[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 10, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S382-S384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WYDEN (for himself and Mr. Akaka):
  S. 241. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter 
into cooperative agreements to protect natural resources of units of 
the National Park System through collaborative efforts on land inside 
and outside of units of the National Park System; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today I introduce legislation to authorize 
the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements to 
protect National Parks through collaborative efforts on lands inside 
and outside of National Park System units. My bill passed the Senate in 
the 109th Congress, but unfortunately did not have an opportunity to 
pass in the House before the end of the Congress. Today, I reintroduce 
the bill hoping that it can expeditiously pass again in the Senate and 
continue on to pass in the House.
  This legislation is based on very successful watershed protection 
legislation enacted for the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land 
Management, now commonly referred to as the Wyden amendment. The Wyden 
amendment, first enacted in 1998 for Fiscal Year 1999, has resulted in 
countless Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management cooperative 
agreements with neighboring state and local land owners to accomplish 
high priority restoration, protection and enhancement work on public 
and private lands. It has not required additional funding, but has 
allowed the agencies to leverage their scarce restoration dollars 
thereby allowing the Federal dollars to stretch farther.
  The legislation I introduce today will allow the Park Service to use 
a similar authority to attack natural threats to National Parks, such 
as invasive weeds, before they cross onto Parks' land. The National 
Park Service tells me that if they have to wait until the weeds hit the 
Parks before treating them the costs for treatment rise exponentially 
and the probability of beating the weeds back drops exponentially.
  Examples of projects the National Park Service would pursue with this 
authority, as well as the groups with which they would partner, are 
attached. I am pleased that Senator Akaka is joining me as an original 
co-sponsor of this legislation and I hope my other colleagues will join 
me as co-sponsors of this legislation and in ensuring its swift 
passage. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and a list 
of projects be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 241

       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 ``Natural Resource Protection 
     Cooperative Agreement Act''.

     SEC. 2. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR NATIONAL PARK NATURAL 
                   RESOURCE PROTECTION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to 
     in this Act as the ``Secretary'') may enter into cooperative 
     agreements with State, local, or tribal governments, other 
     Federal agencies, other public entities, educational 
     institutions, private nonprofit organizations, or willing 
     private landowners to protect natural resources of units of 
     the National Park System through collaborative efforts on 
     land inside and outside of National Park System units.
       (b) Terms and Conditions.--A cooperative agreement entered 
     into under subsection (a) shall--
       (1) provide for--
       (A) clear and direct benefits to natural resources of a 
     unit of the National Park System;
       (B) the preservation, conservation, and restoration of 
     coastal and riparian systems, watersheds, and wetlands;
       (C) preventing, controlling or eradicating invasive exotic 
     species that occupy land within a unit of the National Park 
     System or adjacent to a unit of the National Park System; or
       (D) restoration of natural resources, including native 
     wildlife habitat;
       (2) include a statement of purpose demonstrating how the 
     agreement will--
       (A) enhance science-based natural resource stewardship at 
     the unit of the National Park System; and
       (B) benefit the parties to the agreement;
       (3) specify any staff required and technical assistance to 
     be provided by the Secretary or other parties to the 
     agreement in support of activities inside and outside the 
     unit of the National Park System that will--
       (A) protect natural resources of the unit; and
       (B) benefit the parties to the agreement;
       (4) identify any materials, supplies, or equipment that 
     will be contributed by the parties to the agreement or by 
     other Federal agencies;
       (5) describe any financial assistance to be provided by the 
     Secretary or the partners to implement the agreement;
       (6) ensure that any expenditure by the Secretary pursuant 
     to the agreement is determined by the Secretary to support 
     the purposes of natural resource stewardship at a unit of the 
     National Park System; and
       (7) shall include such terms and conditions that are agreed 
     to by the Secretary and the other parties to the agreement.
       (c) Limitations.--The Secretary shall not use any amounts 
     associated with an agreement entered into under subsection 
     (a) for the purposes of land acquisition, regulatory 
     activity, or the development, maintenance, or operation of 
     infrastructure, except for ancillary support facilities that 
     the Secretary determines to be necessary for the completion 
     of projects or activities identified in the agreement.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out 
     this Act.

