[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 121 (Monday, September 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6942-H6943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




JEAN LAFITTE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK AND PRESERVE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT 
                              ACT OF 2006

  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1515) to adjust the boundary of the Barataria Preserve Unit of 
the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in the State of 
Louisiana, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows

                               H.R. 1515

       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 ``Jean Lafitte National 
     Historical Park and Preserve Boundary Adjustment Act of 
     2006''.

     SEC. 2. JEAN LAFITTE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK AND PRESERVE 
                   BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.

       (a) In General.--Section 901 of the National Parks and 
     Recreation Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 230) is amended in the 
     second sentence by striking ``twenty thousand acres generally 
     depicted on the map entitled `Barataria Marsh Unit-Jean 
     Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve' numbered 
     90,000B and dated April 1978,'' and inserting ``23,000 acres 
     generally depicted on the map titled `Boundary Map, Barataria 
     Preserve Unit, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and 
     Preserve', numbered 467/80100, and dated August 2002,''.
       (b) Acquisition of Land.--Section 902 of the National Parks 
     and Recreation Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 230a) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking ``(a) Within the'' and all that follows 
     through the first sentence and inserting the following:
       ``(a) In General.--
       ``(1) Barataria preserve unit.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may acquire any land, 
     water, and interests in land and water within the boundary of 
     the Barataria Preserve Unit, as depicted on the map described 
     in section 901, by donation, purchase with donated or 
     appropriated funds, but only with the consent of the owner, 
     transfer from any other Federal agency, or exchange.
       ``(B) Limitations.--
       ``(I) Federal land.--Any Federal land acquired in the areas 
     identified on the map as the `Bayou aux Carpes Addition' and 
     `CIT Tract Addition' (the `Areas') shall be transferred 
     without consideration to the administrative jurisdiction of 
     the National Park Service.
       ``(ii) Easements.--Any Federal land in the Areas that is 
     transferred under clause (I) shall be subject to any 
     easements that have been agreed to by the Secretary and the 
     Secretary of the Army.
       ``(iii) Private interests.--Any private land, water, or 
     interests in land and water in the Barataria Preserve Unit 
     may be acquired by the Secretary only with the consent of the 
     owner.'';
       (B) in the second sentence, by striking ``The Secretary may 
     also'' and inserting the following:
       ``(2) French quarter.--The Secretary may'';
       (C) in the third sentence, by striking ``Lands, waters, and 
     interests therein'' and inserting the following:
       ``(3) Acquisition of state land.--Land, water, and 
     interests in land and water''; and
       (D) in the fourth sentence, by striking ``In acquiring'' 
     and inserting the following:
       ``(4) Acquisition of oil and gas rights.--In acquiring'';
       (2) by striking subsections (b) through (f) and inserting 
     the following:
       ``(b) Resource Protection.--With respect to the land, 
     water, and interests in land and water of the Barataria 
     Preserve Unit, the Secretary shall preserve and protect--
       ``(1) fresh water drainage patterns;
       ``(2) vegetative cover;
       ``(3) the integrity of ecological and biological systems; 
     and
       ``(4) water and air quality.''; and
       (3) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (c).
       (c) Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping.--Section 905 of the 
     National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 230d) is 
     amended in the first sentence--
       (1) by inserting after ``Barataria Marsh Unit'' ``, but 
     only as to land, water, or interests in land and water 
     managed by the Secretary''; and
       (2) by striking ``within the core area'' and all that 
     follows through ``he may'' and inserting ``the Secretary 
     may''.
       (d) Administration.--Section 906 of the National Parks and 
     Recreation Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 230e) is amended--
       (1) by striking the first sentence; and
       (2) in the second sentence, by striking ``Pending such 
     establishment and thereafter the'' and inserting ``The''.

     SEC. 3. REFERENCES IN LAW.

       (a) In General.--Any reference in a law (including 
     regulations), map, document, paper, or other record of the 
     United States--
       (1) to the Barataria Marsh Unit shall be considered to be a 
     reference to the Barataria Preserve Unit; or
       (2) to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park shall be 
     considered to be a reference to the Jean Lafitte National 
     Historical Park and Preserve.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Title IX of the National Parks 
     and Recreation Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 230 et seq.) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``Barataria Marsh Unit'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``Barataria Preserve Unit''; and
       (2) by striking ``Jean Lafitte National Historical Park'' 
     each place it appears and inserting ``Jean Lafitte National 
     Historical Park and Preserve''.

  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. 1515, introduced by Congressman Jindal, adjusts the boundary of 
the Barataria Marsh Unit of the Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and 
Preserve. The bill would expand the park boundary by 3,900 acres and 
increases the statutory acreage ceiling to 23,000 acres. Willing seller 
language has been extended to include all potential additions to the 
park. Most of the lands to be included in the park boundary are 
federally owned wetlands.
  I urge the support of H.R. 1515.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H6943]]

  Ms. BORDALLO. 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, I would note that we are taking up H.R. 
1515 when a Senate-passed measure, S. 207, sponsored by Senator 
Landrieu and dealing with the same subject, was referred to the 
Resources Committee well over a year ago. However, we will not object 
to the adoption of H.R. 1515 by the House today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
author of the bill, Mr. Jindal.
  Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for yielding me this 
time and for their support of this important legislation.
  The legislation in its amended form on the House floor is now 
supported by not only the entire Louisiana delegation but the Jefferson 
Parish Council, the Town of Jean Lafitte, the Louisiana Wildlife 
Federation, the League of Women Voters, Marrero Land, as well as the 
Louisiana Audubon Council.
  Now, I will just very briefly state for my colleagues why this is 
such an important bill for the State of Louisiana. This bill not only 
expands the preserve by over 3,900 acres, but it does a lot to protect 
Louisiana's important wetlands. Studies by our scientists have shown, 
since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the importance of wetlands as 
natural hurricane buffers which protect our levees.
  While these wetlands cannot prevent the devastating effects of major 
hurricanes like Katrina and Rita, they are known to significantly 
reduce the storm surges associated with the more frequent tropical 
storms and smaller hurricanes. They absorb the energy. They reduce the 
hurricane surges, and as a result, they reduce some of the loss from 
the open water. Some experts believe that for every linear mile of 
wetlands, 2 to 4 miles of coastal wetlands reduces storm surge by a 
foot. Anybody that saw the devastating flooding last year caused by 
Katrina and Rita certainly understands why this is so important.
  The preserve is a natural hurricane buffer that provides significant 
protection for the greater New Orleans area, particularly for the 
500,000 residents of the west bank of Jefferson Parish.
  I will close by saying this preserve in particular lies outside of 
the levees and so serves as a critical estuary for our wildlife, but 
also is a significant protection against hurricane and tidal surges.
  I thank my colleagues for their support.
  Ms. BORDALLO. 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. 1515, 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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