[Senate Report 106-319]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                       Calendar No. 637
106th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session                                                     106-319

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



 
                    SAINT CROIX ISLAND HERITAGE ACT

                                _______
                                

                 June 27, 2000.--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. 2485]

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 2485) to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to provide assistance in planning and constructing a 
regional heritage center in Calais, Maine, having considered 
the same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and 
recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.
    The amendment is as follows:
    On page 4, line 15, strike ``with State and local 
agencies'' and insert in lieu thereof the following: ``with 
other Federal agencies, State and local agencies''.

                         purpose of the measure

    The purpose of S. 2485 is to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to take all necessary and appropriate steps to work 
with Federal, State, and local agencies, historical societies, 
and nonprofit organizations to facilitate the development of a 
regional heritage center in downtown Calais, Maine before the 
400th anniversary of the settlement of Saint Croix Island.

                          background and need

    Saint Croix Island is located in the Saint Croix River, 
which forms the boundary between Canada and the State of Maine. 
In 1604 and 1605, Pierre Dugua Sieur de Mons with his company 
of men established a French settlement on the island, predating 
the English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. Saint 
Croix Island International Historic Site is administered by the 
National Park Service, preserving the site as a monument to the 
beginning of the United States and Canada.
    The 1998 General Management Plan for Saint Croix Island 
International Historic Site envisions the development of a 
visitor center, either on NPS shore property at Red Beach, 
Maine, or in downtown Calais, Maine. If the visitor center were 
to be located in Calais, the plan envisions it to be planned, 
developed, operated, and maintained in a cooperative 
arrangement involving the National Park Service, community 
organizations, and other agencies.
    S. 2485 directs the Secretary of the Interior to work with 
Federal, State, and local agencies, historical societies, and 
nonprofit organizations to provide assistance in planning, 
constructing, and operating a regional heritage center in 
downtown Calais. The bill authorizes the Secretary to enter 
into cooperative agreements, the appropriation of $2 million 
for design and construction of the facility, and such sums as 
are necessary to maintain and operate interpretive exhibits.

                          legislative history

    S. 2485 was introduced by Senators Collins and Snowe on 
April 27, 2000. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic 
Preservation, and Recreation held a hearing on S. 2485 on May 
11, 2000. At its business meeting on June 7, 2000, the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 2485, as 
amended, favorably reported.

            committee recommendation and tabulation of votes

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open 
business session on June 7, 2000, by a unanimous vote of a 
quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 2485, if 
amended as described herein.

                          committee amendments

    During the consideration of S. 2485, the Committee adopted 
an amendment to add ``other Federal agencies'' to the list of 
entities to which the Secretary may enter into cooperative 
agreements.

                      section-by-section analysis

    Section 1 designates the bill's short title as the ``Saint 
Croix Island Heritage Act.''
    Section 2 contains congressional findings concerning Saint 
Croix Island and the National Park Service plan to manage and 
interpret the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site.
    Section 3 defines the terms used in the bill.
    Section 4(a) requires the Secretary of the Interior to 
provide assistance in planning, constructing, and operating a 
regional heritage center in Calais, Maine, to facilitate the 
management and interpretation of Saint Croix Island 
International Historic Site.
    Subsection 4(b) authorizes the Secretary to enter into 
cooperative agreements with State, local, and other Federal 
agencies, and nonprofit organizations to provide exhibits, 
interpretive services, and technical assistance; to provide 
financial assistance for the construction of a regional 
heritage center in exchange for space in the center to 
interpret the National Historic Site; and to assist with 
operation and maintenance of the center.
    Section 5 authorizes the appropriation of $2 million for 
the design and construction of the regional heritage center, 
subject to a dollar-for-dollar match of non-Federal funds. Also 
authorized is the appropriation of funds that are necessary to 
maintain and operate interpretive exhibits in the center.

                   cost and budgetary considerations

    The following estimate of the cost of this measure has been 
provided by the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                     Washington, DC, June 20, 2000.
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. 2485, the Saint 
Croix Island Heritage Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
            Sincerely,
                                        Steven M. Lieberman
                                    (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
    Enclosure.

               congressional budget office cost estimate

S. 2485.--Saint Croix Island Heritage Act

    S. 2485 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
provide financial and other assistance for a regional heritage 
center in Calais, Maine. The Secretary would enter into a 
cooperative agreement with state and local authorities and 
nonprofit groups under which the federal government would help 
to finance construction of the center, provide interpretive 
exhibits, and assist in operating and maintaining the facility. 
For these purposes, the bill would authorize the appropriation 
of $2 million for development costs and whatever sums are 
necessary for operation and maintenance.
    Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO 
estimates that implementing S. 2485 would cost $2 million over 
the next three fiscal years. Additional annual expenses to help 
operate and maintain the center once it is completed in 2004 
would not be significant. The bill would not affect direct 
spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would 
not apply.
    S. 2485 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. State 
and local governments might incur some costs to match the 
federal funds authorized by the bill, but these costs would be 
voluntary.
    The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. This estimate was 
approved by Peter H. Fontaine, 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. 2485. 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. 2485, as ordered reported.