[[Page S383]]

     
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    Potential Cooperative Projects Adjacent to or nearby NPS Lands:


                             State: Alabama

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Russell Cave National Monument. Partner: Alabama 
     Department of Game and Fish. Projects/Pest: Autumn olive.


                             State: Alaska

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Denali National Park and Preserve. Partner: 
     Private landowner and Alaska Department of Transportation. 
     Projects/Pest: Remove multiple species from an isolated 
     location in Kantishna. White sweet clover along the Park's 
     Highway.
       Park Unit: Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. 
     Partner: Alaska Department of Transportation, Bureau of Land 
     Management. Projects/Pest: Multiple species moving up the 
     Dalton Highway towards the park.
       Park Unit: Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Partner: 
     Town of Gustavus. Projects/Pest: Remove multiple species from 
     isolated locations.
       Park Unit: Kenai Fjords National Park. Partner: U.S. Forest 
     Service. Projects/Pest: Yellow sweetclover on Exit Glacier 
     Road.
       Park Unit: Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park. Partner: 
     Town of Skagway. Projects/Pest: White sweetclover, Butter-
     and-eggs.
       Park Unit: Sitka National Historical Park. Partner: City of 
     Sitka. Projects/Pest: Japanese knotweed.
       Park Unit: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. 
     Partner: Town of McCarthy and Alaska Department of 
     Transportation, Bureau of Land Management. Projects/Pest: 
     Remove multiple species from isolated locations and White 
     sweetclver on area roadways.


                             State: Arizona

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Partner: 
     Navajo Indian Reservation Project/Pest: Tamarisk and Russian 
     olive.
       Park Unit: Grand Canyon National Park. Partner: Hualapai 
     Indian Reservation. Project/Pest: Remove Tamarisk from shared 
     drainages.
       Park Unit: Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site. 
     Partner: Navajo Indian Reservation. Project/Pest: Pueblo 
     Colorado Wash tamarisk and Russian olive.


                           State: California

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Death Valley National Park. Partners: Private 
     lands (Shoshone, CA), Bureau of Land Management, State Fish 
     and Game. Projects/Pest: Amargosa River tamarisk control 
     Saline Valley tamarisk.
       Park Unit: Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Partners: 
     Private land. Projects/Pest: Remove Pampas grass serving as a 
     seed source re-infesting NPS lands.
       Park Unit: Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Partner: 
     State and Private lands. Projects/Pest: Jubata grass.
       Park Unit: Mojave National Preserve. Partners: Private and 
     State land. Project/Pest: Tamarisk near I-15 corridor, 
     scattered in-holdings and mine sites.
     Aquatic Resources
       Park Unit: Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Partners: 
     Private and Public lands. Projects/Pest: Work with City/
     College and others to facilitate movement of listed butterfly 
     between two separated NPS parcels.
       Park Unit: Point Reyes National Seashore. Partners: Private 
     lands. Project/Pest: Restore eroded stream channels 
     benefiting the salmonid fishery in the park.
       Park Unit: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. 
     Partners: Private lands, City and County government, NGO's. 
     Project/Pest: Numerous projects to stabilize, mitigate or 
     restore land disturbances affecting runoff and erosion 
     processes.
     Geologic Resources
       Park Unit: Redwood National Park. Partners: Private lands. 
     Project/Pest: Work collaboratively to implement erosion 
     control measures from roads associated with timber harvest.


                            State: Colorado

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Dinosaur National Monument. Partner: Utah State 
     land. Project/Pest: Jones Hole Creek, spotted knapweed and 
     tamarisk.
       Park Unit: Mesa Verde National Park Partner: Ute Mountain 
     Indian Reservation. Project/Pest: Mancos River tamarisk.


                      State: District of Columbia

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: National Capitol Area East. Partners: Private 
     landowners. Project/Pest: Asian Spiderwort (Murdannia 
     keisak).


                             State: Georgia

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military 
     Park, Partners: Lookout Land Trust and Private business, 
     Project/Pest: Kudzu.


                             State: Hawaii

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Haleakala National Park. Partners: State, 
     Private landowners, Private industry, NGO's, General public 
     Project/Pest: Miconia Fountain Grass, Bocconia, Pampas Grass.
       Park Unit: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Partners: State, 
     Private landowners, NGO's, Private industry. Project/Pest: 
     Miconia Fountain Grass, Bocconia, Pampas Grass.
       Park Unit: Kaluapapa National Historical Park Partners: 
     State, Private landowners, NGO's, Private industry Project/
     Pest: Miconia Fountain Grass, Bocconia, Pampas Grass.


