[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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