[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 136 (Friday, October 2, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11377-S11378]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WEIR FARM NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 1718) to amend the Weir 
Farm National Historic Site Establishment Act of 1990 to authorize the 
acquisition of additional acreage for the historic site to permit the 
development of visitor and administrative facilities and to authorize 
the appropriation of additional amounts for the acquisition of real and 
personal property, which had been reported from the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources, with an amendment; as follows:
  (The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are shown in boldface 
brackets and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted are shown in 
italic.)

                                S. 1718

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

     SECTION 1. WEIR FARM NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, CONNECTICUT.

       (a) Acquisition of Land for Visitor and Administrative 
     Facilities.--Section 4 of the Weir Farm National Historic 
     Site Establishment Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; Public 
     Law 101-485; 104 Stat. 1171) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:
       ``(d) Acquisition of Land for Visitor and Administrative 
     Facilities; Limitations.--
       ``(1) Acquisition.--
       ``(A) In general.--To preserve and maintain the historic 
     setting and character of the historic site, the Secretary may 
     acquire not more than 15 additional acres for the development 
     of visitor and administrative facilities for the historic 
     site.
       ``(B) Proximity.--The property acquired under this 
     subsection shall be contiguous to or in close proximity to 
     the property described in subsection (b).
       ``(C) Management.--The acquired property shall be included 
     within the boundary of the historic site and shall be managed 
     and maintained as part of the historic site.
       [``(2) Development.--
       [``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall keep development of 
     the property acquired under paragraph (1) to a minimum so 
     that the character of the acquired property will be similar 
     to the natural and undeveloped landscape of the property 
     described in subsection (b).
       [``(B) Parking area.--Any parking area for the resulting 
     visitor and administrative facility shall not exceed 30 
     spaces.
       [``(C) Sales.--Items sold in the visitor facilities--
       [``(i) shall be limited to educational and interpretive 
     materials related to the purpose of the historic site; and
       [``(ii) shall not include food.]
       ``(2) Development.--The Secretary shall keep development of 
     the property acquired under paragraph (1) to a minimum so 
     that the character of the acquired property will be similar 
     to the natural and undeveloped landscape of the property 
     described in subsection (b).
       ``(3) Agreements.--Prior to and as a prerequisite to any 
     development of visitor and administrative facilities on the 
     property acquired under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
     enter into 1 or more agreements with the appropriate zoning 
     authority of the town of Ridgefield, Connecticut, and the 
     town of Wilton, Connecticut, for the purposes of--
       ``(A) developing the parking, visitor, and administrative 
     facilities for the historic site; and
       ``(B) managing bus traffic to the historic site and 
     limiting parking for large tour buses to an offsite 
     location.''.

[[Page S11378]]

       (b) Increase in Maximum Acquisition Authority.--Section 7 
     of the Weir Farm National Historic Site Act of 1990 (16 
     U.S.C. 461 note; Public Law 101-485; 104 Stat. 1173) is 
     amended by striking ``$1,500,000'' and inserting 
     ``$4,000,000''.

  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1718), as amended, was considered read the third time 
and passed.

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