[Senate Report 105-354]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                       Calendar No. 663
105th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE

 2d Session                                                     105-354
_______________________________________________________________________


 
   CONVEYANCE OF TUNNISON LAB HAGERMAN FIELD STATION, HAGERMAN, IDAHO

                                _______
                                

               September 28, 1998.--Ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


    Mr. Chafee, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 2505]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 
referred a bill (S. 2505) to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to convey title to the Tunnison Lab Hagerman Field 
Station in Gooding County, Idaho, to the University of Idaho, 
having considered the same and an amendment thereto, reports 
favorably thereon and recommends that the bill, as amended, do 
pass.

                    General Statement and Background

    The Hagerman National Fish Hatchery, owned and operated by 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service) is located in 
Gooding County, Idaho, just south of the City of Hagerman and 
30 miles west of Twin Falls. The Hatchery was authorized by 
statute in 1930, and since the late 1970s has been operated as 
part of the Lower Snake River Fish and Wildlife Compensation 
Plan to mitigate for losses caused by four dams along the lower 
Snake River. For the past three years, the Tunnison Lab, also 
known as the Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station, located 
on approximately four acres of the Hagerman National Fish 
Hatchery, has been operated by the University of Idaho (the 
University) pursuant to a cooperative agreement with the 
Service.
    The University first approached the Service to request a 
transfer of the Tunnison Lab to the University to support the 
University's efforts to improve it. Specifically, the 
University has proposed to spend $1.75 million on improvements 
to the lab. These improvements would include construction of an 
additional wet-lab and additional larger outdoor tanks, the 
addition of a cryogenic genome repository to the existing 
office/laboratory structure, and construction of a learning 
facility for educational and outreach programs.

               Objectives and Summary of the Legislation

    The purpose of this legislation is to direct the Secretary 
of the Interior to convey the Tunnison Lab Hagerman Field 
Station in Gooding County, Idaho to the University of Idaho.
    Section 1(a) provides that within 180 days of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to the 
University, without reimbursement, all right, title, and 
interest of the United States in and to the property for use by 
the University for fish research. This research has focused in 
two areas: the study of population genetics and dietary needs 
of salmonids when raised in captivity to maturity; and the 
study of alternative fish feed to reduce nutrient loads 
normally associated with aquaculture.
    Under section 1(b), the property includes approximately 
four acres of land, the Tunnison Lab Hagerman Field Station 
located thereon, and all improvements and related personal 
property, excluding water rights vested in the United States 
and necessary access and utility easements and rights-of-way. 
The exact acreage and legal description of the property shall 
be determined by a survey that is satisfactory to the 
Secretary. Although water rights are excluded from the property 
to be conveyed, it is expected that the Service, through a 
cooperative agreement with the University, will continue to 
allow the University to use a portion of its water to conduct 
research at the lab.
     Section 1(c) mandates that all right, title, and interest 
in and to the conveyed property revert to the United States if 
used for any purpose other than for fish research. In the case 
of a reversion, the property shall be returned to the United 
States in substantially the same condition as, or in better 
condition than, at the time of conveyance.
    Section 1(d) provides that the University shall comply with 
the National Historic Preservation Act and the Archeological 
Resources Protection Act of 1979, laws with which the Service 
would be required to comply if it maintained title to the 
property. The Hagerman Valley contains several archeological 
sites, and the property surrounding the Tunnison Lab is home to 
a barn out-building that qualifies as an historic building.
    Section 1(e) provides that, as a condition of the 
conveyance, the University shall hold the United States 
harmless for all claims, costs, damages and judgments arising 
out of any act or omission relating to the property, with 
certain exceptions.

                          Legislative History

    S. 2505 was introduced by Senator Craig, for himself and 
Senator Kempthorne, on September 21, 1998. On September 23, 
1998, the Committee on Environment and Public Works held a 
business meeting to consider the bill. An amendment was offered 
by Senator Kempthorne and adopted by voice vote. The bill, as 
amended, was favorably reported by voice vote. No rollcall 
votes occurred on the bill.

                           Regulatory Impact

    In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee makes the following 
evaluation of the regulatory impact of the bill. The bill does 
not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it have 
any adverse impact on the personal privacy of individuals.

                          Cost of Legislation

    Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment 
Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the 
reported bill, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be 
included in the report. That statement follows:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                Washington, DC, September 25, 1998.

Hon. John H. Chafee, Chairman,
Committee on Environment and Public Works,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2505, a bill to 
direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey title to the 
Tunnison Lab Hagerman Field Station in Gooding County, Idaho, 
to the University of Idaho.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis, 
who can be reached at 226-2860.

            Sincerely,
                                           June E. O'Neill,
                                                          Director.
                                ------                                


               Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

    S. 2505, A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
convey title to the Tunnison Lab Hagerman Field Station in 
Gooding County, Idaho, to the University of Idaho, as ordered 
reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public 
Works on September 23, 1998.

    S. 2505 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
convey to the University of Idaho the Tunnison Lab complex and 
other property on about 4 acres of land at the Hagerman 
National Fish Hatchery, Idaho, without reimbursement.
    Because these facilities are already operated by the 
university (at its expense), CBO expects that implementing S. 
2505 would have no impact on the Federal budget. The bill would 
not affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-
go procedures would not apply.
    S. 2505 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would have no significant impact on the budgets of State, 
local, or tribal governments. The University of Idaho currently 
operates the Tunnison Lab, and CBO estimates that it would 
incur no significant additional costs as a result of this 
conveyance.
    The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis, who can be reached 
at 226-2860. This estimate was approved by Paul N. Van de 
Water, Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                        Changes in Existing Law

    Section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
requires the committee to publish changes in existing law made 
by the bill as reported. Passage of this bill will make no 
changes to existing law.

                                
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