[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 31, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H5433-H5435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK ACT
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3641) to establish Pinnacles National Park in the State of
California as a unit of the National Park System, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3641
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 ``Pinnacles National Park
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Pinnacles National Monument was established by
Presidential Proclamation 796 on January 16, 1908, for the
purposes of protecting its rock formations, and expanded by
Presidential Proclamation 1660 of May 7, 1923; Presidential
Proclamation 1704 of July 2, 1924; Presidential Proclamation
1948 of April 13, 1931; Presidential Proclamation 2050 of
July 11, 1933; Presidential Proclamation 2528 of December 5,
1941; Public Law 94-567; and Presidential Proclamation 7266
of January 11, 2000.
(2) While the extraordinary geology of Pinnacles National
Monument has attracted and enthralled visitors for well over
a century, the expanded Monument now serves a critical role
in protecting other important natural and cultural resources
and ecological processes. This expanded role merits
recognition through legislation.
(3) Pinnacles National Monument provides the best remaining
refuge for floral and fauna species representative of the
central California coast and Pacific coast range, including
32 species holding special Federal or State status, not only
because of its multiple ecological niches but also because of
its long-term protected status with 14,500 acres of
Congressionally designated wilderness.
(4) Pinnacles National Monument encompasses a unique blend
of California heritage from prehistoric and historic Native
Americans to the arrival of the Spanish, followed by 18th and
19th century settlers, including miners, cowboys, vaqueros,
ranchers, farmers, and homesteaders.
(5) Pinnacles National Monument is the only National Park
System site within the ancestral home range of the California
Condor. The reintroduction of the condor to its traditional
range in California is important to the survival of the
species, and as a result, the scientific community with
centers at the Los Angeles Zoo and San Diego Zoo in
California and Buenos Aires Zoo in Argentina looks to
Pinnacles National Monument as a leader in California Condor
recovery, and as an international partner for condor recovery
in South America.
(6) The preservation, enhancement, economic and tourism
potential and management of the central California coast and
Pacific coast range's important natural and cultural
resources requires cooperation and partnerships among local
property owners, Federal, State, and local government
entities and the private sector.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK.
(a) Establishment and Purpose.--There is hereby established
Pinnacles National Park in the State of California for the
purposes of--
(1) preserving and interpreting for the benefit of future
generations the chaparral, grasslands, blue oak woodlands,
and majestic valley oak savanna ecosystems of the area, the
area's geomorphology, riparian watersheds, unique flora and
fauna, and the ancestral and cultural history of native
Americans, settlers and explorers; and
(2) interpreting the recovery program for the California
Condor and the international significance of the program.
(b) Boundaries.--The boundaries of Pinnacles National Park
are as generally depicted on the map entitled ``Proposed:
Pinnacles National Park Designation Change'', numbered 114/
111,724, and dated December 2011. The map shall be on file
and available for public inspection in the appropriate
offices of the National Park Service.
(c) Abolishment of Current Pinnacles National Monument.--
(1) In general.--In light of the establishment of Pinnacles
National Park, Pinnacles National Monument is hereby
abolished and the lands and interests therein are
incorporated within and made part of Pinnacles National Park.
Any funds available for purposes of the monument shall be
available for purposes of the park.
(2) References.--Any references in law (other than in this
Act), regulation, document, record, map or other paper of the
United States to Pinnacles National Monument shall be
considered a reference to Pinnacles National Park.
(d) Administration.--The Secretary of the Interior shall
administer Pinnacles National Park in accordance with this
Act and laws generally applicable to units of the National
Park System, including the National Park Service Organic Act
(16 U.S.C. 1, 2-4).
SEC. 4. REDESIGNATION OF PINNACLES WILDERNESS AS HAIN
WILDERNESS.
Subsection (i) of the first section of Public Law 94-567
(90 Stat. 2693; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note) is amended by striking
``Pinnacles Wilderness'' and inserting ``Hain Wilderness''.
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or
other record of the United States to the Pinnacles Wilderness
shall be deemed to be a reference to the Hain Wilderness.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana
Islands (Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.
General Leave
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which 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 Colorado?
