[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 160 (Monday, October 22, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H11785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND ALASKA RAILROAD EXCHANGE ACT OF 2007

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 830) to authorize the exchange of certain lands in Denali 
National Park in the State of Alaska, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 830

       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 ``Denali National Park and 
     Alaska Railroad Exchange Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Corporation.--The term ``Corporation'' means the Alaska 
     Railroad Corporation owned by the State of Alaska.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 3. EXCHANGE.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Easement expanded.--The Secretary is authorized to 
     grant to the Alaska Railroad Corporation an exclusive-use 
     easement on land that is identified by the Secretary within 
     Denali National Park for the purpose of providing a location 
     to the Corporation for construction, maintenance, and on-
     going operation of track and associated support facilities 
     for turning railroad trains around near Denali Park Station.
       (2) Easement relinquished.--In exchange for the easement 
     granted in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall require the 
     relinquishment of certain portions of the Corporation's 
     existing exclusive use easement within the boundary of Denali 
     National Park.
       (b) Conditions of the Exchange.--
       (1) Equal exchange.--The exchange of easements under this 
     section shall be on an approximately equal-acre basis.
       (2) Total acres.--The easement granted under paragraph (1) 
     of subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 acres.
       (3) Interests conveyed.--The easement conveyed to the 
     Alaska Railroad Corporation by the Secretary under this 
     section shall be under the same terms as the exclusive use 
     easement granted to the Railroad in Denali National Park in 
     the Deed for Exclusive Use Easement and Railroad Related 
     Improvements filed in Book 33, pages 985-994 of the Nenana 
     Recording District, Alaska, pursuant to the Alaska Railroad 
     Transfer Act of 1982 (45 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.). The easement 
     relinquished by the Alaska Railroad Corporation to the United 
     States under this section shall, with respect to the portion 
     being exchanged, be the full title and interest received by 
     the Alaska Railroad in the Deed for Exclusive Use Easement 
     and Railroad Related Improvements filed in Book 33, pages 
     985-994 of the Nenana Recording District, Alaska, pursuant to 
     the Alaska Railroad Transfer Act of 1982 (45 U.S.C. 1201 et 
     seq.).
       (4) Costs.--The Alaska Railroad shall pay all costs 
     associated with the exchange under this section, including 
     the costs of compliance with the National Environmental 
     Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the costs of any 
     surveys, and other reasonable costs.
       (5) Land to be part of wilderness.--The lands underlying 
     any easement relinquished to the United States under this 
     section that are adjacent to designated wilderness are hereby 
     designated as wilderness and added to the Denali Wilderness, 
     the boundaries of which are modified accordingly, and shall 
     be managed in accordance with applicable provisions of the 
     Wilderness Act (78 Stat. 892) and the Alaska National 
     Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (94 Stat. 2371).
       (6) Other terms and conditions.--The Secretary shall 
     require any additional terms and conditions under this 
     section that the Secretary determines to be appropriate to 
     protect the interests of the United States and of Denali 
     National Park.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRIJALVA. 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 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 830 was introduced by the gentleman from Alaska 
(Mr. Young). The legislation would authorize an exchange of easements 
on land along the Alaska Railroad track inside the Denali National 
Park.
  The exchange would make it possible for the railroad to build a 
turnaround track near the Denali Park station, helping to accommodate 
the increasing popularity of rail travel in the park.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an exchange of easements only. No park land will 
change hands. The railroad has an existing easement along its entire 
track, granted as a result of the 1982 Alaska Railroad Transfer Act. 
But the easement will not accommodate the turnaround.
  H.R. 830 would allow the Secretary of the Interior to grant a new 
easement for the turnaround. In exchange, the railroad will relinquish 
its existing easement on an approximate equal number of acres elsewhere 
along the current track.
  Mr. Speaker, we support H.R. 830, as amended, and recommend its 
adoption by the House today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the full 
committee and the chairman of the subcommittee for allowing this 
legislation to come to the floor of the House.
  As a sponsor of H.R. 830 and of the Alaska Railroad Transfer Act of 
1982, I am pleased we are considering this legislation today. Although 
it is small, the land exchange provided by H.R. 830 will improve the 
ability of the Alaska Railroad Corporation to serve its customers who 
wish to visit Denali National Park. The construction of a turnaround 
track will increase scheduling frequency and flexibility. This not only 
reduces overcrowding of Denali at any one time, it makes the Park 
Service's job of managing visitation much smoother.
  This is a noncontroversial bill and enjoys the support of the 
National Park Service, the State of Alaska which owns the railroad, and 
the National Parks Conservation Association.
  For anyone who has not traveled on the Alaska Railroad, it is a 
journey you should not miss. For those who have had an opportunity to 
enjoy the splendor of Alaska's scenery aboard the train, I am sure you 
will agree it is a first-class experience.
  You may not know, but Alaska Railroad was once owned by the Federal 
Government; but Congress in its wisdom passed bipartisan legislation in 
1982 to transfer the railroad to the State of Alaska. As Congress faces 
immense backlogs in caring for Federal assets, perhaps there is a 
lesson to be learned here. We might consider transferring more of these 
assets to the States. Alaska has proven it can take a Federal asset 
like the Alaska Railroad and manage it for the benefit of everyone who 
uses it. I believe this is a fine piece of legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, 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. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 830, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to authorize the 
exchange of certain interests in land in Denali National Park in the 
State of Alaska.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.




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