[Senate Report 105-405]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 629
105th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 105-405
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FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
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October 10 (legislative day, October 2), 1998.--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. 2246]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 2246) to amend the Act which established
the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by modifying the boundary, 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. 2246 is to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to expand the boundaries of Frederick Law Olmsted
National Historic Site in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to
allow for the donation of a 5.35-acre parcel of land contiguous
to the park.
Background and Need
Frederick Law Olmsted is best known as the creator of major
urban parks, including Central Park in New York and the U.S.
Capital grounds in Washington, DC. He left his imprint across
the Nation, in the green spaces of towns and cities, and in
protection efforts for wilderness areas. Olmsted saw the need
for preserving green and open spaces where people could escape
city pressures and nourish body and spirit.
The National Park Service acquired the Olmsted National
Historic Site in 1980 (Public Law 96-87) and inventoried the
historic design records, including thousands of plans and
photographs dating from 1860 to 1980. Olmsted National Historic
Site transcends the traditional role of a museum by serving as
a center for the study and preservation of landscapes.
Landscape and architect researchers throughout the Nation are
assisted through the Olmsted Archives and the Olmsted Center of
Landscape located at the site.
S. 2246 would expand the boundary of the Frederick Law
Olmsted National Historic Site to add 5.35 acres of donated
land. The Brookline Conservation Land Trust has agreed to
donate the property to the National Park Service to help
preserve the integrity of the historic site.
Legislative History
S. 2246 was introduced June 26, 1998 by Senator Murkowski
at the request of the administration, and referred to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The Subcommittee on
National Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation held a
hearing on S. 2246 on September 17, 1998.
At its business meeting on September 24, 1998, the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 2246,
favorably reported.
Committee Recommendation and Tabulation of Votes
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open
business session on September 24, 1998, by a unanimous voice
vote of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S.
2246, as described herein.
Summary of S. 2246
S. 2246 amends Public Law 96-87 authorizing the Secretary
of the Interior to acquire, through donation only, a 5.35 acre
parcel of land owned by the Brookline Conservation Land Trust.
The Brookline Conservation Land Trust has agreed to donate the
property to the National Park Service to help preserve the
setting of the historic site and to make it available for
educational purposes.
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, September 25, 1998.
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. 2246, a bill to
amend the act which established the Frederick Law Olmsted
National Historic Site, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
by modifying the boundary, and for other purposes.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
June E. O'Neill, Director.
Enclosure.
congressional budget office cost estimate
S. 2246--A bill to amend the act which established the Frederick Law
Olmsted National Historic Site, in the commonwealth of
Massachusetts, by modifying the boundary, and for other
purposes
S. 2246 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to
accept from the Brookline Conservation Land Trust the donation
of lands (and associated easements) abutting the Frederick Law
Olmsted National Historic Site.
CBO estimates that the NPS would incur only minor expenses
generally associated with accepting title to donated property,
such as the costs of appraising and surveying the site. Based
on information provided by the NPS, CBO expects that the agency
would incur no significant additional development or operating
expenses after the transfer has been completed.
S. 2246 would not affect direct spending or receipts;
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. The bill
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 CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. This estimate was
approved by Paul N. 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. 2246. The bill is not a regulatory measure in
the sense of imposing Government-established standards of
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
enactment of S. 2256, as ordered reported.
Executive Communications
S. 2246 was introduce at the request of the Administration.
On September 22, 1997 the Department of the Interior
transmitted a letter to the Energy and Natural Resources
Committee requesting that the bill be introduced and passed. A
copy of the letter, and the testimony of the National Park
Service follows:
Department of the Interior,
Office of the Secretary,
Washington, DC, September 22, 1997.
Hon. Albert Gore, Jr.,
President of the Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. President: Enclosed is a draft bill ``To amend the
Act which established the Frederick Law Olmsted National
Historic Site, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by
modifying the boundary and for other purposes.''
We recommend the bill be introduced, referred to the
appropriate committee, and enacted. The purpose of the
legislation is to allow the Secretary of the Interior to
acquire, by donation only, lands owned by the Brookline
Conservation Land Trust which are situated adjacent to the
historic site. These lands remain much as they were during
Olmsted's life and acquisition will help preserve the setting
of the historic site. The Brookline Conservation Land Trust
desires to donate the property to the National Park Service to
help preserve the setting of the historic site and to make it
available for educational purposes.
