[House Report 106-361]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



106th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    106-361

======================================================================



 
UPPER DELAWARE SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVER MONGAUP VISITOR CENTER ACT 
                                OF 1999

                                _______
                                

October 4, 1999.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany H.R. 20]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 20) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
construct and operate a visitor center for the Upper Delaware 
Scenic and Recreational River on land owned by the State of New 
York, having considered the same, report favorably thereon 
without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 20 is to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to construct and operate a visitor center for the 
Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River on land owned by 
the State of New York.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter 
into a 99-year lease for state-owned land within the boundaries 
of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River located at 
Mongaup, New York. The bill also directs the Secretary to 
construct and operate a visitor center on that land.
    In June 1993, the State of New York authorized a 99-year 
lease between the New York State Department of Environmental 
Conservation and the National Park Service for the construction 
and operation of the Mongaup Visitor Center. Because the Act 
which established the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational 
River and its approved river management plan limits federal 
authority to acquire land, Congressional action is needed to 
authorize the expenditure of appropriated funds for the 
construction and subsequent operation of the visitor center on 
the leased land.
    The visitor center will serve as an information point for 
area services and attractions, as well as supply basic traveler 
services such as restrooms and telephones. The center will also 
provide river safety information, exhibits and programs on bald 
eagles, and a rotation of exhibits on natural and valley 
history and site interpretation.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 20 was introduced on January 6, 1999, by Congressman 
Benjamin Gilman (R-NY). The bill was referred to the Committee 
on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 
National Parks and Public Lands. On July 13, 1999, the 
Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill where the 
Administration testified in favor of the bill. On August 5, 
1999, the Subcommittee met to consider the bill. No amendments 
were offered and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the 
Full Committee by voice vote. On September 22, 1999, the Full 
Committee met to consider the bill. No amendments were offered 
and the bill was then ordered favorably reported to the House 
of Representatives by voice vote.

            COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations 
are reflected in the body of this report.

                   CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

    Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United 
States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

    1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and 
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be 
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) 
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when 
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted 
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
    2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) 
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this 
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditures.
    3. Government Reform Oversight Findings. Under clause 
3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee has received no report of 
oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on 
Government Reform on this bill.
    4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate 
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                Washington, DC, September 29, 1999.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 20, the Upper 
Delaware Scenic and Recreational River Mongaup Visitor Center 
Act of 1999.
    If you wish further details in this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
            Sincerely,
                                          Barry B. Anderson
                                    (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 20--Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River Mongaup Visitor 
        Center Act of 1999

    H.R. 20 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to 
enter into a 99-year lease with the state of New York for 
state-owned land located near the Delaware Scenic and 
Recreational River. The bill also would authorize the NPS to 
construct and operate a visitor center on the leased land.
    Based on information provided by the NPS and assuming 
appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that the 
agency would spend about $7 million over the next four years to 
construct a visitor center on land leased from New York. We 
estimate that the costs of the long-term lease would be 
negligible. Once the center has been completed, the NPS would 
spend about $600,000 annually to operate it.
    H.R. 20 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 impose no 
costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
    The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. This estimate was 
approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for 
Budget Analysis.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

                preemption of state, local or tribal law

    This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or 
tribal law.

                        changes in existing law

    If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing 
law.

                                  
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