[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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