[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 150 (Tuesday, November 19, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11650-S11651]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VIRGIN RIVER DINOSAUR FOOTPRINT PRESERVE ACT
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 591, H.R. 2385.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the bill by
title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (H.R. 2385) to convey certain property to the city
of St. George, Utah, in order to provide for the protection
and preservation of certain rare paleontological resources on
that property, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill
which had been reported from the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources with amendments, as follows:
[Strike the part shown in black brackets and insert the part shown in
italic.]
H.R. 2385
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 ``Virgin River Dinosaur
Footprint Preserve Act''.
SEC. 2. VIRGIN RIVER DINOSAUR FOOTPRINT PRESERVE.
[(a) Authorization for Grant To Purchase Footprint
Preserve.--As soon as is practicable after the date of the
enactment of this Act, if the City agrees to the conditions
set forth in subsection (b), the Secretary of the Interior
may award to the City a grant equal to the lesser of $500,000
or the fair market value of up to 10 acres of land (and all
related facilities and other appurtenances thereon) generally
depicted on the map entitled ``Proposed Virgin River Dinosaur
Footprint Preserve'', numbered 09/06/2001-A, for purchase of
that property.]
(a) Authorization for Grant To Purchase Preserve.--Of the
funds appropriated in the section entitled ``Land
Acquisition'' of the Fiscal Year 2002 Interior and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, Public Law 107-63, the Secretary
of the Interior shall grant $500,000 to the City for--
(1) the purchase of up to 10 acres of land within the area
generally depicted as the ``Preserve Acquisition Area'' on
the map entitled ``Map B'' and dated May 9, 2002; and
(2) the preservation of such land and paleontological
resources.
[[Page S11651]]
(b) Conditions of Grant.--The grant under subsection (a)
shall be made only after the City agrees to the following
conditions:
(1) Use of land.--The City shall use the Virgin River
Dinosaur Footprint Preserve in a manner that accomplishes the
following:
(A) Preserves and protects the paleontological resources
located within the exterior boundaries of the Virgin River
Dinosaur Footprint Preserve.
(B) Provides opportunities for scientific research in a
manner compatible with subparagraph (A).
(C) Provides the public with opportunities for educational
activities in a manner compatible with subparagraph (A).
(2) Reverter.--If at any time after the City acquires the
Virgin River Dinosaur Footprint Preserve, the Secretary
determines that the City is not substantially in compliance
with the conditions described in paragraph (1), all right,
title, and interest in and to the Virgin River Dinosaur
Footprint Preserve shall immediately revert to the United
States, with no further consideration on the part of the
United States, and such property shall then be under the
administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior.
(3) Conditions to be contained in deed.--If the City
attempts to transfer title to the Virgin River Dinosaur
Footprint Preserve (in whole or in part), the conditions set
forth in this subsection shall transfer with such title and
shall be enforceable against any subsequent owner of the
Virgin River Dinosaur Footprint Preserve (in whole or in
part).
(c) Cooperative Agreement and Assistance.--
[(1) Cooperative agreement.--The Secretary shall enter into
a cooperative agreement with the City for the management of
the Virgin River Dinosaur Footprint Preserve by the City.
(2)] (1) Assistance.--The Secretary may provide to the
City--
(A) financial assistance, if the Secretary determines that
such assistance is necessary for protection of the
paleontological resources located within the exterior
boundaries of the Virgin River Dinosaur Footprint Preserve;
and
(B) technical assistance to assist the City in complying
with subparagraphs (A) through (C) of subsection (b)(1).
[(3)] (2) Additional grants.--
(A) In general.--In addition to funds made available under
subsection (a) and paragraph (2) of this subsection, the
Secretary may provide grants to the City to carry out its
duties under the cooperative agreement entered into under
paragraph (1).
(B) Limitation on amount; required non-federal match.--
Grants under subparagraph (A) shall not exceed $500,000 and
shall be provided only to the extent that the City matches
the amount of such grants with non-Federal contributions
(including in-kind contributions).
(d) Map on File.--The map shall be on file and available
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the
Department of the Interior.
(e) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section, the
following definitions apply:
(1) City.--The term ``City'' means the city of St. George,
Utah.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(3) Virgin river dinosaur footprint preserve.--The term
``Virgin River Dinosaur Footprint Preserve'' means the
property (and all facilities and other appurtenances thereon)
described in subsection (a).
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to say a few words about S.
1497, the Virgin River Dinosaur Footprint Preserve Act and its
companion measure in the House, H.R. 2385. This bill would convey
certain property to the city of St. George, Utah, in order to provide
for the protection and preservation of certain rare paleontological
resources on that property.
This legislation would provide vital protections to one of our
nation's most recent, and most intact pre-Jurassic paleontological
discoveries. In February 2000, Sheldon Johnson of St. George, UT, began
development preparations on his land when he uncovered one of the
world's most significant collections of dinosaur tracks, tail
draggings, and skin imprints in the surrounding rock. Without any
advertising, the site has attracted many tens of thousands of visitors
and the interest of some of the world's top paleontologists.
This was a fantastic discovery that has added important new insights
into the Jurassic period. However, now that these prints have been
uncovered, the fragile sandstone in which the impressions have been
made is in jeopardy due to the heat and wind typical of the southern
Utah climate. We must act quickly if these footprints from our past are
to be preserved. This bill would authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to purchase the land where the footprints and tail draggings
are found and convey the property to the city of St. George. The city
will work together with the property owners and Washington County to
preserve and protect the area and the resources found there.
We owe a debt of gratitude to Sheldon and LaVerna Johnson who made
this discovery on their land and have dedicated thousands of hours of
their personal time and much of their own money to trying to preserve
this site. They have done all they can to protect it, while at the same
time opening up their land for visitors and scientists to view the new
findings free of costs. They have given so much to this cause, but they
cannot keep it up indefinitely. They desperately hope that the
Government will step up and help carry the burden of managing this
precious resource, and with passage of this legislation tonight we will
provide them with the relief they deserve.
I thank Senators Bingaman and Murkowski, the chairman and ranking
member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, for
their assistance in seeing this measure passed by Congress and sent to
the President. I also thank Representative James Hansen, my good friend
and the sponsor of the companion measure in the House for all he has
done to make this legislation possible.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-
reported amendments be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be read
the third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be laid
upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
The committee amendments were agreed to.
The bill (H. R. 2385), as amended, was read the third time and
passed.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, before we get to the next matter, let me
express my appreciation to the Senator from Utah, Mr. Bennett. He has
been here all night. But for him, we would not have made the progress
we have. All Senators should be very grateful for his weighing in on
these delicate matters. I appreciate what the Senator from Utah has
done to help us get to this point.
Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I thank the assistant majority leader. I
wish to make it clear that without his leadership and cooperation, we
would not be doing what we are doing. It takes two hands to clap. We
were waving our hands uselessly in the air until the Senator from
Nevada stepped in. I am very grateful to him.
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