                              State: Idaho

     Geologic Resources
       Park Unit: Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. 
     Partners: Private lands. Project/Pest: Prevent irrigation 
     canal seepage causing slumpage/wasting of fossil resources 
     and impacts to Snake River.


                            State: Kentucky

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Mammoth Cave National Park. Partners: Private 
     landowner and State University. Project/Pest: Garlic mustard.


                            State: Maryland

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Antietam National Battlefield. Partners: State 
     and County Department of Transportation. Project/Pest: Tree 
     of Heaven.
       Park Unit: Assateague Island National Seashore. Partners: 
     State agency. Projects/Pest: Eragrostis curvula (weeping 
     lovegrass) coming into park from state lands.
       Park Unit: Catoctin Mounain Park. Partners: State roads, 
     Railroad right-of-way. Project/Pest: Mile-a-minute.


                          State: Massachusetts

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Minute Man National Historical Park. Partners: 
     Local municipalities. Projects/Pest: Variety of exotic plants 
     along boundaries of park.
     Wetlands
       Park Unit: Cape Cod National Seashore. Partners: Town of 
     Well fleet, MA. Projects/Pest: CACO has three large wetlands 
     that are impaired due to salt marsh diking that has 
     restricted tidal flow to the systems, some impacted for more 
     than 100 years. Having the ability to access and utilize 
     funds to alter and improve the water control structures 
     ultimately is all that is needed to restore thousands of 
     acres of wetlands within the park boundary.


                            State: Missouri

     Geologic Resources
       Park Unit: Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Partners: 
     Private lands, Federal agencies. Project/Pest: Develop 
     understanding of and extent of karst environment in and 
     around the park.


                             State: Montana

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Glacier National Park. Partners: Blackfeet 
     tribe. Project/Pest: Numerous exotic plant species.
     Native Species
       Park Unit: Glacier National Park. Partners: Montana Fish, 
     Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Forest Service, BNSF Railroad and 
     others. Project/Pest: Fencing along boundaries, white and 
     limber pine restoration and wetland surveys.


                             State: Nevada

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Great Basin National Park. Partners: Private, 
     State and U.S. Forest Service. Project/Pest: Scattered 
     spotted knapweed and thistle in shared drainages with the 
     park.
       Park Unit: Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Partners: 
     County, State, Private, Bureau of Land Management. Project/
     Pest: Virgin River, Las Vegas Wash, Muddy River, tall 
     whitetop, Russian knapweed, camelthorn and tamarisk.


                           State: New Jersey

     Aquatic Resources
       Park Unit: Morristown National Historical Park. Partners: 
     Private landowners. Project/Pest: Develop and implement in 
     concert with private landowners best management practices to 
     reduce pesticide and storm water runoff into Primrose Creek 
     which contains a genetically pure stock of native brook 
     trout.


                           State: New Mexico

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Pecos National Historical Park. Partner: Private 
     landowners, U.S. Forest Service, and State agencies. 
     Projects/Pest: tamarisk.


                            State: New York

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. 
     Partners: State agencies, Local municipalities, watershed 
     associations. Projects/Pest: Variety of exotic plants along 
     park boundaries.
       Park Unit: Gateway National Recreation Area. Partners: 
     State agency. Projects/Pest: Oriental bittersweet invading 
     from park into state lands.


                         State: North Carolina

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Blue Ridge Parkway. Partner: The Nature 
     Conservancy, U.S. Forest Service. Projects/Pest: Oriental 
     Bittersweet
       Park Unit: Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. 
     Partner: Adjacent Homeowner Association Projects/Pest: 
     English Ivy.
       Park Unit: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. 
     Partner: Guilford County Parks and Recreation. Projects/Pest: 
     Wild yam and Privet.


                            State: Oklahoma

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Washita Battlefield National Historic Site. 
     Partner: Private landowners,

[[Page S384]]

     U.S. Forest Service. Projects/Pest: Scotch thistle.


