[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H2125-H2126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ACT
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (S. 23) to designate as wilderness certain land and
inland water within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the
State of Michigan, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 23
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 ``Sleeping Bear Dunes National
Lakeshore Conservation and Recreation Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map consisting of 6
sheets entitled ``Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Proposed Wilderness Boundary'', numbered 634/80,083B, and
dated November 2010.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 3. SLEEPING BEAR DUNES WILDERNESS.
(a) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), certain land and inland water within
the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore comprising
approximately 32,557 acres along the mainland shore of Lake
Michigan and on certain nearby islands in Benzie and Leelanau
Counties, Michigan, as generally depicted on the map, is
designated as wilderness and as a component of the National
Wilderness Preservation System, to be known as the ``Sleeping
Bear Dunes Wilderness''.
(b) Map.--
(1) Availability.--The map shall be on file and available
for public inspection in appropriate offices of the National
Park Service.
(2) Corrections.--The Secretary may correct any clerical or
typographical errors in the map.
(3) Legal description.--As soon as practicable after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare a
legal description of the wilderness boundary and submit a
copy of the map and legal description to the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee
on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.
(c) Road Setbacks.--The wilderness boundary shall be--
(1) 100 feet from the centerline of adjacent county roads;
and
(2) 300 feet from the centerline of adjacent State
highways.
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) In General.--Subject to valid existing rights, the
wilderness area designated by section 3(a) shall be
administered by the Secretary in accordance with the
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that--
(1) any reference in the Wilderness Act to the effective
date of that Act shall be considered to be a reference to the
date of enactment of this Act; and
(2) any reference in the Wilderness Act to the Secretary of
Agriculture shall be considered to be a reference to the
Secretary.
(b) Maintenance of Roads Outside Wilderness Boundary.--
Nothing in this Act prevents the maintenance and improvement
of roads that are located outside the boundary of the
wilderness area designated by section 3(a).
(c) Fish and Wildlife.--Nothing in this Act affects the
jurisdiction of the State of Michigan with respect to the
management of fish and wildlife, including hunting and
fishing within the national lakeshore in accordance with
section 5 of Public Law 91-479 (16 U.S.C. 460x-4).
(d) Savings Provisions.--Nothing in this Act modifies,
alters, or affects--
(1) any treaty rights; or
(2) any valid private property rights in existence on the
day before the date of enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford)
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 material 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.
This bill reflects decades of work, work by local citizens who
organized to reject the dictates of the Federal bureaucracy and to
protect public access and recreation. At the same time that this bill
designates new wilderness, it also provides critical protections for
the public's ability to visit and enjoy the Sleeping Bear Dunes
National Lakeshore in the State of Michigan. Let me give you a little
bit of background.
In 1981, the National Park Service proposed a general management plan
for the lakeshore in Michigan. The plan was so restrictive as to be
punitive towards recreation, and it sparked a local backlash. After
years of collaboration, a new plan was agreed upon that realigned the
wilderness boundaries to restore sensible public access.
This legislation would codify these negotiated changes into law and
ensure the continued availability of roads for visitors traveling to
remote trailheads, to beaches, to backcountry areas, and to historic
areas within this geography. The bill also protects motorboater access
to the shoreline. It specifically protects private property rights. It
preserves hunting and fishing rights, and it does not expand Federal
land ownership or add any additional costs to taxpayers.
As I stated, this effort has been going on for several decades. After
the House votes today, this bill will go to the President for his
signature in order to become law. Yet, Mr. Speaker, the real
[[Page H2126]]
credit for this legislation, even though it is a Senate bill, is owed
to our colleague from Michigan, Dr. Benishek, for making this happen.
He is the lead sponsor of this legislation, or the companion
legislation, in the House of Representatives. Dr. Benishek has been a
persistent and persuasive advocate for this local proposal.
As the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which
oversees this bill, I can state with certainty that it is because of
his, Dr. Benishek's, bipartisan efforts that this bill will pass the
House tonight. He has worked closely with both Republicans and
Democrats, especially his senior Senator, Senator Levin of Michigan, to
make this a reality. Without their personal efforts, today's vote would
not happen.
