[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 160 (Monday, October 24, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H6992-H6994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
McKINNEY LAKE NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY CONVEYANCE ACT
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 1160) to require the Secretary of the Interior to
convey the McKinney Lake National Fish Hatchery to the State of North
Carolina, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1160
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 ``McKinney Lake National Fish
Hatchery Conveyance Act''.
SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF MCKINNEY LAKE NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of North
Carolina.
(b) Conveyance.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the
State, without reimbursement, all right, title, and interest
of the United States in and to the property described in
subsection (c), for use by the North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission as a component of the fish and wildlife
management program of the State.
(c) Description of Property.--The property referred to in
subsection (b) is comprised of the property known as the
``McKinney Lake National Fish Hatchery'', which--
(1) is located at 220 McKinney Lake Road, Hoffman (between
Southern Pines and Rockingham), in Richmond County, North
Carolina;
(2) is a warmwater facility consisting of approximately 422
acres; and
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(3) includes all improvements and related personal property
under the jurisdiction of the Secretary that are located on
the property (including buildings, structures, and
equipment).
(d) Use by State.--
(1) Use.--The property conveyed to the State under this
section shall be used by the State for purposes relating to
fishery and wildlife resources management.
(2) Reversion.--
(A) In general.--If the property conveyed to the State
under this section is used for any purpose other than the
purpose described in paragraph (1), all right, title, and
interest in and to the property shall revert to the United
States.
(B) Condition of property.--If the property described in
subparagraph (A) reverts to the United States under this
paragraph, the State shall ensure that the property is in
substantially the same or better condition as the condition
of the property as of the date of the conveyance of the
property under this section.
(C) Exception.--This paragraph shall not apply with respect
to use of the property under subsection (e).
(e) Use by Secretary.--The Secretary shall require, as a
condition and term of the conveyance of property under this
section, that the State shall, upon the request of the
Secretary, allow the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
to use the property in cooperation with the Commission for
propagation of any critically important aquatic resources
held in public trust to address specific restoration or
recovery needs of such resource.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs.
Napolitano) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.
General Leave
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Alaska?
There was no objection.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
This bill would transfer title to 422 acres of land from the Fish and
Wildlife Service to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
The commission has been effectively managing this property since 1998
under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Service, and they have
been providing anglers with 150,000 channel catfish each year. Both the
State and the Obama administration testified in support of this
conveyance, and I note that Congress has previously conveyed 10
national fish hatcheries to various States and municipalities.
I urge the adoption of this measure, and I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend
her remarks.)
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. I rise in support of H.R. 1160, as amended, which
would convey the McKinney Lake National Fish Hatchery to the North
Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for the purposes of fish and
wildlife management. This would allow for the continued operation of
the hatchery and the important role it plays in the State's urban
fishing program and in addressing the restoration or recovery needs of
aquatic resources held in public trust.
As we've heard before, with the warming of the oceans, we are in
critical need of helping conserve our fishing industry. So to me this
is really a critical piece of legislation.
I do commend my colleague, Congressman Kissell from North Carolina,
for introducing his bill, which is supported by his State and the
administration, and would yield to the gentleman for such time as he
may consume.
Mr. KISSELL. I would like to thank my colleague for yielding time.
Mr. Speaker, I do rise in strong support of H.R. 1160, the McKinley
National Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act. I'd like to thank the chairman,
ranking member, and staff of the Natural Resources Committee for
helping us put this bill together. I also want to thank those from the
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and those from the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service that also helped my staff in putting this
together.
As said, the McKinley Fish Hatchery is 422 acres located in south
central North Carolina, near Hoffman, North Carolina. It consists of 23
ponds with the main lake being McKinley. The water resources there
cover 18 acres. This effort was first started in the mid-1990s; but due
to structural problems on the dam of McKinley Lake itself, the
conveyance was unable to be completed.
And as also mentioned, there's been a series of MOAs between the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Carolina Wildlife Commission.
{time} 1630
In the meantime, those structural problems have been satisfied.
They're no longer an issue, and we're ready to proceed with this. There
has been bipartisan support, with 10 of our colleagues in North
Carolina cosponsoring this bill, and both Senators from North Carolina
have signed off on similar legislation in the Senate.
The prime purpose and use of the fish hatchery now is in the
community fishing program that's sponsored by the North Carolina
Wildlife Resources Commission taking fingerling-size channel catfish
that are grown here in the hatchery throughout North Carolina to ponds
and lakes in communities and allowing people from North Carolina who
may not have access otherwise to come in and enjoy the pleasures of
fishing. I'm especially proud of the efforts that are made for those
that might have trouble with a handicap. It allows them access to
fishing. And there are also programs designed to get our children
involved and to grow up knowing the pleasures of fishing.
Once again, this is a win-win situation for all involved. I encourage
my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and to make this conveyance complete.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Chairman, Ranking Member, and
the Majority, and Minority Staff of the Natural Resources Committee for
helping bring this bill to the floor today. I rise in support of H.R.
1160 the ``McKinney Lake National Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act,'' a
bill I have introduced in both the 111th and 112th Congress.
Located in Hoffman, North Carolina the McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery is
a warm water hatchery, and contains 23 ponds covering more than 18
acres of water. This primary use of the hatchery is growing fingerling-
sized (3-4 inches) channel catfish to harvestable size (8-12 inches)
for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's Community Fishing Program.
The Commission's Community Fishing Program provides angling
opportunities to thousands of citizens, including children and disabled
individuals, throughout the year. These Community Fishing Program sites
are intensively managed bodies of water that receive monthly stockings
of catchable-sized channel catfish from April-September. The McKinney
Lake hatchery in conjunction with the Watha State Fish Hatchery near
Wilmington provides the channel catfish for these monthly stockings.
Many of these Community Fishing Program sites feature handicap-
accessible fishing piers and solar-powered fish feeders helping to
provide an enjoyable angling experience for citizens of all ages.
The ``McKinney Lake National Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act,'' while
first introduced in the 111th Congress as H.R. 6115 and this congress
as H.R. 1160 actually has its beginnings in 1995. At that time the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service offered to transfer ownership and operation
of this hatchery to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to help meet
the state's fisheries management objectives. However, due to the
structural deficiencies of the lake's dam, the transfer was never
completed. Since then, the dam issues have been corrected, and the NC
Wildlife Resources Commission has had full management of the hatchery
under a memorandum of agreement, MOA, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, USFWS. The State of North Carolina and the USFWS have entered
into 5 subsequent MOA's since 1995, with the most current being signed
on November 10, 2009 and continuing until September 30, 2012.
H.R. 1160 was drafted by my staff with the cooperation, and
consultation, of both the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
and the USFWS. The product of this cooperation is a bill that has
garnered the support of 9 bi-partisan original co-sponsors from the
North Carolina House delegation, as well as companion legislation (S.
651) in the Senate. The Senate version is co-sponsored by both North
Carolina Senators.
In conclusion, H.R. 1160 would complete a land conveyance that by all
accounts should have occurred in the late 1990's. In addition the state
of North Carolina would be able to continue producing catfish for the
popular and important Community Fishing Program, on land and facilities
that they would have ownership of. The State ownership of this land
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would incentivize them to make long term improvements and investments
in the property, keeping it a viable fish hatchery. I appreciate the
opportunity to stand in support of H.R. 1160 today, and would urge my
colleagues to support the passage of this legislation.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. 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 Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1160, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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