[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 118 (Tuesday, September 10, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H5451-H5452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  DENALI NATIONAL PARK IMPROVEMENT ACT

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (S. 157) to provide for certain improvements to the 
Denali National Park and Preserve in the State of Alaska, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 157

       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 
     Improvement Act''.

     SEC. 2. KANTISHNA HILLS MICROHYDRO PROJECT; LAND EXCHANGE.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appurtenance.--The term ``appurtenance'' includes--
       (A) transmission lines;
       (B) distribution lines;
       (C) signs;
       (D) buried communication lines;
       (E) necessary access routes for microhydro project 
     construction, operation, and maintenance; and
       (F) electric cables.
       (2) Kantishna hills area.--The term ``Kantishna Hills 
     area'' means the area of the Park located within 2 miles of 
     Moose Creek, as depicted on the map.
       (3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled 
     ``Kantishna Hills Micro-Hydro Area'', numbered 184/80,276, 
     and dated August 27, 2010.
       (4) Microhydro project.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``microhydro project'' means a 
     hydroelectric power generating facility with a maximum power 
     generation capability of 100 kilowatts.
       (B) Inclusions.--The term ``microhydro project'' includes--
       (i) intake pipelines, including the intake pipeline located 
     on Eureka Creek, approximately \1/2\ mile upstream from the 
     Park Road, as depicted on the map;
       (ii) each system appurtenance of the microhydro projects; 
     and
       (iii) any distribution or transmission lines required to 
     serve the Kantishna Hills area.
       (5) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Denali National Park 
     and Preserve.
       (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (b) Permits for Microhydro Projects.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may issue permits for 
     microhydro projects in the Kantishna Hills area.
       (2) Terms and conditions.--Each permit under paragraph (1) 
     shall be--
       (A) issued in accordance with such terms and conditions as 
     are generally applicable to rights-of-way within units of the 
     National Park System; and
       (B) subject to such other terms and conditions as the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary.
       (3) Completion of environmental analysis.--Not later than 
     180 days after the date on which an applicant submits an 
     application for the issuance of a permit under this 
     subsection, the Secretary shall complete any analysis 
     required by the National Environment Policy Act of 1969 (42 
     U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) of any proposed or existing microhydro 
     projects located in the Kantishna Hills area.
       (c) Land Exchange.--
       (1) In general.--For the purpose of consolidating ownership 
     of Park and Doyon Tourism, Inc. lands, including those lands 
     affected solely by the Doyon Tourism microhydro project, and 
     subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary may exchange Park 
     land near or adjacent to land owned by Doyon Tourism, Inc., 
     located at the mouth of Eureka Creek in sec. 13, T.16 S., R. 
     18 W., Fairbanks Meridian, for approximately 18 acres of land 
     owned by Doyon Tourism, Inc., within the Galena patented 
     mining claim.
       (2) Map availability.--The map shall be on file and 
     available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of 
     the National Park Service.
       (3) Timing.--The Secretary shall seek to complete the 
     exchange under this subsection by not later than February 1, 
     2015.
       (4) Applicable laws; terms and conditions.--The exchange 
     under this subsection shall be subject to--
       (A) the laws (including regulations) and policies 
     applicable to exchanges of land administered by the National 
     Park Service, including the laws and policies concerning land 
     appraisals, equalization of values, and environmental 
     compliance; and
       (B) such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines 
     to be necessary.
       (5) Equalization of values.--If the tracts proposed for 
     exchange under this subsection are determined not to be equal 
     in value, an equalization of values may be achieved by 
     adjusting the quantity of acres described in paragraph (1).
       (6) Administration.--The land acquired by the Secretary 
     pursuant to the exchange under this subsection shall be 
     administered as part of the Park.

     SEC. 3. DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE NATURAL GAS 
                   PIPELINE.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appurtenance.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``appurtenance'' includes 
     cathodic protection or test stations, valves, signage, and 
     buried communication and electric cables relating to the 
     operation of high-pressure natural gas transmission.
       (B) Exclusions.--The term ``appurtenance'' does not include 
     compressor stations.
       (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Denali National Park 
     and Preserve in the State of Alaska.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (b) Permit.--The Secretary may issue right-of-way permits 
     for--
       (1) a high-pressure natural gas transmission pipeline 
     (including appurtenances) in nonwilderness areas within the 
     boundary of Denali National Park within, along, or near the 
     approximately 7-mile segment of

[[Page H5452]]

     the George Parks Highway that runs through the Park; and
       (2) any distribution and transmission pipelines and 
     appurtenances that the Secretary determines to be necessary 
     to provide natural gas supply to the Park.
       (c) Terms and Conditions.--A permit authorized under 
     subsection (b)--
       (1) may be issued only--
       (A) if the permit is consistent with the laws (including 
     regulations) generally applicable to utility rights-of-way 
     within units of the National Park System;
       (B) in accordance with section 1106(a) of the Alaska 
     National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 3166(a)); 
     and
       (C) if, following an appropriate analysis prepared in 
     compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
     (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the route of the right-of-way is 
     the route through the Park with the least adverse 
     environmental effects for the Park; and
       (2) shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary.

     SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF THE WALTER HARPER TALKEETNA RANGER 
                   STATION.

       (a) Designation.--The Talkeetna Ranger Station located on B 
     Street in Talkeetna, Alaska, approximately 100 miles south of 
     the entrance to Denali National Park, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     Talkeetna Ranger Station referred to in subsection (a) shall 
     be deemed to be a reference to the ``Walter Harper Talkeetna 
     Ranger Station''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana 
Islands (Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may 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 Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 157 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
issue permits for a natural gas pipeline and a microhydroelectric 
project within the boundary of Denali National Park in Alaska.
  Additionally, S. 157 authorizes a land exchange between Denali 
National Park and Doyon Tourism, Inc., to facilitate the water project 
and renames a nearby ranger station in honor of Walter Harper. One 
hundred years ago, Harper became the first man to reach the summit of 
Mt. McKinley.
  Congressman Don Young, our colleague from Alaska, has sponsored a 
companion measure to this bill in the House, but to allow this bill to 
become public law more quickly, I urge adoption of this Senate bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Denali National Park Improvement Act allows the 
Secretary of the Interior to issue permits for specified small 
hydroelectric power facilities within the park boundaries. The 
legislation allows the park service to exchange approximately 18 acres 
of park land. Finally, the bill provides for right-of-ways for a 
natural gas pipeline and other natural gas distribution infrastructure.
  We have no objections to this legislation, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time, and I urge adoption of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 157.
  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.

                          ____________________