The Office of Management and Budget has advised that there
is no objection to the enactment of the enclosed draft
legislation from the standpoint of the Administration's
program.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Barry,
Acting Assistant Secretary for
Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
------
Statement of Destry Jarvis, Assistant Director, External Affairs,
National Park Service, Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear
before you to discuss S. 2246, a bill to amend the Act which
established Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to authorize the acquisition of
certain lands adjacent to the site. Mr. Chairman, the National
Park Service strongly supports enactment of S. 2246.
S. 2246 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
acquire, by donation only, land and interests therein adjacent
to the site and is owned by the Brookline Conservation Land
Trust, a non-profit corporation established under the laws of
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Such property would
subsequently be included and administered as part of Frederick
Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site was
established on October 12, 1979, for the purpose of preserving
the home and office of Frederick Law Olmsted, the great
American landscape architect and park designer. After work on
such landmark designs as Central Park and Prospect Park in New
York, Olmsted moved to Brookline in 1883 where he established
the first full-scale professional office for the practice of
landscape architecture in the United States. Many of the
nation's most significant landscapes were designed and
developed in the Brookline office by Olmsted, his sons, and
successors--thousands of designs, including those for the U.S.
Capitol and White House Grounds, the U.S. Military Academy at
West Point, Acadia National Park, and entire park systems in
Boston, Chicago, Louisville, and Seattle.
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site is the most
important site in the National Park Service dedicated to the
history of American landscape architecture and urban planning.
The historic office was actively used as a landscape design
center by Olmsted and successor firms for nearly a century
between 1883 and 1979. Housed on-site are the Olmsted Archives,
which contains hundreds of thousands of design records
including landscape architectural plans, drawings, and
photographs. These records document work in 45 of the states
and are of enormous interest to park and city planners across
America engaged in the study and rehabilitation of historic
landscapes. The site also includes 1.75 acres which formed the
working environment of the firm. The plan for this historic
landscape was originally conceived by Olmsted and serves as a
model exhibit of his design principles, craftsmanship, and use
of plant material.
Management objectives for Olmsted NHS as stated in the
General Management Plan (1983) emphasize preservation of the
historic scene, including the landscaped grounds. The
objectives also encourage preservation of the general
neighborhood character. The National Park Service has recently
completed a five-year program of rigorous landscape restoration
to interpret better the characteristic Olmsted design and to
demonstrate the importance of maintenance practices in historic
landscape management. Fortunately the open lands and estates
bordering the site have thus far remained largely as they were
described when Olmsted first established his home in Brookline;
however, neighboring estate properties are presently being
developed.
The Brookline Conservation Land Trust has willingly
proposed to donate to Olmsted NHS six parcels of adjourning
land totaling 5.35 acres in order to ensure preservation of one
of the few remaining open field and woodland environments in
Brookline. There are no buildings; seasonal mowing by the
existing park staff would constitute the primary maintenance
cost. Acquiring and protecting these lands, which constitute a
key component of the historic viewshed at Olmsted NHS, will
ensure that the visual and historic integrity of the site is
maintained.
Legislation to amend the Act which established the
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site is necessary in
order to modify the existing boundary. If S. 2246 is enacted,
no additional funding would be required since start-up and
routine maintenance costs are expected to be minimal.
This concludes my prepared testimony. I would be happy to
answer any questions that you or members of the subcommittee
may have.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by
the bill S. 2246, as ordered reported, are shown as follows
(existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black
brackets, new matter is printed in italic, existing law in
which no change is proposed is shown in roman):
93 Stat. 664, Public Law 96-87--Oct. 12, 1979
* * * * * * *
TITLE II
Sec. 201. (a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(d) In order to preserve and maintain the historic setting
of the Site, the Secretary is authorized to acquire, through
donation only, lands with associated easements situated
adjacent to the Site owned by the Brookline Conservation Land
Trust. These lands are to be used for educational and
interpretive purposes and shall be maintained and managed as
part of the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.