[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 17, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H9962-H9963]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CASTLE ROCK RANCH ACQUISITION ACT OF 2000

  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1705) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to enter 
into land exchanges to acquire from the private owner and to convey to 
the State of Idaho approximately 1,240 acres of land near the City of 
Rocks National Reserve, Idaho, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1705

       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 ``Castle Rock Ranch 
     Acquisition Act of 2000''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Monument.--The term ``Monument'' means the Hagerman 
     Fossil Beds National Monument, Idaho, depicted on the 
     National Park Service map numbered 300/80,000, C.O. No. 161, 
     and dated January 7, 1998.
       (2) Ranch.--The term ``Ranch'' means the land comprising 
     approximately 1,240 acres situated outside the boundary of 
     the Reserve, known as the ``Castle Rock Ranch''.
       (3) Reserve.--The term ``Reserve'' means the City of Rocks 
     National Reserve, located near Almo, Idaho, depicted on the 
     National Park Service map numbered 003/80,018, C.O. No. 169, 
     and dated March 25, 1999.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 3. ACQUISITION OF CASTLE ROCK RANCH.

       (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary 
     shall acquire, by donation or by purchase with donated or 
     appropriated funds, the Ranch.
       (b) Consent of Landowner.--The Secretary shall acquire land 
     under subsection (a) only with the consent of the owner of 
     the land.

     SEC. 4. LAND EXCHANGE.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Federal and state exchange.--Subject to subsection (b), 
     on completion of the acquisition under section 3(a), the 
     Secretary shall convey the Ranch to the State of Idaho in 
     exchange for approximately 492.87 acres of land near 
     Hagerman, Idaho, located within the boundary of the Monument.
       (2) State and private landowner exchange.--On completion of 
     the exchange under paragraph (1), the State of Idaho may 
     exchange portions of the Ranch for private land within the 
     boundaries of the Reserve, with the consent of the owners of 
     the private land.
       (b) Condition of Exchange.--As a condition of the land 
     exchange under subsection (a)(1), the State of Idaho shall 
     administer all private land acquired within the Reserve 
     through an exchange under this Act in accordance with title 
     II of the Arizona-Idaho Conservation Act of 1988 (16 U.S.C. 
     460yy et seq.).
       (c) Administration.--State land acquired by the United 
     States in the land exchange under subsection (a)(1) shall be 
     administered by the Secretary as part of the Monument.
       (d) No Expansion of Reserve.--Acquisition of the Ranch by a 
     Federal or State agency shall not constitute any expansion of 
     the Reserve.
       (e) No Effect on Easements.--Nothing in this Act affects 
     any easement in existence on the date of enactment of this 
     Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Idaho (Mr. Simpson) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include therein extraneous material on S. 1705.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Idaho?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, Senate 1705 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior 
to acquire the Castle Rock Ranch in the

[[Page H9963]]

State of Idaho. On completion of the acquisition, the Secretary will 
convey the Castle Rock Ranch to the State of Idaho in exchange for 
approximately 500 acres of State land located within the Hagerman 
Fossil Beds National Monument.
  The City of Rocks National Reserve is located in south central Idaho. 
Most of the reserve is owned by the National Park Service with parts of 
it being owned by the State of Idaho, the Forest Service, the Bureau of 
Land Management, and private landowners. The reserve contains 
distinctive and majestic rock formations. These unique geological rock 
formations provide world-class rock climbing opportunities, in addition 
to other recreational opportunities.
  Additionally, the site has unique historical significance. The 
California Trail, one of the major trails for westward expansion, 
passes through the reserve. The State of Idaho manages the reserve 
under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service.
  The Castle Rock Ranch, an approximately 1,240 acre ranch, is located 
near the City of Rocks. The property gets its name from historic rock 
formations found in the area, in particular, the Castle Rock formation 
that has already been designated a National Historic Site on the 
National Historic Registry. These extraordinary rock formations are 
ideal for rock climbing. In addition, the ranch contains irrigated 
pasture land.
  Once the State acquires the ranch, they will create a new State park, 
opening up rock formations for rock climbing, and providing camping and 
hiking opportunities.
  Furthermore, the State can then trade irrigated land for dry land 
inholdings within the national reserve. This will allow local ranchers 
to acquire irrigated land and allow the State to consolidate inholdings 
within the reserve.
  The Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument contains important fossil 
deposits from the Pliocene time period, 3.5 million years ago. 
Additionally, the fossil beds contain the largest concentration of the 
Hagerman Horse fossils in North America.
  While the State of Idaho owns the actual fossil beds, the National 
Park Service runs and maintains the facility. The State wants to divest 
its interest in the fossil beds and acquire the Castle Rock Ranch. 
Additionally, the National Park Service wants to acquire the fossil 
beds. Transferring the fossil beds to the National Park Service will 
make it easier for everybody to protect this important area.
  In the end, the National Park Service will consolidate the Hagerman 
Fossil Beds National Monument, the State of Idaho will create a new 
State park, and inholdings will be consolidated at the City of Rocks 
National Reserve, and local ranchers will have access to irrigated 
pasture land.
  This legislation has the support of the National Park Service, the 
State of Idaho, the Conservation Fund, the Access Fund, local 
legislators and area residents.
  I thank my colleagues for their support and urge their support of 
Senate 1705.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, S. 1705, the Castle Rock Ranch Acquisition Act, would 
require the Secretary of the Interior to purchase a ranch located near 
the City of Rocks National Reserve in southern Idaho. The gentleman 
from Idaho (Mr. Simpson) has given fine expression to the importance 
and the beauty of the Castle Rock area.
  Under the terms of the legislation, the Secretary would then trade 
this ranch to the State of Idaho for lands the State currently owns 
within the boundaries of the nearby Hagerman Fossil Beds National 
Monument. The State would then be authorized to exchange pieces of the 
ranch for private inholdings within the City of Rocks Reserve.
  Such a series of exchanges raises several concerns with the minority 
members of the Committee on Resources. We have seen no appraisals of 
any of the properties included in these exchanges; and, as a result, we 
are unable to be certain that the taxpayers are getting a good deal 
under this bill.
  Furthermore, it is unclear why it is in the taxpayers' interest to 
have the State of Idaho act as a middleman for the exchanges within the 
City of Rocks.
  However, we fully support the goals of the legislation. The state-
owned land within the monument, known as the Horse Quarry, contains 
perhaps the richest fossil deposits anywhere in the monument and would 
be an important acquisition. Similarly, consolidation of public 
ownership within the City of Rocks Reserve is an important goal.
  Given the value of these acquisitions, we are satisfied that the 
exchanges here are not unreasonable, and thus the minority will not 
oppose the bill.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, if I might just respond. One of the reasons that the 
State of Idaho must be the middleman in this is because Public Law 100-
696, title III, specifically limits the National Park Service 
acquisition of this State property to only by donation or exchange. 
Consequently, the purchase of the Castle Rock Ranch being able to 
exchange that for the land in the Hagerman Falls Fossil Bed is the only 
way that the Federal Government can then acquire that state-owned 
endowment land, which is the fossil beds. That is the reason for this 
Byzantine method of land exchanges which is necessary for this. I 
appreciate the support of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt).
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, I thank the 
gentleman for that clarification.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill, S. 1705.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________