                        executive communications

    On June 6, 2000, 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. 2485. These 
reports had not been received at the time the report on S. 2485 
was filed. When the reports become available, the Chairman will 
request that they be printed in the Congressional Record for 
the advice of the Senate. The testimony provided by the 
National Park Service at the Subcommittee hearing follows:

 Statement of Denis P. Galvin, Deputy Director, National Park Service, 
                       Department of the Interior

    Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear 
before the subcommittee to present the views of the Department 
of the Interior on S. 2485, a bill to direct the Secretary of 
the Interior to provide assistance in planning and constructing 
a regional heritage center in Calais, Maine, in order to 
support visitor and interpretive services for Saint Croix 
Island International Historic Site (ISH), in preparation for 
the 400th anniversary of Saint Croix in 2004.
    The Department of the Interior strongly supports enactment 
of this legislation, with an amendment to encourage 
participation of a larger partnership. This legislation will 
authorize the National Park Service to participate in a 
collaborative partnership to develop the Calais Center.
    Calais, Maine, is located along the Saint Croix River, 
which is the international boundary between the United States 
and Canada. Saint Croix Island and Saint Croix Island 
International Historic Site, the only international historic 
site in the National Park System, are located eight miles down 
river from Calais. Saint Croix Island is the site of the first 
French attempt in 1604 to colonize the territory they called 
Acadia and is the location of one of the earliest European 
settlements in North America. The island lies west of the 
international border and can be seen from a National Park 
Service interpretive site (Red Beach) on the Maine shore of the 
Saint Croix River. The island can also be seen from a Parks 
Canada facility on the New Brunswick shore of the Saint Croix 
River.
    Saint Croix Island ISH is significant to the people of the 
United States, Canada and France. The National Park Service 
will be a key player in commemorating the world-historical 
events which had their start at Saint Croix Island. We would 
also like to thank Senator Collins and Senator Snowe for the 
energy and insight they have brought to this issue in order for 
the Service to prepare for celebrations in 2004.
    The National Park Service completed a general management 
plan (GMP) for Saint Croix Island IHS in 1998. The GMP 
recommends the best strategy to protect and interpret Saint 
Croix Island International Historic Site is to develop an 
interpretive trail and ranger station on the site's mainland 
shore, Red Beach, Maine, and to assist in the development of a 
multi-agency visitor center in downtown Calais. The National 
Park Service is working with Federal, State and local partners 
on a strategy to interpret the heritage of the entire region. A 
goal is to incorporate the Saint Croix Island story into the 
themes of the regions cultural and natural history in both the 
United States and in Canada. In addition, a 1982 international 
memorandum of understanding between the Department of the 
Interior of the United States and the Department of Environment 
of Canada provides a mechanism for coordination with Canadian 
officials. Planning efforts to commemorate and interpret the 
international historic site, and specifically the 400th 
anniversary of the settlement in 2004, are ongoing. The 
timetable is extremely short for these projects to be 
accomplished in time for the anniversary celebrations.
    The National Park Service has prepared a development 
support package for the Red Beach site for the construction of 
restrooms and parking and for installing interpretive wayside 
exhibits. We have also acquired key parcels of land and 
structures at the Red Beach site. It should be noted that 
visitation to Saint Croix Island will not be encouraged in 
order to protect the fragile lands and the significant 
archaeological remains. A second development support package 
provides for the remaining development work recommended in the 
GMP. This work includes the National Park Service portion of 
the costs for a Calais Regional Heritage Center. National Park 
Service funds for this center would be subject to the 
availability of appropriations and NPS priorities. The total 
preliminary cost estimate for the center is $6.5 million with 
the NPS share being $2 million.
    On the Canadian side of the Saint Croix River, Parks Canada 
has completed an extensive interpretive trail, exhibits, 
brochures and web pages with links to other French sites 
throughout eastern Canada. The Province of New Brunswick is 
developing a reconstructed settlement on the river shore 
directly opposite the island.
    The National Park Service wishes to continue to cooperate 
with others in planning for a regional heritage center. The 
center would not be owned nor operated by the National Park 
Service, but managed by a consortium of partners. Although we 
do not advocate a National Park Service presence in Calais, we 
believe a partnership among Federal, state and local 
organizations would be the most appropriate and cost-effective. 
The National Park Service generally opposes the use of limited 
funds for non-Federal facilities, but in this case the facility 
can serve park purposes and therefore may be appropriate for 
funding, subject to NPS ranking of priorities. This legislation 
would authorize the necessary appropriations to fund very 
limited Park Service operational costs in Calais.
    S. 2485 encourages collaborative planning, construction and 
operation of the center, but we believe an amendment would 
better encourage all partners to participate. Along with State 
and local agencies and nonprofit organizations, it is 
anticipated that the Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service would be partners with the National Park 
Service in this endeavor. We recommend that Section 4(b) be 
amended to allow the Secretary to enter into cooperative 
agreements with these two Federal agencies also.
    We are very supportive of this legislation if modified in 
accordance with the amendment attached to this testimony. This 
concludes my prepared testimony. I would be happy to answer any 
questions that you or members of the subcommittee may have.
    Our proposed amendment is as follows:
    On page 4, line 15, strike ``with State and local 
agencies'' and insert ``with other Federal agencies, State and 
local agencies''.


                        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. 2485, as 
ordered reported.

                                  

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