There was no objection.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 4631 renames Pinnacles National Monument as Pinnacles National
Park. Pinnacles was originally designated in 1908 by President
Roosevelt under the authority of the Antiquities Act. However, under
this legislation, it is not anticipated that management would change
dramatically as the area is already considered a unit of the National
Park Service.
The Natural Resources Committee made important changes to H.R. 3641,
allowing us to bring this to the floor today. For example, the
committee removed a nearly 3,000-acre wilderness expansion and struck
unnecessary land acquisition authority. With these changes, the goal of
elevating recognition of the area as a national park is achieved
without limiting access.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. SABLAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
[[Page H5434]]
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, President Theodore Roosevelt designated
Pinnacles National Monument in California under the authority of the
Antiquities Act of 1908.
H.R. 3641 would redesignate the monument as Pinnacles National Park.
While the name change will not significantly alter management of the
area, it will raise the profile of this beautiful resource and
hopefully attract even more visitors.
Representative Farr is to be commended for his tenacity in moving
this legislation forward. He has had to make some very difficult
concessions to achieve passage of his bill today, and it is our hope
that we can continue working on this to achieve his full vision for
Pinnacles National Park.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as he may
consume to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Farr).
Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3641, known as the
Pinnacles National Park Act. As the sponsor of this bipartisan
legislation, I would also like to express my thanks to my friend,
Congressman Denham from California, for his original cosponsorship of
H.R. 3641.
The Pinnacles National Park Act will elevate America's 11th national
monument, the Pinnacles National Monument, to a national park. Only
Congress can designate a national park. This is the right thing to do
because there are not a lot of examples of tectonic plate movement in
our National Park System. This legislation would also rename the
current Pinnacles Wilderness after Schuyler Hain, who first came to the
area in 1886 and was largely responsible for getting the attention of
Theodore Roosevelt, who first designated the monument in 1908.
The first designation was to protect the beautiful rock formations
and talus caves, notable for its tunnels. It has since been expanded
several times by executive order and by congressional mandate to its
present size of over 26,000 acres. It is larger than several existing
national parks.
Pinnacles is a culturally significant area for several Native
American tribes. It served as the backdrop for John Steinbeck's ``Of
Mice and Men'' and ``East of Eden.''
Anyone who has visited this place knows it's special. From exploring
caves to viewing springtime wildflowers to hiking through spire-like
rock formations, visitors and families can participate in activities
that leave lasting memories. It is truly worthy of national park
status.
The Pinnacles, themselves, are half of the skeletal remains of the
Neenach Volcano, which erupted 23 million years ago, and are located at
the junction of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. The San
Andreas Fault is just 4 miles to the east, and Miner's Gulch and
Pinnacles Faults run directly through the Pinnacles system.
The Pinnacles system is home to 149 species of birds, 49 mammals, 22
reptiles, 6 amphibians, 68 butterflies, 36 dragonflies and damselflies,
and nearly 400 different kinds of bees--I didn't even know there were
that many--and many thousands of other invertebrates.
{time} 1700
One project I'm particularly proud about is the reintroduction of the
endangered California condor, the largest flying land bird in North
America. Since 2003, the Park Service has been a part of the California
Condor Recovery Program to reestablish California condors at Pinnacles
National Monument.
This cooperative endeavor between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Ventana Wildlife Society, Pinnacles Partnership, and others, in
collaboration with the California Condor Recovery Team, has done a
tremendous job on recovery efforts and public education. Many visitors
come to this region to get an opportunity to see the condor in the
wild.
This legislation has broad support from our counties of San Benito
and Monterey, as well as the chambers of commerce, visitors bureaus,
and from the respective counties who are enthusiastically supportive of
this legislation. There is no opposition to the bill. The Pinnacles is
uniquely located in coastal California to attract thousands of visitors
each year who provide a viable and vital economic engine for San Benito
County. Tourism is the primary focus for many of the business owners on
the central coast. Increasing the number of tourists would promote a
healthy impact for those not only in the retail sector, but also
dining, lodging and sightseeing opportunities.
The new national park designation would strengthen the region's
economic and tourism potential. There is no national park in that whole
region. Research shows that for every one dollar invested by the
Federal Government into our national parks, it returns $4 to the
community in tourism dollars.
