[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 26, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S592]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BENNETT:
  S. 182. A bill to provide for the establishment of the Uintah 
Research and Curatorial Center for Dinosaur National Monument in the 
States of Colorado and Utah, and for other purposes; to the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Uintah Research 
and Curatorial Center Act.
  This bill would authorize the National Park Service, NPS, to 
construct a research and curatorial facility for Dinosaur National 
Monument and its partner, the Utah Field House of Natural History 
Museum, Museum in Vernal UT. The facility would be co-located to with 
the museum while helping to preserve, protect, and exhibit the vast 
treasures of one of the most productive sites of dinosaur bones in the 
world.
  This is not the first time I have introduced this legislation, which 
was reported favorably and passed by this body in October 2004. 
Unfortunately there was not enough time before the end of the 
legislative session for this bill to be considered by the House. It is 
my hope that this legislation can be addressed by both bodies during 
the 109th Congress. With this legislation, I believe we can proactively 
address the Dinosaur National Monument's deteriorating storage 
facilities, before there is irreparable damage to the resources stored 
there.
  Since the first discovery of Jurassic era bones by the paleontologist 
Earl Douglass in 1909, and the subsequent proclamation as a national 
monument in 1915 by President Woodrow Wilson, the Dinosaur National 
Monument has been a haven for both amateur and expert dinosaur 
enthusiasts.
  At present, Dinosaur National Monument has more that 600,000 items in 
its museum collection. Unfortunately, these items are currently stored 
in 17 different facilities throughout the park. Many of these resources 
are at risk due to the failure of the scattered facilities to meet 
minimum National Park Service storage standards. A new research and 
curatorial facility is greatly needed to bring the park's collections 
up to standard and to ensure its protection.
  The curatorial facility will also fill a critical role as a 
collection center for the park and partners' fossil, archaeological, 
natural resource operations and collections, and park archives. 
Moreover, in these days of limited budgets, the decision to co-locate 
this facility with the State's museum will also save taxpayer dollars. 
The State of Utah is nearing completion of their new Field House Museum 
at a cost to the State of $6.5 million. Because of the co-location, NPS 
staff, visiting scholars, interns and volunteers would have access to 
the State museum's space for exhibit, classroom, conferencing, 
education, restrooms, public access, parking, and other needs not 
included in the curatorial facility.
  The 22,500 square foot facility will be built outside the boundaries 
of the park on land donated to the Park Service by the city of Vernal 
and Uintah County. The legislation will also permit the Park Service to 
accept the donation of the land, valued at approximately $1.5 million. 
The Park Service estimates the total cost of adding the research and 
curatorial center to be $8.7 million.
  Other Federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management and the 
Forest Service, who are also in need of collections storage, have 
become minor partners and would utilize a small portion of the storage 
facility. An additional partner in the project, the Intermountain 
Natural History Association, has agreed to fund and carry out the soil 
and environmental testing necessary to permit the Park Service to 
accept the donation.
  Mr. President, it is imperative that we care for these 
paleontological resources and ensure their availability to future 
generations, both for scientific study and the enjoyment of the public. 
This legislation is a proactive approach to accomplishing those 
objectives and is an excellent example of a cost effective partnership 
between the National Park Service, the State of Utah Department of 
Natural Resources, the city of Vernal, and Uintah County, of which this 
Congress ought to applaud and support.
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