[Senate Report 105-99]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                       Calendar No. 194
105th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE

 1st Session                                                     105-99
_______________________________________________________________________


 
                         DILLON RANGER DISTRICT

                                _______
                                

                October 6, 1997.--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. 591]

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 591) to transfer the Dillon Ranger 
District in the Arapaho National Forest to the White River 
National Forest in the State of Colorado, having considered the 
same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and 
recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.
    The amendment is as follows:
    Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu 
thereof the following:

SECTION 1. INCLUSION OF DILLON RANGER DISTRICT IN WHITE RIVER NATIONAL 
                    FOREST, COLORADO.

    (a) Boundary Adjustments.--
          (1) White river national forest.--The boundary of the White 
        River National Forest in the State of Colorado is hereby 
        adjusted to include all National Forest System lands located in 
        Summit County, Colorado, comprising the Dillon Ranger District 
        of the Arapaho National Forest.
          (2) Arapaho national forest.--The boundary of the Arapaho 
        National Forest is adjusted to exclude the land transferred to 
        the White River National Forest by paragraph (1).
    (b) Reference.--Any reference to the Dillon Ranger District, 
Arapaho National Forest, in any existing statute, regulation, manual, 
handbook, or other document shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
Dillon Ranger District White River National Forest.
    (c) Existing Rights.--Nothing in this section affects valid 
existing rights of persons holding any authorization, permit, option, 
or other form of contract existing on the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
    (d) Forest Receipts.--Nothwithstanding the distribution 
requirements of payments under the sixth paragraph under the heading 
``Forest Service'' in the Act entitled ``An Act making appropriations 
for the Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year ending June 
thirtieth, nineteen hundred and nine'', approved May 23, 1908 (35 Stat. 
260, chapter 192; 16 U.S.C. 500), the distribution of receipts from the 
Arapaho National Forest and the White River National Forest to affected 
county governments shall be based on the national forest boundaries 
that existed on the day before the date of enactment of this Act.

                          purpose of the bill

    The purpose of S. 591 is to transfer the Dillon Ranger 
District in the Arapaho National Forest to the White River 
National Forest in Colorado.

                  background and need for legislation

    This legislative adjusts the boundary of the White River 
National Forest to include all National Forest System lands 
within Summit County, Colorado, which are currently part of the 
Arapaho National Forest. These lands are known as the Dillon 
Ranger District. The White River National Forest has 
administered these lands for a number of years and therefore, 
the inclusion of the Dillon Ranger District within the White 
River National Forest will more accurately reflect the 
administration of these lands. Furthermore, this boundary 
adjustment should reduce confusion within the general public as 
to which national forest administers the Dillon Ranger 
District. The bill will not alter the current distribution of 
forest receipts to the affected county governments.

                          legislative history

    S. 591 was introduced on April 16, 1997, by Senator 
Campbell. On June 18, 1997, the Subcommittee on Forests and 
Public Land Management held a hearing on S. 591. At the 
business meeting on September 24, 1997, the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources ordered S. 591, as amended, favorably 
reported.

                      summary of major provisions

    Section 1(a) adjusts the boundaries of the White River 
National Forest and the Arapaho National Forest to include the 
Dillon Ranger District within the White River National Forest. 
Section 1(b) directs updating references in statute, map and 
manual references to reflect boundary adjustments. Section 1(c) 
clarifies that the boundary adjustment shall not affect valid 
existing rights of persons holding any authorization, permit, 
option, or any other form of contract. Section 1(d) provides 
that the distribution of receipts from the Arapaho National 
Forest and White River National Forest to affected county 
governments shall be based upon the present National Forest 
boundaries, thus protecting the status quo of the distribution 
of receipts.

            committee recommendation and tabulation of votes

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open 
business session on September 24, 1997, by a unanimous voice 
vote of the quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 
591, if amended as described herein.

                          committee amendment

    During the consideration of S. 591, the Committee adopted 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute that incorporates 
changes recommended by the Administration and makes technical 
and clarifying modifications.

                   cost and budgetary considerations

    The cost and budgetary considerations prepared by the 
Congressional Budget Office are as follows:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                Washington, DC, September 26, 1997.
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.591, a bill to 
transfer the Dillon Ranger District in the Arapaho National 
Forest to the White River National Forest in the state of 
Colorado.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Victoria V. 
Heid.
            Sincerely
                                         June E. O'Neill, Director.
    Enclosure.

               congressional budget office cost estimate

S. 591--A bill to transfer the Dillon Ranger District in the Arapaho 
        National Forest to the White River National Forest in the state 
        of Colorado

    CBO estimates that enacting this bill would have no 
significant impact on the federal budget. Because S. 591 would 
not affect direct spending or receipts, pay-as-you-go 
procedures do not apply. S. 591 contains no intergovernmental 
or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates 
Reform Act of 1995 and would have no impact on the budgets of 
state, local, or tribal governments.
    S. 591 would adjust the boundary of the White River 
National Forest to include all National Forest System lands 
located in Summit County, Colorado. Those lands form the Dillon 
Ranger District, which is within the Arapaho National Forest. 
According to the Forest Service, the Dillon Ranger District is 
legally designated as part of the Arapaho National Forest but 
is currently administered as part of the White River National 
Forest. Thus, enacting this bill would continue existing 
management practices.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Victoria V. 
Heid. This estimate was approved by Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy 
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. 591. The bill 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. 591, as ordered reported.

                        Executive Communications

    The administration testified on the legislation at a June 
18, 1997 hearing held by the Subcommittee on Forests and Public 
Land Management, that passage of the legislation is not 
necessary. Nevertheless, the Administration indicated that it 
does not oppose S. 591. Legislative reports from the Department 
of Agriculture, and the Office of Management and Budget setting 
forth Executive agency recommendations on S. 591 were 
unavailable when the report 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.
    The Administration testimony is attached.

Statement of Robert Joslin, Deputy Chief, Forest Service, Department of 
                              Agriculture

    Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, I am Bob 
Joslin, the new Deputy Chief of the Forest Service for the 
National Forest System. I am pleased to be here to share the 
Administration's views on S. 591.
S. 591, Adjustment of the boundary of the White river National Forest, 
        Colorado
    The Administration has no objection to S. 591, a bill to 
adjust the boundary of the White River National Forest in 
Colorado to include all National Forest System lands within 
Summit County, Colorado, which are currently part of the Dillon 
Ranger District of the Arapaho National Forest.
    The area currently referred to as the Dillon Ranger 
District has been part of several National Forests: Kokomo, 
Leadville and Arapaho. In 1973 the District was 
administratively reassigned from the Arapaho to the White River 
National Forest. Since then, the Forest Supervisor of the White 
River National Forest has been responsible for all actions on 
the Dillon District and activities have been in accordance with 
the White River National Forest Plan. However, signs and 
administrative documents continue to state that the District is 
part of the Arapaho National Forest.
    S. 591 affirms current administrative management practices 
on the two national forests in Colorado and helps resolve a 
public service problem on the Dillon Ranger District.
    We note, however, that subsection (d), which deals with the 
distribution of receipts, results in increased administrative 
workload on both the White River and Arapaho National Forests. 
For this reason, we would prefer that subsection (d) be 
deleted.
    Legislative action on this situation, which is found on 
many forests across the nation, could result in future 
conflicts over similar, locally generated, legislative 
proposals.

                        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 Act, S. 591, as ordered 
reported.

                                