Situated slightly inland from the California coast, Pinnacles
National Monument has not yet realized its full potential to reach
locals and tourists. Many tourists travel, dine, and stay overnight in
areas along the coast such as Monterey and Santa Cruz, where they are
visiting to recreate, camp, view wildlife, and enjoy the great
outdoors. However, many are not aware of the Pinnacles National
Monument and, as a result, do not make short trip inland to see this
treasure. By elevating its stature to a national park, I believe that
more visitors will come through our restaurants and businesses and more
visitors will stay overnight near the park.
I'd like to end with an inspiring quote from Ken Burns, who directed
``The National Parks: America's Best Idea.'' In a letter of support,
Mr. Burns wrote for this legislation, he stated:
A Pinnacles National Park would preserve a unique portion
of our land: not only a critical record of geologic time,
what John Muir would have called a ``grand geological
library'' that helps Americans look back millions of years to
understand the vast tectonic forces that shaped--and still
shape--our continent, but also a rare habitat for condors, a
wide array of flowers, and 400 species of bees. It would
preserve a place that, over the centuries, Native Americans,
early Spanish settlers, homesteaders from the East, and
Basque sheepherders have considered home, offering an
important series of perspectives on the larger sweep of
American history.
With that bit of wisdom, I would urge my colleagues to support our
bipartisan legislation. Again, I would like to thank Jeff Denham, a
Congressman from the region, for supporting and cosponsoring H.R. 3641,
the Pinnacles National Park Act.
I ask your support.
Florentine Films
Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, Statement for the Record in Support of
H.R. 3444, Pinnacles National Park Act
During the last ten years, as we researched, filmed, and
created our documentary series for PBS, The National Parks:
America's Best Idea, we grew to appreciate the amazing
diversity of the special treasures that constitute our
national parks, every American's incredible inheritance. And
in studying the history of the evolution of the national park
idea, we learned that many of today's national parks were at
one time national monuments--from the Grand Canyon to Death
Valley, from Petrified Forest to Biscayne, from Congaree to
most of Alaska's national parks, and so many more.
In that spirit, grounded in the tradition of recognizing
the special importance of a national monument by extending
its designation to that of a national park, we wish to
wholeheartedly endorse H.R. 3444 and the creation of
Pinnacles National Park.
A Pinnacles National Park would preserve a unique portion
of our land: not only a critical record of geological time
(what John Muir would have called a ``grand geological
library'') that helps Americans look back millions of years
to understand the vast tectonic forces that shaped--and still
shape--our continent, but also a rare habitat for condors, a
wide array of flowers, and 400 species of bees. It would
preserve a place that, over the centuries, Native Americans,
early Spanish settlers, homesteaders from the East, and
Basque sheepherders have considered home, offering an
important series of perspectives on the larger sweep of
American history.
We also understand from our investigation of national park
history that, while changing an area's designation from
``monument'' to ``park'' does not necessarily change its
crucial attributes, it nonetheless alters its place in the
American imagination. The Grand Canyon was just as wide and
deep when it was a national monument as it is now as a
national park, but the change enhanced its status in the eyes
of the public--and in doing so increased its lure to visitors
from our nation and abroad. So, too, a Pinnacles National
Park, simply by its new designation, would attract and demand
greater attention to the remarkable treasures the monument
has to offer.
In closing, we would like to quote John Muir once more,
when he was writing about the proposal to make Mount Rainier
National Forest into Mount Rainier National
[[Page H5435]]
Park: ``Happy will be the men who, having the power and the
love and the benevolent forecast to [create a park], will do
it. They will not be forgotten. The trees and their lovers
will sing their praises, and generations yet unborn will rise
up and call them blessed.'' Please give your support to
creating Pinnacles National Park. Generations yet to come
will thank you for it.
Ken Burns.
Dayton Duncan.
Mr. LAMBORN. I would like to inquire if the gentleman from the
Northern Marianas has any other speakers?
Mr. SABLAN. No, we don't, Mr. Speaker.
At this time, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMBORN. Likewise, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3641, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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