[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 130 (Tuesday, September 15, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H9519-H9520]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2009

  Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1002) to adjust the boundaries of Pisgah National Forest in 
McDowell County, North Carolina.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1002

       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 ``Pisgah National Forest 
     Boundary Adjustment Act of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT, PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST, NORTH 
                   CAROLINA.

       (a) Boundary Adjustment.--The boundaries of Pisgah National 
     Forest in McDowell County, North Carolina, are hereby 
     modified to include a parcel of land consisting of 
     approximately 301 acres, of which approximately 213 acres are 
     owned by the United States and administered by the Forest 
     Service, as generally depicted on the map entitled ``Proposed 
     Proclamation Boundary Change, Grandfather Ranger District, 
     Pisgah National Forest'' and more particularly delineated and 
     described according to the final boundary adjustment map and 
     boundary description prepared by the Forest Service.
       (b) Availability and Correction.--The maps referred to in 
     subsection (a) shall be on file and available for public 
     inspection in the Office of the Regional Forester, Atlanta, 
     Georgia. The Secretary of Agriculture may make minor 
     corrections to the maps.
       (c) Land Acquisition.--Subject to the appropriation of 
     funds to carry out this subsection and the consent of the 
     owner of the private land included within the boundaries of 
     Pisgah National Forest by subsection (a), the Secretary of 
     Agriculture may acquire the private land.
       (d) Management of Acquired Land.--Any federally owned lands 
     that have been or hereafter may be acquired for National 
     Forest System purposes within the boundaries of Pisgah 
     National Forest, as modified by subsection (a), shall be 
     managed as lands acquired under the Act of March 1, 1911 
     (commonly known as the Weeks Act), and in accordance with the 
     other laws and regulations pertaining to the National Forest 
     System. Nothing in this subsection shall limit the authority 
     of the Secretary of Agriculture to adjust the boundaries of 
     Pisgah National Forest pursuant to sections 10 and 11 of such 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 519, 521).
       (e) Relation to Land and Water Conservation Fund Act.--For 
     purposes of section 7 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund 
     Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-9), the boundaries of Pisgah 
     National Forest, as modified by subsection (a), shall be 
     considered to be boundaries of Pisgah National Forest as of 
     January 1, 1965.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Holden) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1002 was introduced by Congressman Heath Shuler of 
North Carolina. This bill would authorize the Forest Service to 
purchase privately held land and modify the boundaries of the Pisgah 
National Forest in McDowell County, North Carolina. This will improve 
access to Catawba Falls, a prime recreational and tourist site in the 
region. The Forest Service has already purchased adjacent land for 
preservation, and this purchase would allow for parking and trailhead 
expansion in the falls area. A fiscal year 2010 appropriations request 
was made for the funds needed to purchase this land, and the money was 
included in the Interior appropriations bill that passed the House on 
July 7.
  H.R. 1002 has the bipartisan support of the entire North Carolina 
congressional delegation, as well as the support of the U.S. Forest 
Service, and I support its passage today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 1002. This bill expands the boundary of the 
National Forest in North Carolina. The expanded boundary will make it 
possible for the Forest Service to purchase a privately owned parcel of 
land for the purpose of creating a parking area and trail access. As my 
colleague has noted, the Forest Service supports this bill and funding 
is included in the fiscal year 2010 Interior appropriations bill to 
purchase the land. The bill passed out of committee unanimously. I urge 
my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
author of the legislation from North Carolina, Mr. Shuler.
  Mr. SHULER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pennsylvania for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1002, the Pisgah 
National Forest Boundary Adjustment Act of 2009. I would like to thank 
the chairman and the ranking member for their hard work and their 
support.
  This bill would simply extend the current boundary of the Forest 
Service to include 213 acres of land that is already owned and 
maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, as well as 88 acres currently 
owned by a regional nonprofit land trust.

                              {time}  1445

  This bill has bipartisan support from the entire North Carolina 
delegation, for which I am very grateful.
  This bill will help the Federal Government meet several objectives. 
First, it will clarify the boundary that identifies parcels of land 
that are already owned by the Forest Service. Secondly, it will help to 
guarantee the conservation of pristine acreage that promotes water 
quality as well as tourism in the region of western North Carolina. 
Third, it will help thousands of visitors each year access Catawba 
Falls, a uniquely beautiful cascade that is already on Forest Service 
property.
  H.R. 1002 explicitly protects the rights of private property owners. 
This bill will preserve the natural treasures and make sure that the 
public has adequate access to publicly owned land. In addition to being 
cosponsored by the entire North Carolina delegation, this bill has 
received unanimous and bipartisan support in the House Committee on 
Agriculture.
  I am grateful to all of my colleagues for their support, as well as 
to the staff of the Committee on Agriculture for all of their hard 
work.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson).
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for 
yielding me this time, and I offer my support to my colleague from 
North Carolina for the bill he has put forward.
  I rise today to speak on issues of forestry, and specifically to 
House Resolution 81 which recognizes the importance and sustainability 
of the U.S. hardwoods industry.
  My rural district in Pennsylvania is comprised of sprawling forest 
lands and the Allegheny National Forest. For generations, the economic 
engine of this region has been oil and gas production and the 
harvesting of some of the finest hardwoods in the country.
  American hardwoods are valued here and around the world for their 
natural beauty, long life, sustainability, and many applications from 
furniture to flooring to musical instruments.
  There are more than 100 privately owned businesses in my district. 
Most are family owned, whose well-being and the well-being of their 
employees are dependent upon the American hardwoods. More than a 
billion dollars in hardwoods and hardwood products are exported from 
the United States each year. Even with this growing market demand, the 
supply of hardwood resources has continued to grow as forests, both 
public and private, are managed for growth and harvest.
  In addition to the enormous economic benefits which the timber 
industry has on our rural economy, timber harvesting in Pennsylvania is 
an essential part of forest health and management efforts. For example, 
when decaying timber or wood waste is removed from the forest floor, it 
creates a much fuller and more vibrant forest in the long run. Forest 
management helps to create a stronger carbon sink than an unmanaged 
forest.
  In addition, the U.S. Forest Service spends $2 billion per year, half 
their

[[Page H9520]]

budget, fighting wildfires. I believe that better and increased 
management will help to reduce the regularity and severity of these 
all-too-frequent disasters. In short, the timber industry is an 
important component in forest management and health.
  As a cosponsor of the legislation, House Resolution 81, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on that piece of legislation 
and honor an industry which benefits our economy and our forest health.
  Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, having no additional speakers, I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Holden) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1002.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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