[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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