[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 24, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H6517-H6518]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ALLEGHENY PORTAGE RAILROAD NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE BOUNDARY REVISION ACT
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4682) to revise the boundary of the Allegheny Portage
Railroad National Historic Site, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4682
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
[[Page H6518]]
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Allegheny Portage Railroad
National Historic Site Boundary Revision Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Historic site.--The term ``historic site'' means the
Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site in Blair
and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania, established pursuant to
Public Law 88-546 (78 Stat. 752; 16 U.S.C. 461 note).
(2) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map entitled
``Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Blair
and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania'', numbered NERO 423/
80,014 and dated May 01.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National
Park Service.
SEC. 3. REVISION OF HISTORIC SITE BOUNDARIES.
(a) Lands Excluded From and Added to Historic Site.--The
boundary of the historic site is hereby revised--
(1) by deleting--
(A) the approximately 3.09 acres depicted on the Map as
tracts 105-21 and 105-15; and
(B) the approximately 7.26 acres depicted on the Map as
tract 102-42; and
(2) by adding--
(A) the approximately 42.42 acres depicted on the map as
tract 101-09; and
(B) the approximately 15 acres depicted on the map as tract
104-07.
(b) Authorization for Acquisitions.--
(1) Acquisition 1.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to acquire,
from willing owners only, the approximately 98 acres depicted
on the Map as tract 103-07 in exchange for the approximately
108 acres depicted on the Map as tracts 102-38 and 103-04.
(B) Equalization of values.--If the values of the tracts to
be exchanged under subparagraph (A) are not equal, the
difference may be equalized by donation, payment using
donated or appropriated funds, or the conveyance of
additional land.
(2) Acquisition 2.--The Secretary is authorized to acquire
by exchange or donation, from willing owners only, the lands
included within the boundary of the tract described in
subsection (a)(2)(B).
(c) Revision of Boundaries After Acquisitions.--Upon
completion of the exchange under subsection (b)(1), the
boundaries of the historic site shall be revised, as
appropriate--
(1) by adding the land acquired by the United States; and
(2) by deleting the land that is no longer owned by the
United States.
SEC. 4. AVAILABILITY OF MAP.
A copy of the Map shall be on file and available for
inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park
Service, Department of the Interior.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION OF ACQUIRED LANDS.
Lands and interests in lands added to the historic site
under this Act shall be administered by the Secretary as part
of the historic site in accordance with applicable laws and
regulations.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 4682, introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha)
would revise the boundary of the Allegheny Portage Railroad National
Historic Site. The Allegheny Portage Railroad, located in southwestern
Pennsylvania, was the first railroad constructed over the Allegheny
Mountains. The railroad helped to facilitate trade in the area and open
the interior of the United States to settlement and was considered a
technological wonder of its day because of its unique construction. The
bill authorizes the acquisition of approximately 98 acres in exchange
for nearly 108 acres. This will help facilitate access for a property
owner that had previously been landlocked.
The bill authorizes the Secretary to acquire a tract from the State
of Pennsylvania Game Lands Commission to help facilitate the
development of the Harrisburg to Pittsburgh Millennium Trail. The bill
comes to the floor with an amendment correcting some technical errors.
This is a good bill and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This bill sponsored by my colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Murtha), that alone makes it worthy of consideration by this body.
I commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his excellent effort on
behalf of this important national historic site, and I urge passage.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. HANSEN. 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 Utah (Mr. Hansen) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 4682, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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