[Senate Report 104-33]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                        Calendar No. 56
104th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE

 1st Session                                                     104-33
_______________________________________________________________________


 
             GREAT FALLS PRESERVATION AND REDEVELOPMENT ACT

                                _______


    April 7 (legislative day, April 5), 1995.--Ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


  Mr. Murkowski, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 188]
    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 188) to establish the Great Falls 
Historic District in the State of New Jersey, and for other 
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                         purpose of the measure

    The purpose of S. 188, as ordered reported, is to establish 
the Great Falls Historic District in the State of New Jersey, 
and for other purposes.

                          background and need

    Impressed with the Great Falls of the Passaic River and its 
potential as an energy source for manufacturing, Alexander 
Hamilton founded the Society of Useful Manufacturers in 1791. 
Hamilton was committed to demonstrating the profitability of 
manufacturing in America rather than depending on foreign 
goods, and used this theory to implement planning and economic 
growth in the Paterson, New Jersey area. Simultaneously, 
development of the raceway system to harness the power of the 
river in Paterson enabled the rapid rise of the city as one of 
the country's first manufacturing centers. Products invented 
and manufactured in Paterson include the Colt Revolver, the 
Rogers Steam Locomotive, Wright aeronautic engines and the 
first practical submarine, making the Great Falls area a 
significant example of American industrial growth. To reflect 
these significant historical aspects of Paterson, the Great 
Falls Historic District was listed on the National Register of 
Historic Places and was designated as a National Historic 
Landmark in June of 1976.
    S. 188 would provide for the restoration and interpretation 
of various historic properties in the Great Falls Historic 
District. Proposed projects include comprehensive historical, 
archaeological and structural assessments and re-use plans for 
mill buildings, rehabilitation of selected buildings in the 
historic district as demonstration projects, the rehabilitation 
of the Board of Health building and a facade program.

                          legislative history

    Senators Lautenberg and Bradley introduced S. 188 in the 
Senate on January 10, 1995.
    In the 103d Congress, identical legislation, H.R. 3498, 
passed the House of Representatives on April 13, 1994. Similar 
legislation,P
S. 1660, was introduced in the Senate by Senators Lautenberg 
and Bradley. The Subcommittee on Public Lands, National Parks 
and Forests held a hearing on S. 1660 on May 17, 1994.
    At the business meeting on September 21, 1994, the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered H.R. 3498, as 
amended, favorably reported.
    At the business meeting on March 15, 1995, the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 188 favorably reported, 
without amendment.

           committee recommendations and tabulation of votes

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open 
business session on March 15, 1995, by a majority vote of a 
quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 188 without 
amendment.
    The roll call vote on reporting the measure was 13 yeas, 3 
nays, as follows:
        YEAS                          NAYS
Mr. Murkowski                       Mr. Thomas
Mr. Hatfield 1                 Mr. Grams
Mr. Domenici                        Mr. Burns
Mr. Craig
Mr. Campbell
Mr. Jeffords 1
Mr. Johnston
Mr. Bumpers
Mr. Ford
Mr. Bradley
Mr. Bingaman 1
Mr. Akaka
Mr. Wellstone

