[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 123 (Thursday, October 5, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9979-S9980]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         GAYLORD NELSON APOSTLE ISLANDS STEWARDSHIP ACT OF 1999

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 134) to direct the 
Secretary of the Interior to study whether the Apostle Islands National 
Lakeshore should be protected as a wilderness area, which had been 
reported from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, with an 
amendment as follows:
  (Omit the part in black brackets)

                                 S. 134

       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 ``Gaylord Nelson Apostle 
     Islands Stewardship Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. GAYLORD NELSON APOSTLE ISLANDS.

       (a) Declarations.--Congress declares that--
       (1) the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a national 
     and a Wisconsin treasure;
       (2) the State of Wisconsin is particularly indebted to 
     former Senator Gaylord Nelson for his leadership in the 
     creation of the Lakeshore;
       (3) after more than 28 years of enjoyment, some issues 
     critical to maintaining the overall ecological, recreational, 
     and cultural vision of the Lakeshore need additional 
     attention;
       (4) the general management planning process for the 
     Lakeshore has identified a need for a formal wilderness 
     study;
       (5) all land within the Lakeshore that might be suitable 
     for designation as wilderness are zoned and managed to 
     protect wilderness characteristics pending completion of such 
     a study;
       (6) several historic lighthouses within the Lakeshore are 
     in danger of structural damage due to severe erosion;
       (7) the Secretary of the Interior has been unable to take 
     full advantage of cooperative agreements with Federal, State, 
     local, and tribal governmental agencies, institutions of 
     higher education, and other nonprofit organizations that 
     could assist the National Park Service by contributing to the 
     management of the Lakeshore;
       (8) because of competing needs in other units of the 
     National Park System, the standard authorizing and budgetary 
     process has not resulted in updated legislative authority and 
     necessary funding for improvements to the Lakeshore; and
       (9) the need for improvements to the Lakeshore and 
     completion of a wilderness study should be accorded a high 
     priority among National Park Service activities.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Lakeshore.--The term ``Lakeshore'' means the Apostle 
     Islands National Lakeshore.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
     Park Service.
       (c) Wilderness Study.--In fulfillment of the 
     responsibilities of the Secretary under the Wilderness Act 
     (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and of applicable agency policy, the 
     Secretary shall evaluate areas of land within the Lakeshore 
     for inclusion in the National Wilderness System.
       (d) Apostle Islands Lighthouses.--The Secretary shall 
     undertake appropriate action (including protection of the 
     bluff toe beneath the lighthouses, stabilization of the bank 
     face, and dewatering of the area immediately shoreward of the 
     bluffs) to protect the lighthouse structures at Raspberry 
     Lighthouse and Outer Island Lighthouse on the Lakeshore.
       (e) Cooperative Agreements.--Section 6 of Public Law 91-424 
     (16 U.S.C. 460w-5) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Sec. 6. The lakeshore'' and inserting the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT.

       ``(a) In General.--The lakeshore''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into 
     a cooperative agreement with a Federal, State, tribal, or 
     local government agency or a nonprofit private entity if the 
     Secretary determines that a cooperative agreement would be 
     beneficial in carrying out section 7.''.
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated--
       (1) $200,000 to carry out subsection (c); and
       (2) $3,900,000 to carry out subsection (d).
       [(g) Funding.--
       [(1) In general.--Of the funds made available under the 
     heading ``clean coal technology'' under the heading 
     ``DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'' for obligation in prior years, in 
     addition to the funds deferred under the heading ``clean coal 
     technology'' under the heading ``DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'' under 
     section 101(e) of division A of Public Law 105-277--
       [(A) $5,000,000 shall not be available until October 1, 
     2000; and
       [(B) $5,000,000 shall not be available until October 1, 
     2001.
       [(2) Ongoing projects.--Funds made available in previous 
     appropriations Acts shall be available for any ongoing 
     project regardless of the separate request for proposal under 
     which the project was selected.
       [(3) Transfer of funds.--In addition to any amounts made 
     available under subsection (f), amounts made available under 
     paragraph (1) shall be transferred to the Secretary for use 
     in carrying out subsections (c) and (d).
       [(4) Unexpected balance.--Any balance of funds transferred 
     under paragraph (3) that remain unexpended at the end of 
     fiscal year 1999 shall be returned to the Treasury.]

  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 134), as amended, was read the third time and passed, as 
follows:

                                 S. 134

       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 ``Gaylord Nelson Apostle 
     Islands Stewardship Act of 2000''.

     SEC. 2. GAYLORD NELSON APOSTLE ISLANDS.

       (a) Declarations.--Congress declares that--
       (1) the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a national 
     and a Wisconsin treasure;
       (2) the State of Wisconsin is particularly indebted to 
     former Senator Gaylord Nelson for his leadership in the 
     creation of the Lakeshore;
       (3) after more than 28 years of enjoyment, some issues 
     critical to maintaining the overall ecological, recreational, 
     and cultural vision of the Lakeshore need additional 
     attention;
       (4) the general management planning process for the 
     Lakeshore has identified a need for a formal wilderness 
     study;
       (5) all land within the Lakeshore that might be suitable 
     for designation as wilderness are zoned and managed to 
     protect wilderness characteristics pending completion of such 
     a study;
       (6) several historic lighthouses within the Lakeshore are 
     in danger of structural damage due to severe erosion;
       (7) the Secretary of the Interior has been unable to take 
     full advantage of cooperative agreements with Federal, State, 
     local, and tribal governmental agencies, institutions of 
     higher education, and other nonprofit organizations that 
     could assist the National Park Service by contributing to the 
     management of the Lakeshore;
       (8) because of competing needs in other units of the 
     National Park System, the standard authorizing and budgetary 
     process has not resulted in updated legislative authority and 
     necessary funding for improvements to the Lakeshore; and
       (9) the need for improvements to the Lakeshore and 
     completion of a wilderness study should be accorded a high 
     priority among National Park Service activities.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Lakeshore.--The term ``Lakeshore'' means the Apostle 
     Islands National Lakeshore.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
     Park Service.

[[Page S9980]]

       (c) Wilderness Study.--In fulfillment of the 
     responsibilities of the Secretary under the Wilderness Act 
     (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and of applicable agency policy, the 
     Secretary shall evaluate areas of land within the Lakeshore 
     for inclusion in the National Wilderness System.
       (d) Apostle Islands Lighthouses.--The Secretary shall 
     undertake appropriate action (including protection of the 
     bluff toe beneath the lighthouses, stabilization of the bank 
     face, and dewatering of the area immediately shoreward of the 
     bluffs) to protect the lighthouse structures at Raspberry 
     Lighthouse and Outer Island Lighthouse on the Lakeshore.
       (e) Cooperative Agreements.--Section 6 of Public Law 91-424 
     (16 U.S.C. 460w-5) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Sec. 6. The lakeshore'' and inserting the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT.

       ``(a) In General.--The lakeshore''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into 
     a cooperative agreement with a Federal, State, tribal, or 
     local government agency or a nonprofit private entity if the 
     Secretary determines that a cooperative agreement would be 
     beneficial in carrying out section 7.''.
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated--
       (1) $200,000 to carry out subsection (c); and
       (2) $3,900,000 to carry out subsection (d).

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