Dr. Benishek certainly deserves recognition for this success, and I
congratulate him and the people of Michigan, whom he represents, for
this legislation.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. HORSFORD asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank our chairman from
the Natural Resources Committee, and I am proud to be here on behalf of
the minority to speak in favor of S. 23, which is a locally driven
conservation initiative that will make the management of a national
park unit more efficient and will create the first new acres of
wilderness enacted into the system since 2009. Adding approximately
30,000 acres of wilderness will protect the special character of
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan.
The passage of this bill is going to make a lot of people very happy,
and I hope it is a sign of change to come. Congress should not stand in
the way of locally driven conservation initiatives, and we look forward
to working with the majority to identify more opportunities in which to
work together and to move legislation that merits our attention. There
are a lot more wilderness bills, monument designations, and wildlife
and scenic river bills that the House should consider. We happily
support the adoption of S. 23.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 5
minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Benishek), the author of
the House legislation which is the companion to what we are voting on
from the Senate.
Mr. BENISHEK. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of S. 23, the Sleeping Bear
Dunes National Lakeshore Conservation and Recreation Act.
As you know, this bill, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent
on June 19, 2013, is identical to H.R. 163, legislation I introduced by
the same title last January with the full support of the Michigan
delegation.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a treasured area of my home
district and for the entire Nation. The park has been named America's
most beautiful place by ``Good Morning America,'' and over 1 million
visitors from around the world come to see the dunes and the
surrounding lakes each year.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore plays a vital role in our
State's outdoor recreation economy, which contributes over $18 billion
in consumer spending and over 194,000 jobs to the State of Michigan. As
Pamela of Lake Township said, ``Sleeping Bear is vital to the economy
of northern Michigan. Most of the money earned in this area is during
the summer months when tourists from all over the country visit.'' From
gas stations to ice cream stands to local hotels, our local businesses
look forward to a full and thriving park season each year.
In 1981, Congress determined that wilderness areas should exist
within this park, and over 30,000 acres of park have been managed as
wilderness since that time. When the National Park Service began to
update the proposed map for the first time since 1981, the local
residents discovered for the first time that the map included a number
of county roads, beaches, and historic sites in this proposed
wilderness area.
As you can imagine, local residents in Benzie, Leelanau, and Grand
Traverse County were not pleased, and a lengthy public planning period
began. Because of the very public local opposition to the original land
management plan, the Park Service agreed to go back to the drawing
board. They worked together with the local citizens and interest
groups, ranging from area businesses to environmental groups. After
gathering extensive public involvement, review, and comment, a final
general management plan was adopted in January 2009. This plan ensures
that all county roads will remain in control of the local governments,
and beaches and historic sites will be excluded from the wilderness
map.
The bill on the floor here today represents the hard work of these
engaged citizens. It has been introduced each Congress, in both the
House and the Senate, since 2009. This legislation, like the park,
itself, has always enjoyed wide support from the entire Michigan
delegation on both sides of the aisle. While we may not agree on every
issue, we can agree that our local communities know best when it comes
to planning for the future of our parks.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have worked with those who have come
before me--from Chairman Camp, to former Representative Hoekstra, to
Representative Huizenga and Senator Levin--to shepherd this bill
through Congress. My goal is simple. Like all of those who love this
amazing stretch of shoreline, I want to ensure that those beaches and
roads remain open.
I hope everyone will join me in visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes soon.
You will get to see how truly blessed northern Michigan is to have this
amazing natural wonder.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2
minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Camp), another cosponsor of
this legislation and the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
Mr. CAMP. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the bill offered by my
colleague and friend, Mr. Dan Benishek of Michigan.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is not just a Michigan but
a national treasure. It is enjoyed by over 1 million visitors from
across the State, country, and world each year. In fact, in 2011,
Sleeping Bear was voted the ``most beautiful place in America'' by a
poll conducted by ``Good Morning America.''
This bill is the product of years of work between members of the
public, the National Park Service, and local, State, and Federal
officials. It strikes a careful balance between conservation and
recreation. In addition to protecting this vital natural resource, the
bill ensures that the beaches of Lake Michigan will be accessible to
the public and that hunting and fishing rights, as well as boating
access, will be maintained.
I hope the rest of the House will join me today in supporting the
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Conservation and Recreation Act
so that this national treasure can be enjoyed to its fullest now and
for many generations to come.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, just to reiterate, we fully support S. 23.
I look forward to its passage, and I look forward to one day visiting
this beautiful location in Michigan.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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. 23.
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.
____________________