    1 Indicates voted by proxy.
                      section-by-section analysis

    Section 1 entitles the bill the ``Great Falls Preservation 
and Redevelopment Act.''
    Section 2 contains Congressional findings.
    Section 3 states that the purposes of the Act are to 
preserve and interpret the contribution to our national 
heritage of certain historic and cultural lands, and edifices 
of the Great Falls Historic District, with emphasis on 
harnessing this unique urban environment for its educational 
and recreational value, for the educational and inspiration 
benefit of the public, and to enhance economic and cultural 
redevelopment within the District.
    Section 4 defines certain terms used in this Act.
    Section 5 establishes the Great Falls Historic District 
(the ``District''), the boundaries of which will match the 
boundaries of the District as listed on the National Register 
of Historic Places.
    Section 6 describes the development plan for the District.
    Subsection (a) authorizes the Secretary to enter into 
cooperative agreements and provide grants to public and private 
entities for up to 50 percent of the costs for the preparation 
of a plan for the development of the District's resources, and 
for the implementation of projects approved by the Secretary, 
pursuant to the plan.
    Subsection (b) describes the contents of the plan. The plan 
must include an evaluation of historic and architectural 
resources and the environmental and flood hazard conditions 
within the District. This subsection requires that the plan 
include recommendations for rehabilitating, reconstructing, and 
reusing historic and archaeological resources, preserving 
viewsheds and streetscapes, establishing access to and 
improving circulation within the District, developing public 
parking areas, improving security, and establishing parks, 
public spaces and a visitors' center.
    Section 7 authorizes the Secretary to enter into 
cooperative agreements with the owners of historically or 
culturally significant properties within the District for the 
restoration, preservation and interpretation of such 
properties.
    Subsection (a) authorizes the Secretary to enter into 
cooperative agreements under which the Secretary may pay not 
more than 50 percent of the cost of restoring and improving the 
properties, and to mark, interpret, improve, restore and 
provide technical assistance for the preservation and 
interpretation of such properties.
    Subsection (b) specifies that such agreements must allow 
the Secretary reasonable access to such properties, and that no 
changes or alterations shall be made in such properties except 
by mutual agreement, and with the approval of any agency with 
regulatory jurisdiction over the property. This subsection also 
places conditions on the future uses of assisted properties.
    Subsection (c) specifies that applications for funding for 
capital projects must include a description of how the proposed 
project would further the purposes of the District, and 
requires the Secretary to give consideration to projects which 
provide a greater leverage of federal funds. Conditions are 
also placed on the future uses of assisted properties.
    Section 8 authorizes the appropriation of $3,000,000 for 
capital projects, $250,000 for planning, and $50,000 for 
technical assistance.

                   cost and budgetary considerations

    The following estimate of costs of this measure has been 
provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                    Washington, DC, March 20, 1995.
Hon. Frank H. Murkowski,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senate, 
        Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 188, the Great Falls 
Preservation and Redevelopment Act.
    Enacting S. 188 would not affect direct spending or 
receipts. Therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them.
            Sincerely,
                                         June E. O'Neill, Director.
    Enclosure.

               congressional budget office cost estimate

    1. Bill number: S. 188.
    2. Bill title: Great Falls Preservation and Redevelopment 
Act.
    3. Bill status: As ordered reported by the Senate Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources on March 15, 1994.
    4. Bill purpose: S. 188 would establish the Great Falls 
Historic District in New Jersey. The bill would authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements 
under which state or local agencies or nonprofit groups would 
prepare a plan to develop historical and other resources within 
the district. Other authorized contracts would enable the 
Secretary to interpret or preserve private properties within 
the district either directly or through technical assistance 
furnished to property owners. For these purposes, the bill 
would authorize the appropriation of $3.3 million, comprising 
$250,000 for planning, $50,000 for technical assistance and $3 
million for other contractual aid.
    5. Estimated cost to the Federal Government: CBO estimates 
the following costs, based on the authorizations specified in 
S. 188.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      1996       1997       1998       1999       2000  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorization of                                                        
 appropriations..        .03        3.0  .........  .........  .........
Estimated outlays         .2         .6         .9         .8         .6
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The costs of this bill fall within budget function 300.
    For purposes of this estimate, CBO has assumed that S. 188 
will be enacted by the end of fiscal year 1995 and that the 
full amounts authorized will be appropriated. For fiscal year 
1996, the authorization level includes $250,000 for planning 
and $50,000 for technical assistance. The $3 million authorized 
for other assistance is assumed to be appropriated for fiscal 
year 1997. Outlays have been estimated on the basis of 
historical spending patterns for similar projects.
    6. Comparison with spending under current law: There is no 
Federal spending under current law for the proposed historic 
district.
    7. Pay-as-you-go considerations: None.
    8. Estimated cost to State and local governments: None.
    9. Estimate comparison: None.
    10. Previous CBO estimate: None.
    11. Estimate prepared by: Deborah Reis.
    12. Estimate approved by: Paul Van de Water, Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.
                      regulatory impact evaluation

    In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee makes the following 
evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in 
carrying out S. 188. The act is not a regulatory measure in the 
sense of imposing Government-established standards or 
significant economic responsibilities on private individuals 
and businesses.
    No personal information would be collected in administering 
the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal 
privacy.
    Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the 
enactment of S. 188, as ordered reported.

                        executive communications

    On March 21, 1995, the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources requested legislative reports from the Department of 
the Interior and the Office of Management and Budget setting 
forth Executive agency recommendations on S. 188. These reports 
had not been received at the time the report on S. 188 was 
filed. When these reports become available, the chairman will 
request that they be printed in the Congressional Record for 
the advice of the Senate.

                        changes in existing law

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee notes that no 
changes in existing law are made by the bill S. 188, as ordered 
reported.