                             State: Oregon

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Partner: 
     Private Landowners, County Weed Districts and Watershed 
     Councils. Projects/Pest: Medusa head, Tarweed, Russian 
     Knapweed Yellow Start thistle, Whitetop and other weeds.
       Park Unit: Lewis and Clark National Historical Park 
     (formerly Fort Clatsop National Memorial). Partner: Private 
     Timber lands, Private Agriculture lands and Oregon State 
     Parks. Projects/Pest: Scotch Broom, Reed Canary Grass, 
     English Holly, and other invasive plants.


                          State: Pennsylvania

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. 
     Partners: Local municipalities, Private landowners. Projects/
     Pest: Mainly Japanese knotweed along Delaware River and 
     tributaries.
     Aquatic Resources
       Park Unit: Valley Forge National Historical Park. Partners: 
     Private landowners, County/State governments, non-profit 
     groups. Project/Pest: Implement Valley Creek Restoration Plan 
     and EA which identifies management strategies and restoration 
     opportunities within the watershed and outside the park 
     including the retrofitting of 24 detention basins, creation 
     of 30 ground water infiltration sites, re-vegetation of miles 
     of eroding stream banks, and planting of riparian buffers 
     throughout the watershed.


                            State: Tennessee

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Big South Fork National River and Recreation 
     Area. Partners: Tennessee Division of Forestry and Tennessee 
     State Parks. Project/Pest: Multi-flora rose and Privet.
       Park Unit: Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. 
     Partners: City of Middlesboro. Project/Pest: Privet.
       Park Unit: Obed Wild and Scenic River. Partners: Tennessee 
     Wildlife Resources Agency. Project/Pest: Multi-flora rose and 
     Privet.


                              State: Texas

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Big Bend National Park. Partners: State and 
     Local government, Private landowners and Country of Mexico. 
     Project/Pest: Tamarisk along Rio Grande River Drainage.


                              State: Utah

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Arches National Park. Partners: State and Bureau 
     of Land Management. Project/Pest: Courthouse Wash and Salt 
     Creek tamarisk.
       Park Unit: Canyonlands National Park. Partners: Private and 
     The Nature Conservancy. Project/Pest: Dugout Ranch area, 
     tamarisk and knapweed.
       Park Unit: Capitol Reef National Park. Partners: Private 
     and U.S. Forest Service. Projects/Pest: Sulphur Creek and 
     Upper Fremont River, tamarisk.
       Park Unit: Zion National Park. Partners: Private and State 
     lands. Projects/Pest: Upper and Lower Virgin River, tamarisk.


                            State: Virginia

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Colonial National Historical Park. Partners: NGO 
     (Colonial Williamsburg Foundation). Projects/Pest: kudzu, 
     English ivy, and tree of heaven straddling common boundary.
       Park Unit: Shenandoah National Park. Partners: Private 
     lands (east boundary and west boundary). Projects/Pest: Kudzu 
     straddling east boundary; bamboo straddling west boundary.
       Park Unit: Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. 
     Partners: County and private lands. Project/Pest: Lesser 
     Celandine.


                           State: Washington

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. 
     Partner: Washington State Parks, The Nature Conservancy of 
     Washington, Island County, Ebey's Landing Trust Board, 
     Washington State Department of Transportation. Projects/Pest: 
     Poison Hemlock.
       Park Unit: Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. 
     Partner: U.S. Forest Service, State, Tribal, and Private 
     lands. Projects/Pest: Eurasian watermilfoil.
       Park Unit: Olympic National Park. Partner: U.S. Forest 
     Service, State, Tribal, and Private (including timber 
     company) lands. Projects/Pest: Several species of knotweed.
     Aquatic Resources
       Park Unit: Olympic National Park. Partners: Private lands, 
     State lands and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands. 
     Project/Pest: Cooperatively characterize aquifer parameters 
     such as storage and transmission coefficients, monitor ground 
     water levels, spring flow river flow install new monitoring 
     wells to determine response of aquifer to water withdrawals.


                          State: West Virginia

     Exotic Plants
       Park Unit: Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Partners: 
     Non-NPS owners of trail lands. Projects/Pest: Variety of 
     exotic plants coming into easements along the trail--major 
     problem throughout the length of this linear park.


                             State: Wyoming

     Aquatic Resources
       Park Unit: Yellowstone National Park. Partners: State of 
     Montana. Project/Pest: Initiate groundwater studies in the 
     Yellowstone Groundwater Area north of the park.
                                 ______