare or process 
     nominations for administrative designations, update previous 
     studies, or complete reconnaissance surveys of individual 
     areas requiring a total expenditure of less than $25,000.
       ``(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply 
     to or to affect or alter the study of any river segment for 
     potential addition to the national wild and scenic rivers 
     system or to apply to or to affect or alter the study of any 
     trail for potential addition to the national trails system.
       ``(c) Report.--(1) The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     complete the study for each area for potential inclusion in 
     the National Park System within 3 complete fiscal years 
     following the date of enactment of specific legislation 
     providing for the study of such area. Each study under this 
     section shall be prepared with appropriate opportunity for 
     public involvement, including at least one public meeting in 
     the vicinity of the area under study, and after reasonable 
     efforts to notify potentially affected landowners and State 
     and local governments.
       ``(2) In conducting the study, the Secretary shall consider 
     whether the area under study--
       ``(A) possesses nationally significant natural or cultural 
     resources and represents one of the most important examples 
     of a particular resource type in the country; and
       ``(B) is a suitable and feasible addition to the system.
       ``(3) Each study--
       ``(A) shall consider the following factors with regard to 
     the area being studied--
       ``(i) the rarity and integrity of the resources;
       ``(ii) the threats to those resources;
       ``(iii) similar resources are already protected in the 
     National Park System or in other public or private ownership;
       ``(iv) the public use potential;
       ``(v) the interpretive and educational potential;
       ``(vi) costs associated with acquisition, development and 
     operation;
       ``(vii) the socioeconomic impacts of any designation;
       ``(viii) the level of local and general public support, and
       ``(ix) whether the area is of appropriate configuration to 
     ensure long-term resource protection and visitor use;
       ``(B) shall consider whether direct National Park Service 
     management or alternative protection by other public agencies 
     or the private sector is appropriate for the area;
       ``(C) shall identify what alternative or combination of 
     alternatives would in the professional judgment of the 
     Director of the National Park Service be most effective and 
     efficient in protecting significant resources and providing 
     for public enjoyment; and
       ``(D) may include any other information which the Secretary 
     deems to be relevant.
       ``(4) Each study shall be completed in compliance with the 
     National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
       ``(5) The letter transmitting each completed study to 
     Congress shall contain a recommendation regarding the 
     Secretary's preferred management option for the area.
       ``(d) List of Areas.--At the beginning of each calendar 
     year, along with the annual budget submission, the Secretary 
     of the Interior shall submit to the Committee on Resources of 
     the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Energy 
     and Natural Resources of the United States Senate a list of 
     areas which have been previously studied which contain 
     primarily historical resources, and a list of areas which 
     have been previously studied which contain primarily natural 
     resources, in numerical order of priority for addition to the 
     National Park System. In developing the lists, the Secretary 
     should consider threats to resource values, cost escalation 
     factors, and other factors listed in subsection (c) of this 
     section. The Secretary should only include on the lists areas 
     for which the supporting data is current and accurate.''.
       (5) By adding at the end of subsection (e) (as designated 
     by paragraph (3) of this section) the following: ``For 
     carrying out subsections (b) through (d) there are authorized 
     to be appropriated $2,000,000.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. JONES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1728 is a bill introduced by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley). The gentleman from Colorado is to 
be commended for the hard work he has done to craft a bill that 
addresses needed changes in current law dealing with how new units are 
added to the National Park System.
  H.R. 1728 provides for the development of a plan and a management 
review of the National Park System to reform the current process by 
which areas are considered for addition to the National Park System. 
The bill would assist the National Park Service in planning for the 
future of the National Park System and provide a structured process to 
ensure that the Congress considers only the most worthy nationally 
important sites for inclusion in any expansion of the National Park 
System.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill, and H.R. 1728 provides a 
better way to include worthy areas into the park system. I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 1728.
  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. 1728 establishes new procedures 
by which potential new additions to the National Park System are 
studied. The bill is identical to the language in title II of H.R. 260 
from the 104th Congress.
  The administration and other interested parties are in general 
support of putting in place new procedures for the study of potential 
additions to the National Park System. These new procedures make a lot 
of sense to me. They will improve the quality of information we have on 
potential additions to the National Park System, as well as help 
prioritize our consideration of such additions.
  With the minor changes to the bill that were made by the Committee on 
Resources, I think the House should give the bill its unqualified 
support. I urge my colleagues to adopt this proposed bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. JONES. 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 North Carolina (Mr. Jones) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1728, 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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