[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 123 (Monday, October 4, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H7950-H7951]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK EXPANSION ACT OF 2004

  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1630) to revise the boundary of the Petrified Forest 
National Park in the State of Arizona, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1630

       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 ``Petrified Forest National 
     Park Expansion Act of 2004''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled 
     ``Proposed Boundary Adjustments, Petrified Forest National 
     Park'', numbered 110/80,044, and dated June 2004.
       (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Petrified Forest 
     National Park in the State.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Arizona.

     SEC. 3. BOUNDARY REVISION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to revise the 
     boundary of the Park to include approximately 125,000 acres 
     as depicted on the map.
       (b) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and 
     available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of 
     the National Park Service.

     SEC. 4. ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL LAND.

       (a) Private Land.--The Secretary may acquire from a willing 
     seller, by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated 
     funds, or exchange, any private land or interests in private 
     land within the revised boundary of the Park. In acquiring 
     private land and interests in private land within the revised 
     boundary of the Park, the Secretary shall undertake to 
     acquire such private land and interests in private land first 
     by donation or exchange.
       (b) State Land.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may, with the consent of the 
     State and in accordance with Federal and State law, acquire 
     from the State any State land or interests in State land 
     within the revised boundary of the Park.
       (2) Plan.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, in coordination 
     with the State, develop a plan for acquisition for State land 
     or interests in State land under paragraph (1).
       (3) Management agreement.--If the Secretary is unable to 
     acquire the State land under paragraph (1) within the 3-year 
     period required by paragraph (2), the Secretary may enter 
     into an agreement that would allow the National Park Service 
     to manage State land within the revised boundary of the Park.

     SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) In General.--Subject to applicable laws, all land and 
     interests in land acquired under this Act shall be 
     administered by the Secretary as part of the Park.
       (b) Transfer of Jurisdiction.--The Secretary shall transfer 
     to the National Park Service administrative jurisdiction over 
     any land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary that--
       (1) is depicted on the map as being within the boundaries 
     of the Park; and
       (2) is not under the administrative jurisdiction of the 
     National Park Service on the date of enactment of this Act.
       (c) Exchange After Enactment.--Upon completion of an 
     exchange of land after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
     the Secretary shall transfer administrative jurisdiction over 
     the exchanged lands within the boundary of the Park as 
     depicted on the map to the National Park Service.
       (d) Grazing.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall permit the 
     continuation of grazing on land transferred to the Secretary 
     under this Act, subject to applicable laws, regulations, and 
     Executive Orders.
       (2) Termination of leases or permits.--Nothing in this 
     subsection prohibits the Secretary from accepting the 
     voluntary termination of a grazing permit or grazing lease 
     within the Park.
       (e) Amendment to General Management Plan.--Not later than 3 
     years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary shall amend the general management plan for the 
     Park to address the use and management of any additional land 
     acquired under this Act.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are 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 
Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. 
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Nevada?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi).
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. 
Gibbons) for yielding me this time.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 1630, the Petrified Forest National 
Park Expansion Act of 2004. This legislation authorizes the largest and 
most responsible park expansion this Congress has considered.
  The Petrified Forest is truly a national treasure. It contains some 
of the most valuable natural and cultural resources in the world. The 
Petrified Forest contains resources dating back 225 million years.
  Yet, today, the Petrified Forest is being threatened. Looters are 
raiding unprotected areas around the Petrified Forest National Park, 
searching for fossilized wood and valuable property, and they are 
selling these items on the black market. Our American Indian grave 
sites have been dug up and destroyed, and adjacent landowners have been 
forced to hire their own private security to prevent theft and 
vandalism.
  In 1992, the National Park Service released a general management plan 
that proposed the inclusion of some 98,000 acres of surrounding 
threatened land. Since this time, additional Bureau of Land Management, 
State of Arizona, and private land has been identified for inclusion in 
the Petrified Forest National Park.
  The Petrified Forest National Park Expansion Act of 2004 authorizes 
the inclusion of 125,000 additional acres surrounding the Petrified 
Forest National Park. Expanding the Petrified Forest National Park will 
increase tourism and enhance research opportunities for communities in 
northern Arizona. In addition, private landowners identified in this 
exchange are willing sellers and will first consider a land exchange 
with the Federal Government.
  As amended, this legislation ensures that acquisition by donation or 
exchange or other Federal lands shall occur first. Then, if additional 
lands need to be acquired, the Federal Government can purchase private 
land from willing sellers. This compromise will allow for the largest 
expansion of a national park this Congress, while ensuring the Federal 
Government's backlog maintenance needs are not further aggravated.
  This important legislation has broad support from several nationally 
recognized archeological groups, as well as support from the Navajo 
County Board

[[Page H7951]]

of Supervisors, the city of Holbrook and the city of Winslow, Arizona.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1630, the Petrified 
Forest National Park Expansion Act of 2004.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1630 as it is being brought to 
the floor today is not the same bill that passed the Committee on 
Resources in July. An issue was raised by the majority on the 
acquisition of the private lands within the park, but I am pleased that 
the language has been worked out and that it is language that is 
acceptable to both sides.
  So, Mr. Speaker, we will support this new amended version of H.R. 
1630.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1630, 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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