[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 991-993]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            NEW YORK CITY NATURAL GAS SUPPLY ENHANCEMENT ACT

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 2606) to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to allow the construction and operation of natural gas 
pipeline facilities in the Gateway National Recreation Area, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2606

       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 ``New York City Natural Gas 
     Supply Enhancement Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Entity.--The term ``entity'' means an entity holding a 
     permit issued under this Act.
       (2) Lease.--The term ``lease'' means an agreement that 
     authorizes the occupancy and use of certain designated 
     premises for facilities associated with the project, 
     particularly a meter and regulating station.
       (3) Natural gas pipeline facilities.--The term ``natural 
     gas pipeline facilities'' means pipeline and related 
     equipment necessary for the transmission and distribution of 
     natural gas, such as meters and heating and pressure-
     regulating devices used in the transportation of natural gas.
       (4) Permit.--The term ``permit'' means any permits, rights-
     of-way, or any other authorizations necessary for the 
     Secretary to authorize the construction, operation, and 
     maintenance of natural gas pipeline facilities in the Gateway 
     National Recreation Area.
       (5) Project.--The term ``project'' means the natural gas 
     pipeline facilities within Gateway National Recreation Area, 
     including the meter and regulating station to be located at 
     Floyd Bennett Field, that are part of the Rockaway Delivery 
     Lateral/Brooklyn Queens Interconnect Project, as further 
     described in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 
     Docket No. PF09-8, and including authorized revisions to the 
     project.
       (6) Rent.--The term ``rent'' means any payment to the 
     Secretary pursuant to a lease for occupancy and use of 
     designated premises to be made in such a manner and at such 
     intervals as determined by the Secretary.
       (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
     Park Service.

     SEC. 3. PERMITTING INSTRUMENTS FOR NATURAL GAS PIPELINE 
                   FACILITIES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary may issue permits to 
     authorize the construction, operation, and maintenance of 
     natural gas pipeline facilities, as provided by the project, 
     within Gateway National Recreation Area.
       (b) Terms and Conditions.--
       (1) Any rights-of-way or other permits issued for the 
     natural gas pipeline facilities under this section shall be 
     consistent with the laws and regulations generally applicable 
     to utility rights-of-way within units of the National Park 
     System.
       (2) Any permits issued under this section for the natural 
     gas pipeline facilities shall be subject to such terms and 
     conditions the Secretary deems appropriate.

[[Page 992]]

       (3) The Secretary shall charge a fee for any permits issued 
     under this section. The fees shall be based on fair market 
     value and shall also include costs incurred by the National 
     Park Service in processing a request for a permit; issuing a 
     permit, if appropriate; and monitoring the permitted 
     activities.
       (4) Any permits issued under this section shall be for a 
     term of 10 years, subject to renewal with any changes to its 
     terms and conditions mutually agreed upon.
       (c) Enforcement.--Failure to comply with, or a violation 
     of, any term or condition of a permit may result in a 
     citation, or fine, or the suspension or revocation of 
     authorization to conduct the permitted activity.

     SEC. 4. LEASE OF BUILDINGS.

       The Secretary may enter into a non-competitive lease with 
     any entity to allow the occupancy and use of buildings and 
     associated properties on Floyd Bennett Field to house 
     facilities associated with the project, particularly a meter 
     and regulating station. Such lease shall--
       (1) otherwise be subject to National Park Service leasing 
     regulations;
       (2) provide for the restoration and maintenance of the 
     buildings and associated properties in accordance with the 
     Secretary of the Interior's Treatment Standards for Historic 
     Property (36 CFR Part 68), section 106 of the National 
     Historic Preservation Act (36 CFR 800), and any programmatic 
     agreements;
       (3) provide for appropriate rent for occupancy and use of 
     the property representing, at minimum but not limited to, 
     fair market value; and
       (4) provide for monetary penalties for violations of the 
     lease.

