[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 121 (Monday, September 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6941-H6942]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     ICE AGE FLOODS NATIONAL GEOLOGIC ROUTE DESIGNATION ACT OF 2006

  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 383) to designate the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, and 
for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows

                                H.R. 383

       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 ``Ice Age Floods National 
     Geologic Route Designation Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this Act is to designate the Ice Age Floods 
     National Geologic Route in the States of Montana, Idaho, 
     Washington, and Oregon, enabling the public to view, 
     experience, and learn about the Ice Age Floods' features and 
     story through the collaborative efforts of public and private 
     entities.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

        As used in this Act:
       (1) Route.--The term ``Route'' means the Ice Age Floods 
     National Geologic Route designated in section 4.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (3) Floods.--The term ``Ice Age Floods'' or ``floods'' 
     means the cataclysmic floods that occurred in what is now the 
     northwestern United States during the last Ice Age primarily 
     from massive, rapid and recurring drainage of Glacial Lake 
     Missoula.

     SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF THE ICE AGE FLOODS NATIONAL NATIONAL 
                   GEOLOGIC ROUTE.

       (a) Designation.--In order to provide for the public 
     appreciation, education, understanding, and enjoyment, 
     through a coordinated interpretive program of certain 
     nationally significant natural and cultural sites associated 
     with Ice Age Floods that are accessible generally by public 
     roads, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
     National Park Service, with the concurrence of the agency 
     having jurisdiction over such roads, is authorized to 
     designate, by publication of a map or other description 
     thereof in the Federal Register, a vehicular tour route along 
     existing public roads linking such natural and cultural 
     sites. Such route shall be known as the ``Ice Age Floods 
     National Geologic Route''.
       (b) Location.--The location of the Route shall generally 
     follow public roads and highways from the vicinity of 
     Missoula in western Montana, across northern Idaho, through 
     eastern and southern sections of Washington, and across 
     northern Oregon in the vicinity of the Willamette Valley and 
     the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean, as generally 
     depicted on the map titled ``Ice Age Floods National Geologic 
     Trial'', numbered P43/80,000, and dated June 2004.
       (c) Maps.--
       (1) Revisions.--The Secretary may revise the map by 
     publication in the Federal Register of a notice of 
     availability of a new map, as needed, in cooperation with 
     Federal, State, local, or tribal governments, and other 
     public or private entities.
       (2) Availability.--Any map referred to in paragraph (1) 
     shall be on file and available for public inspection in the 
     appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
       (d) Description of Sites; Plan; Interpretive Program.--
       (1) Description of sites; plan.--Not later than 3 years 
     after the date that funds become available for this Act, the 
     Secretary shall prepare a description of sites along the 
     Route and general plan which shall include the location and 
     description of each of the following:
       (A) Unique geographic or geologic features and significant 
     landforms.
       (B) Important cultural resources.
       (2) Interpretive program.--The general plan shall include 
     proposals for a comprehensive interpretive program of the 
     Route.
       (3) Transmission to congress.--The Secretary shall transmit 
     the description of sites and general plan to the Committee on 
     Resources of the United States House of Representative and 
     the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United 
     States Senate.
       (4) Consultation.--The description of sites and plan shall 
     be prepared in consultation with other Federal agencies, the 
     State of Montana, the State Idaho, the State of Washington, 
     and the State of Oregon, units of local governments, tribal 
     governments, interested private citizens, and nonprofit 
     organizations, and the Ice Age Floods Institute.

     SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director 
     of the National Park Service, shall administer a program to 
     interpret the Route in accordance with this Act.
       (b) Public Education.--With respect to sites linked by 
     segments of the Route which are administered by other 
     Federal, State, tribal, and local nonprofit or private 
     entities, the Secretary

[[Page H6942]]

     is authorized to provide technical assistance in the 
     development of interpretive devices and materials pursuant to 
     cooperative agreements with such entities. The Secretary, in 
     cooperation with Federal, State, tribal, or local governments 
     or nonprofit or private entities, shall prepare and 
     distribute information for the public appreciation of sites 
     along the Route.
       (c) Markers.--The Secretary shall ensure that the Route is 
     marked with appropriate markers to guide the public. With the 
     concurrence and assistance of the State, tribal, or local 
     entity having jurisdiction over the roads designated as part 
     of the Route, the Secretary may erect thereon signs and other 
     informational devices displaying the Ice Age Floods National 
     Geologic Route marker. The Secretary is authorized to accept 
     the donation of suitable signs and other informational 
     devices for placement at appropriate locations.
       (d) Private Property Rights.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
     construed to require any private property owner to allow 
     public access (including Federal, State or local government 
     access) to such private property or to modify any provision 
     of Federal, State or local law with regard to public access 
     to or use of private lands.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
     $250,000 for each fiscal year to carry out this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 383, introduced by Congressman Doc Hastings, would designate the 
Ice Age Floods National Geologic Route from Missoula, Montana, to the 
Pacific Ocean. The National Park Service will be charged with 
administering a program of education and interpretation along the 
route. In 2001, the National Park Service completed a special resource 
study which proposed that the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail be 
established.
  I urge support of H.R. 383.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, with the changes made to the bill by the 
Resources Committee, we support H.R. 383 and have no objection to the 
adoption of the legislation by the House today
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 383, 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.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to 
designate the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Route, and for other 
purposes.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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