[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 151 (Tuesday, November 15, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H10176-H10177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STUDY REGARDING CASTLE NUGENT FARMS

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 318) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the 
suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent Farms located 
on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park System, 
and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 318

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STUDY REGARDING CASTLE 
                   NUGENT FARMS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Castle Nugent Farms, located on the southeastern shore 
     of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, is the largest parcel of 
     privately-held land in the Virgin Islands and has been an 
     operating cattle ranch for 50 years.
       (2) This land has the largest and healthiest fringing coral 
     reef anywhere in the Virgin Islands.
       (3) It consists of Caribbean dry forest and pasturelands 
     with considerable cultural resources including both pre-
     Columbian and post-European settlement.
       (4) Castle Nugent Farms contains a large historic 17th 
     century Danish estate house that sits on over 4 miles of 
     pristine Caribbean oceanfront property.
       (5) In addition to being an area for turtle nesting and 
     night heron nesting, it is the home for the Senepol cattle 
     breed, a unique breed of cattle that was developed on St. 
     Croix in the early 1900's to adapt to the island's climate.
       (b) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall carry out a 
     study regarding the suitability and feasibility of 
     designating Castle Nugent Farms as a unit of the National 
     Park System.
       (c) Study Process and Completion.--Section 8(c) of Public 
     Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)) shall apply to the conduct and 
     completion of the study required by this section.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days 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 
gentlewoman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.

[[Page H10177]]

  H.R. 318, introduced by my Resources Committee colleague Donna 
Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands, would authorize the Secretary 
of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating 
the Castle Nugent Farms located on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, as a 
unit of the National Park System. I understand that the owners of the 
farm, the largest parcel of privately held land in the United States 
Virgin Islands, are aware of this legislation and support the national 
park study.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 318 is supported by the majority and minority of 
the Resources Committee and the administration. Additionally, identical 
legislation was passed by the House in the 108th Congress.
  I urge adoption of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the House today is considering 
H.R. 318, legislation that I introduced to provide for a study to 
determine the feasibility and suitability of designating Castle Nugent 
Farms in the United States Virgin Islands as a unit of the National 
Park System.
  Castle Nugent Farms is a unique 1,350-acre property located on the 
southeastern shore of my home island of St. Croix. It contains natural 
and cultural resources which could provide an unparalleled insight into 
the plantation period of the Virgin Islands.
  Castle Nugent Farms is presently operated as a cattle ranch by owners 
who are very interested in preserving and interpreting the natural and 
cultural resources of the area. Caroline Gasperi, whose family members 
have been stewards of this land for more than 50 years, has been an 
enthusiastic supporter for the preservation of this site. The passage 
of this bill today would bring her one step closer to her long-held and 
also hard-fought-for dream.
  The owners are justifiably proud of their ranch, which contains more 
than 4 miles of pristine oceanfront with a large and healthy fringing 
coral reef. The interior of the property consists of Caribbean dry 
forest and pasture lands with cultural resources from both pre-
Colombian and post-European settlement.
  A large Danish estate house, dating to the 1730s, sits on the 
property. That house is listed on the National Register of Historic 
Places.
  At various points in its history, Castle Nugent Farm has been 
operated as a cotton plantation and a sugar cane plantation. Its 
current use as a cattle ranch involves raising unique Senepol cattle, a 
breed which is well suited to the climate and vegetation of the area.
  H.R. 318 is a noncontroversial bill. Identical language, as we have 
heard, passed the House in the last Congress. The National Park Service 
has no objections to the legislation, and the property's owners not 
only support a park study of the site but are enthusiastic about the 
opportunity to preserve the natural and cultural resources of the farm.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that the park study will provide the 
blueprint by which we can preserve and interpret this unique piece of 
island history and resources for the benefit of present and future 
generations.
  I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for their 
support, and I strongly support the adoption of this bill by the House 
today.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 318.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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