     SEC. 5. FEES AND RENT.

       (a) Fees.--The Secretary shall retain the portion of any 
     fee assessed under section 3(b)(3) that is equal to the costs 
     incurred in processing and issuing the permit request and 
     monitoring the permitted activities, and the balance of the 
     fee shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States.
       (b) Rent.--Any rent collected pursuant to section 4 shall 
     be deposited in a special account in the Treasury of the 
     United States in accordance with section 3(k)(5) of Public 
     Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-2(k)(5)) and shall be available to 
     the Secretary, without further appropriation and without 
     fiscal year limitation, for infrastructure needs, resource 
     protection, and visitor services at the Gateway National 
     Recreation Area.

  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.
  H.R. 2606, introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Grimm), 
authorizes the construction of a lateral pipeline off the coast of New 
York City. The pipeline will pass under the Gateway National Recreation 
Area and will deliver natural gas to residents of Brooklyn and Queens. 
Under current law, the National Park Service does not have the 
authority to approve the pipeline. Therefore, Mr. Grimm introduced H.R. 
2606 to allow this project to move forward, benefiting not only New 
York residents but visitors to the Gateway National Recreation Area. 
Specifically, as part of the agreement reached with the National Park 
Service, historic aircraft hangars located at Floyd Bennett Field will 
be rehabilitated and put into use by the park. Of course, this project 
will also create much-needed jobs and promote job creation by providing 
reliable, affordable energy.
  The City of New York has enthusiastically embraced this proposal and, 
in particular, has expressed support for the use of the horizontal 
directional drilling to safely install a 3-mile, 26-inch-diameter 
pipeline. H.R. 2606 has bipartisan support, and of course it is 
supported by the National Park Service. So I urge its adoption and 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  This legislation appears to be a good solution to a challenging 
problem. H.R. 2606 will allow for the delivery of natural gas into an 
underserved area while also providing a revenue stream that will allow 
the National Park Service to rehabilitate important historic structures 
at Gateway National Recreation Area.
  Representatives Grimm and Meeks, who represent Gateway, are to be 
commended for their hard work on this compromise bill.
  In the past, some have raised concerns regarding whether it is 
appropriate for Congress to direct funding to specific projects such as 
this one. We are pleased to see that when a meritorious project such as 
this one is proposed, a project which will provide energy resources 
while also improving historic resources, it is allowed to proceed.
  We support the passage of H.R. 2606, as amended, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 
minutes to the sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from Staten 
Island, New York (Mr. Grimm).
  Mr. GRIMM. I appreciate the opportunity to speak in support of my 
bill, H.R. 2606, the New York City Natural Gas Supply Enhancement Act.
  This bill, as was said, will authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
to allow the construction and operation of natural gas pipeline 
facilities in the New York portion of the Gateway National Recreation 
Area.
  I would like to especially thank my colleague and cosponsor and 
friend, Congressman Gregory Meeks, for all of his efforts. It was a 
pleasure to work with him in a bipartisan manner, and we appreciate his 
staff as well.
  We would like to thank Natural Resources Chairman Hastings, Ranking 
Member Markey, Subcommittee Chairman Bishop, Ranking Member Grijalva, 
and their staffs for helping move our bill through the committee and on 
a bipartisan basis for their work with the National Park Service in 
strengthening the bill as it moved to the House floor.
  The National Park Service deserves our appreciation as well for all 
of its efforts over the years for improving the Gateway National 
Recreation Area and, in particular, for reviving the historic Floyd 
Bennett Field for future generations.
  This project will be the first bulk natural gas transmission project 
in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens in more than 40 years. The 5.2 
million people living in these three boroughs are demanding more and 
more natural gas. Natural gas, as we all know, is reliable; it's clean; 
it's domestic; and it's economical.
  On September 15 of last year, New York City Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway 
testified before the National Parks Subcommittee and, in support of the 
Grimm-Meeks bill, explained why it was so important. I would like to 
thank Mr. Holloway, the deputy mayor, for his efforts, and I would like 
to draw special attention to some of his testimony.

