[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 17, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H9954-H9955]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




AUTHORIZING AN INTERPRETIVE CENTER NEAR DIAMOND VALLEY LAKE, CALIFORNIA

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4187) to assist in the establishment of an interpretive 
center and museum in the vicinity of the Diamond Valley Lake in 
southern California to ensure the protection and interpretation of the 
paleontology discoveries made at the lake and to develop a trail system 
for the lake for use by pedestrians and nonmotorized vehicles.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4187

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

     SECTION 1. INTERPRETIVE CENTER AND MUSEUM, DIAMOND VALLEY 
                   LAKE, HEMET, CALIFORNIA.

       (a) Assistance for Establishment of Center and Museum.--The 
     Secretary of the Interior shall enter into an agreement with 
     an appropriate entity for the purpose of sharing costs 
     incurred to design, construct, furnish, and operate an 
     interpretive center and museum, to be located on lands under 
     the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Water District of 
     Southern California, intended to preserve, display, and 
     interpret the paleontology discoveries made at and in the 
     vicinity of the Diamond Valley Lake, near Hemet, California, 
     and to promote other historical and cultural resources of the 
     area.
       (b) Assistance for Nonmotorized Trails.--The Secretary 
     shall enter into an agreement with the State of California, a 
     political subdivision of the State, or a combination of State 
     and local public agencies for the purpose of sharing costs 
     incurred to design, construct, and maintain a system of 
     trails around the perimeter of the Diamond Valley Lake for 
     use by pedestrians and nonmotorized vehicles.
       (c) Matching Requirement.--The Secretary shall require the 
     other parties to an agreement under this section to secure an 
     amount of funds from non-Federal sources that is at least 
     equal to the amount provided by the Secretary.
       (d) Time for Agreement.--The Secretary shall enter into the 
     agreements required by this section not later than 180 days 
     after the date on which funds are first made available to 
     carry out this section.
       (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated not more than $14,000,000 to carry out 
     this section.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have introduced H.R. 4187, along with 
the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono), the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Packard), the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. 
Napolitano), the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Gary Miller), the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Hunter), and the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca).
  Madam Speaker, this legislation will assist in establishing the 
Western Archeology and Paleontology Center in the vicinity of Diamond 
Valley Lake in Southern California. This center will preserve, protect 
and make available the extraordinary discoveries that were uncovered 
during the construction of Diamond Valley Lake to all citizens of the 
United States. The University of California, Riverside, has been 
instrumental in developing this center; and I look forward to their 
continued leadership in the establishment and operation of the center. 
House report language calls for the Secretary of Interior to work with 
UCR, metropolitan water districts, and local shareholders in this 
effort.
  During the past 10 years, the construction of Diamond Valley Lake 
outside of Hemet, California, has been the largest private earth-moving 
construction project in the United States. The reservoir is now the 
largest man-made lake in Southern California. It covers 4,500 acres, is 
4\1/2\ miles long, 2 miles wide, and 250 feet deep. The cost of this 
was $2.1 million for construction, was totally borne by the residents 
of Southern California. The reservoir will provide a desperately needed 
emergency supply of water for the City of Los Angeles and the 
surrounding area.
  During the construction and excavation of this massive project, 
extraordinary paleontology and archeology

[[Page H9955]]

discoveries were uncovered. Unearthed were 365 prehistoric sites, 
pictographs, stone tools, bone tools and arrowheads. Also discovered 
were a preserved mastodon skeleton, a mammoth skeleton, a 7-foot tusk 
and bones from the extinct animals previously unknown to have resided 
in the area, including the giant long-horned bison and an enormous 
North American Lion.
  The construction of Diamond Valley Lake unearthed the largest known 
accumulation of late Ice Age fossils known in California. The 
scientific importance of this collection may now rival California's 
other famed site, the La Brea Tar Pits.
  The State of California is an active participant in this endeavor, 
having already contributed $6 million to the Western Center. Another 
$10.5 million has been included in this year's State budget for 
construction and maintenance of the center.
  As for the Federal Government's role in this endeavor, first, 12,000 
acres of land totaling about $40 million, have been bought and set 
aside by the Metropolitan Water District to comply with the Endangered 
Species Act, a Federal requirement.
  Moreover, there is legislative precedent for Federal assistance to 
States for preservation. The National Historic Preservation Act set the 
stage for Federal, State and local partnerships. This act provides that 
the Federal government shall contribute to the preservation of non-
federally owned prehistoric and historic resources and give maximum 
encouragement to organizations and individuals undertaking preservation 
by private means.
  In addition, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Defense, 
the Department of Interior, and the Department of Agriculture have 
uncovered prehistoric and historic artifacts and are being forced to 
store these artifacts and records in storage units, offices, basements 
or in substandard museums, which is unacceptable. I am pleased that we 
can use this unique opportunity to work together in a partnership with 
local, State and Federal interests to protect and preserve these assets 
for all Americans.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) and 
the gentleman from Utah (Chairman Hansen) for their work on this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. HOLT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, H.R. 4187 authorizes the Federal Government 
to pay up to one-quarter of the cost of a $40 million visitors facility 
to be constructed as part of a vast recreational complex being 
developed around a new locally owned water project in California. The 
complex is reported to include golf courses, restaurants, and concert 
areas centered around this new reservoir.
  While we of the minority do not intend to oppose this legislation, 
H.R. 4187 does raise some serious concerns. The bill authorizes this 
Federal expenditure, despite the fact that there is no substantive 
Federal connection to this project. None of the facilities, nor any of 
the land, are federally owned or operated.
  We are told that during the construction, important archeological 
artifacts were discovered and therefore the Federal Government should 
pay for a visitors center. However, if these artifacts are truly 
important, funding for them is available through existing grant 
programs, and earmarked funding for a visitors center is therefore 
unnecessary.
  I guess I should point out that there is a certain irony that some on 
the majority side are asking for Federal funding for this. But it has 
been argued also that because the local water district was required to 
set aside a nature preserve as a species mitigation measure, the use of 
Federal funds for this visitors center is justified. However, the set-
aside was required by law and does not entitle this project to a 
taxpayer-funded visitors center.
  In the view of the minority members of the Committee on Resources, 
Congress should allocate Federal resources to address the multibillion 
dollar maintenance and construction backlogs on Federal lands, and non-
Federal projects such as this one should receive the bulk of their 
funding from the States and localities who own and operate them.

                              {time}  1315

  While the minority will not oppose H.R. 4187, we would caution 
against similar authorization in cases with such limited Federal 
interests.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Morella). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4187.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________