[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.

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