[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 24, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H886-H887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DELAWARE WATER GAP NATIONAL RECREATION AREA IMPROVEMENT ACT AMENDMENT
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3620) to amend the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area Improvement Act to provide access to certain vehicles serving
residents of municipalities adjacent to the Delaware Water Gap National
Recreation Area, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3620
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. VEHICULAR ACCESS AND FEES.
Section 4 of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area Improvement Act (Public Law 109-156) is amended to read
as follows:
``SEC. 4. USE OF CERTAIN ROADS WITHIN THE RECREATION AREA.
``(a) In General.--Except as otherwise provided in this
section, Highway 209, a federally owned road within the
boundaries of the Recreation Area, shall be closed to all
commercial vehicles.
``(b) Exception for Local Business Use.--Until September
30, 2020, subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to the
use of commercial vehicles that have four or fewer axles and
are--
``(1) owned and operated by a business physically located
in--
``(A) the Recreation Area; or
``(B) one or more adjacent municipalities; or
``(2) necessary to provide services to businesses or
persons located in--
``(A) the Recreation Area; or
``(B) one of more adjacent municipalities.
``(c) Fee.--The Secretary shall establish a fee and permit
program for the use by commercial vehicles of Highway 209
under subsection (b). The program shall include an annual fee
not to exceed $200 per vehicle. All fees received under the
program shall be set aside in a special account and be
available, without further appropriation, to the Secretary
for the administration and enforcement of the program,
including registering vehicles, issuing permits and vehicle
identification stickers, and personnel costs.
``(d) Exceptions.--The following vehicles may use Highway
209 and shall not be subject to a fee or permit requirement
under subsection (c):
``(1) Local school buses.
``(2) Fire, ambulance, and other safety and emergency
vehicles.
``(3) Commercial vehicles using Federal Road Route 209,
from--
``(A) Milford to the Delaware River Bridge leading to U.S.
Route 206 in New Jersey; and
``(B) mile 0 of Federal Road Route 209 to Pennsylvania
State Route 2001.''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
Section 2 of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area Improvement Act (Public Law 109-156) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as
paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively; and
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated
by paragraph (1) of this section) the following:
``(1) Adjacent municipalities.--The term `adjacent
municipalities' means Delaware Township, Dingman Township,
Lehman Township, Matamoras Borough, Middle Smithfield
Township, Milford Borough, Milford Township, Smithfield
Township and Westfall Township, in Pennsylvania.''.
SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.
Section 702 of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands
Management Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-333) is repealed.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms.
Tsongas) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
H.R. 3620, introduced by Congressman Tom Marino, amends the Delaware
Water Gap National Recreation Area Improvement Act to allow a road in
the recreation area to continue to be used by commercial vehicles that
serve the local communities adjoining this federally designated land.
It is entirely in keeping with one of our principal objectives for
Federal land use policy: to restore the Federal Government as a good
neighbor to the communities impacted by the Federal lands.
Before the Federal Government took control of 70,000 acres of land
adjacent to the Delaware River in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, highway
209 served as a major trucking route for commerce. Legislation that
created the recreation area and implemented it sought to prohibit
commercial vehicles from using this public highway, promising to
establish alternate routes. Yet, despite three extensions of the
deadline, local residents and businesses in the communities of Delaware
Township, Dingman Township, Lehman Township, Metamoras Borough, Middle
Smithfield Township, Milford Borough, Milford Township, Smithfield
Township, and Westfall Township in Pennsylvania are directly threatened
by the impending limitation.
H.R. 3620 would protect the people of these communities from this
unnecessary disruption and inconvenience by
[[Page H887]]
allowing commercial vehicles serving these communities to continue to
use this long-established highway. Specifically, it directs the
Department of the Interior to establish a fee and permit program for
commercial vehicles serving these communities.
This bill enjoys broad support in the affected communities, and
Congressman Marino should be commended for his efforts to resolve this
vexing issue for his constituents.
I urge the passage of the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This bill amends the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Improvement Act to extend the authorization of a waiver for certain
commercial traffic on U.S. Route 209, a federally owned highway that
runs through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
When Congress decided to restrict commercial traffic on the portion
of the highway that runs through the recreation area, the law included
an exemption for certain vehicles that belong to nearby businesses and
municipal governments. This bill provides a 5-year extension of that
exemption in order to facilitate continued access for local residents.
It is supported by the National Park Service, and I urge my
colleagues to support its adoption.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the author of this measure, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Marino).
Mr. MARINO. I thank the chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill to reauthorize commercial
traffic along Route 209 through the Delaware Water Gap National
Recreation Area.
For nearly 5 months now, uncertainty has reigned over this 21-mile
stretch of road that is running through my district. Over 30 years ago,
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania--as the chairman so eloquently
stated--transferred Route 209, then a State road, to the National Park
Service.
As commercial thru traffic is banned on roads within our national
parks, it would also be so on this stretch of Route 209; but, at that
time, a 10-year exemption was made to support the local freight
transportation industry and because acceptable alternative routes were
unavailable. After multiple extensions, the most recent commercial
vehicle authorization expired at the end of September of 2015.
To address the problem, county and township officials from the
surrounding areas met with the National Park Service and my staff to
negotiate a new plan. They recognized the continued need to allow some
commercial vehicle access, and they settled on the carefully crafted
language we are considering today.
The work to produce this extension acknowledges the continued need of
employers, businesses, and homeowners I represent in Pike and Monroe
Counties. The expiration in September cast a cloud on the local
business community and put countless jobs in jeopardy. Passing this
bill so that it can be swiftly considered by the Senate is imperative
as the weather warms and business activity increases through the
region.
I thank Chairman Bishop for his support and assistance in bringing
this bill to the floor as quickly as possible. I urge my colleagues to
support this bill.
Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3620.
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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