[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 133 (Monday, October 23, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H10505-H10506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1999

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill (S. 501) to address resource management issues in 
Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                 S. 501

       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 ``Glacier Bay National Park 
     Resource Management Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       As used in this Act--
       (1) the term ``local residents'' means those persons living 
     within the vicinity of Glacier Bay National Park and 
     Preserve, including but not limited to the residents of 
     Hoonah, Alaska, who are descendants of those who had an 
     historic and cultural tradition of sea gull egg gathering 
     within the boundary of what is now Glacier Bay National Park 
     and Preserve;
       (2) the term ``outer waters'' means all of the marine 
     waters within the park outside of Glacier Bay proper;
       (3) the term ``park'' means Glacier Bay National Park;
       (4) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
     Interior; and
       (5) the term ``State'' means the State of Alaska.

     SEC. 3. COMMERCIAL FISHING.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall allow for commercial 
     fishing in the outer waters of the park in accordance with 
     the management plan referred to in subsection (b) in a manner 
     that provides for the protection of park resources and 
     values.
       (b) Management Plan.--The Secretary and the State shall 
     cooperate in the development of a management plan for the 
     regulation of commercial fisheries in the outer waters of the 
     park in accordance with existing Federal and State laws and 
     any applicable international conservation and management 
     treaties.
       (c) Savings.--(1) Nothing in this Act shall alter or affect 
     the provisions of section 123 of the Department of the 
     Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal 
     Year 1999 (Public Law 105-277), as amended by section 501 of 
     the 1999 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act (Public 
     Law 106-31).
       (2) Nothing in this Act shall enlarge or diminish Federal 
     or State title, jurisdiction, or authority with respect to 
     the waters of the State of Alaska, the waters within Glacier 
     Bay National Park and Preserve, or tidal or submerged lands.
       (d) Study.--(1) Not later than one year after the date 
     funds are made available, the Secretary, in consultation with 
     the State, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the 
     International Pacific Halibut Commission, and other affected 
     agencies shall develop a plan for a comprehensive multi-
     agency research and monitoring program to evaluate the health 
     of fisheries resources in the park's marine waters, to 
     determine the effect, if any, of commercial fishing on--
       (A) the productivity, diversity, and sustainability of 
     fishery resources in such waters; and

[[Page H10506]]

       (B) park resources and values.
       (2) The Secretary shall promptly notify the Committee on 
     Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and 
     the Committee on Resources of the United States House of 
     Representatives upon the completion of the plan.
       (3) The Secretary shall complete the program set forth in 
     the plan not later than seven years after the date the 
     Congressional Committees are notified pursuant to paragraph 
     (2), and shall transmit the results of the program to such 
     Committees on a biennial basis.

     SEC. 4. SEA GULL EGG COLLECTION STUDY.

       (a) Study.--The Secretary, in consultation with local 
     residents, shall undertake a study of sea gulls living within 
     the park to assess whether sea gull eggs can be collected on 
     a limited basis without impairing the biological 
     sustainability of the sea gull population in the park. The 
     study shall be completed no later than two years after the 
     date funds are made available.
       (b) Recommendations.--If the study referred to in 
     subsection (a) determines that the limited collection of sea 
     gull eggs can occur without impairing the biological 
     sustainability of the sea gull population in the park, the 
     Secretary shall submit recommendations for legislation to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United 
     States Senate and the Committee on Resources of the United 
     States House of Representatives.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume, and I rise in support of S. 501, the Glacier Bay National Park 
Resource Management Act.
  This legislation passed the Senate with no opposition last November. 
The legislation was amended to remove some provisions that were 
controversial and should now enjoy the support of the House.
  The legislation requires the Secretary of the Interior and the State 
of Alaska to cooperate in the development of a management plan for 
commercial fisheries in the outer waters of Glacier Bay National Park, 
in accordance with Federal and State laws and any applicable 
international conservation and management treaties. The legislation 
also directs the Secretary of the Interior, once funds are made 
available, to develop a plan for multi-agency comprehensive research 
and monitoring program to evaluate the health of fishery resources in 
the park's marine waters.
  Once that program has been completed, the Secretary has 7 years to 
undertake the research program.
  In addition, the legislation will allow for the study of the impact 
of a subsistence harvest of seagull eggs by local residents.
  This legislation passed the Senate without opposition. I urge the 
House to support this bill and forward it to the President for his 
signature.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as the bill is presented before us today, my 
understanding is it is no longer controversial, as it once was. There 
have been changes in the Senate to provide for a corporate management 
plan for commercial fisheries in the national park waters outside of 
Glacier Bay proper.
  The bill is no longer inconsistent with the previous compromise and 
is now supported by the Park Service, and we urge passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill, S. 501.
  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.

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