                              {time}  1650

  Deputy Mayor Holloway stated: ``Energy demand in New York City is 
increasing and will continue to grow,'' so getting this Gateway project 
done, as Deputy Mayor Holloway said, ``is a major effort that includes 
the private sector, the city, State, and Federal Governments.''
  This pipeline will pass underneath both Gateway's beachfront Jacob 
Riis Park in Queens and Jamaica Bay to the meter station located at 
Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn where it will then interconnect into 
the local natural gas distribution system serving the communities in 
and around my district.
  The pipeline project authorized in H.R. 2606 will help the Park 
Service in the face of severe fiscal constraints by authorizing the NPS 
to enter into a lease, which will allow the Gateway pipeline project to 
meter and regulate a station inside one of the hangar buildings. The 
meter station is basically a secure building inside a building with a 
hangar building's exterior being restored to its original condition 
coupled with a lease payment that we expect NPS to put towards the 
restoration of other hangar buildings for multipurpose park uses. More 
importantly,

[[Page 993]]

however, is the fact that the Gateway pipeline project will generate 
approximately $265 million in construction activity. That's almost 300 
local jobs--300 construction jobs--and that's about $8 million in 
annual local property taxes for New York City, providing a much-needed 
short-term and long-term boost to our local economy.
  When I came to Congress, I promised my constituents on Staten Island 
and in Brooklyn that I would find fiscally conservative ways to create 
jobs and get the country moving again. Mr. Speaker, this bill does 
exactly that. Not only will it create a unique public-private 
partnership to revitalize Floyd Bennett Field, but it also creates 
good-paying jobs and increases the supply of inexpensive natural gas.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I urge the adoption of H.R. 2606, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak in 
support of the ``New York City Natural Gas Supply Enhancement Act'' 
(H.R. 2606). This bipartisan legislation will authorize the Secretary 
of Interior to allow the construction and operation of natural gas 
pipeline facilities in the New York portion of the Gateway National 
Recreation Area.
  My southeastern Queens district includes part of the Gateway National 
Recreation Area near Kennedy Airport, including the Jamaica Bay 
Wildlife Refuge. I have long supported efforts to improve the 
environment in and around Gateway as well as to enhance Gateway's 
facilities.
  I join with Congressman Grimm and Congressman Turner in thanking 
Resources Chairman Hastings, Ranking Member Markey, Subcommittee Chair 
Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva and their staffs for their help in 
moving our bill through their committee to the floor.
  I also thank the National Park Service for its work to strengthen the 
legislation as well as for its efforts over the years to improve 
Gateway and its historic Floyd Bennett Field. Also deserving our 
appreciation are Governor Cuomo, New York Deputy Secretary for Energy 
Congdon, Mayor Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Holloway, the Floyd Bennett 
Field Blue Ribbon Panel, the National Parks Conservation Association, 
the Regional Plan Association, and countless other individuals and 
organizations in New York for their work and collaboration in support 
of Gateway.
  The natural gas pipeline system serving Queens, Brooklyn and Staten 
Island is 40 to 60 years old. While adequate for the demand at the 
time, the system no longer has the capacity for the approximately 5.2 
million residents of these three boroughs. Simply put, we need new 
natural gas infrastructure to meet our existing and growing needs, and 
H.R. 2606 is necessary to get us there.
  Robert Yaro, the President of the Regional Plan Association, summed 
it up in August 22, 2011 letter to me in support of our bill. He stated 
that H.R. 2606 will expand the supply of natural gas in New York City, 
help support economic development, improve public health by increasing 
air quality, and provide needed financial support for restoration of 
one of Floyd Bennett Field's historically significant airplane hangars.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2606 is a win all around.
  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, H.R. 2606, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the 
ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a 
quorum is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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