[Senate Report 107-256]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                       Calendar No. 573
107th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session                                                     107-256

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                      COLTSVILLE STUDY ACT OF 2002

                                _______
                                

               September 9, 2002.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

   Mr. Bingaman, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 2519]

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 2519) to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct a study of Coltsville in the State of 
Connecticut for potential inclusion in the National Park 
System, 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 8, strike ``1 year'' and insert ``three 
years''.

                                PURPOSE

    The purpose of S. 2519 is to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct a suitability and feasibility study of 
Coltsville, a community in the State of Connecticut, for 
potential inclusion in the National Park System.

                          BACKGROUND AND NEED

    Located in central Connecticut near Hartford, the community 
of Coltsville has a rich industrial history and played a major 
role in the Industrial Revolution. The community was inspired 
by Samuel Colt, founder of the Colt Manufacturing Company, and 
his wife, Elizabeth Colt. In addition to manufacturing the 
famous Colt six-shooter, the Colt Manufacturing Company was a 
center of industrial innovation and development of technology 
that changed the way of life in the United States and 
flourished during the Industrial Revolution. Some of the 
company's major innovations included the development of 
telegraph technology and advancements in jet engine technology.
    In 1998, the National Park Service conducted a special 
resource reconnaissance study of the Connecticut River Valley 
to evaluate the significance of historic manufacturing sites. 
The conclusions of the study were that the Coltsville region 
contains an unequaled concentration of historic resources 
relating to precision manufacturing, and further study of the 
area is warranted for potential designation as a unit of the 
National Park System.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    S. 2519 was introduced by Senators Dodd and Lieberman on 
May 15, 2002, The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing 
on S. 2519 on June 20, 2002. At the business meeting on July 
31, 2002, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered 
S. 2519, as amended, favorably reported.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open 
business session on July 31, 2002, by a voice vote of a quorum 
present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 2519, if amended as 
described herein.

                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT

    During the consideration of S. 2519, the Committee adopted 
an amendment which would increase the time period for the 
completion of the study from one to three years after the date 
funds are made available, which is more consistent with the 
time generally allowed for similar studies.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

    Section 1 describes the short title as the ``Coltsville 
Study Act of 2002.''
    Section 2 contains congressional findings.
    Section 3 (a) directs the Secretary of the Interior to 
complete a study of the Coltsville site in the State of 
Connecticut to evaluate its national significance and the 
suitability and feasibility of designating the site as a unit 
of the National Park System.
    Subsection (b) requires that the study be conducted in 
accordance with Public Law 91-383. Section 8 of that Act 
includes requirements for studies of potential additions to the 
National Park System.
    Section 4 requires the Secretary to submit a report to the 
Senate Energy and Natural Resources and House Resources 
Committees within 30 days after the study is completed. The 
report is to describe the study findings and any conclusions 
and recommendations of the Secretary.
    Section 5 authorizes the appropriation of such sums as are 
necessary to carry out this Act.

                   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, August 12, 2002.
Hon. Jeff Bingaman,
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. 2519, the Coltsville 
Study Act of 2002.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
            Sincerely,
                                         Robert A. Sunshine
                                    (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
    Enclosure.

S. 2519--Coltsville Study Act of 2002

    S. 2519 would direct the Department of the Interior to 
conduct a study of the area of Connecticut known as Coltsville 
to evaluate the area's national significance. The study would 
also assess the feasibility and suitability of designating 
Coltsville a unit of the National Park System. The bill would 
authorize the appropriation of whatever amounts are necessary 
for the study and would require the department to report on its 
findings and recommendations within three years of receiving 
funds.
    Assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO 
estimates that it would cost about $250,000 over the next three 
years to complete the required study and report. Enacting the 
bill would not affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, 
pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
    S. 2519 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 for this estimate is Deborah Reis. 
The 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. 2519. 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. 2519, as ordered reported.

                        EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

    The pertinent legislative report received by the Committee 
from the Department of the Interior setting forth Executive 
agency recommendations relating to S. 2519 is set forth below:

                        Department of the Interior,
                                   Office of the Secretary,
                                      Washington, DC, July 1, 2002.
Hon. Jeff Bingaman,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for the opportunity to present 
the views of the Department of the Interior on S. 2519, the 
Coltsville Study Act of 2002.
    The Department supports this study. However, we did not 
request additional funding for this study in fiscal year 2003. 
We believe that any funding requested should be directed 
towards completing previously authorized studies. There are 37 
studies pending currently, of which we hope to transmit at 
least seven to Congress by the end of 2002. To meet the 
President's Initiative to eliminate the deferred maintenance 
backlog, we must continue to focus our resources on caring for 
existing areas in the National Park System. We caution that our 
support of this legislation authorizing a study does not 
necessarily mean that the Department will support designations 
of this area as a unit of the National Park System. The study 
would be undertaken with the full involvement of 
representatives of the State of Connecticut, the City of 
Hartford, property owners in the study area, and other 
interested organizations and individuals in the region.
    The bill directs the National Park Service to study the 
site commonly known as ``Coltsville,'' and its surrounding area 
within the City of Hartford, to evaluate its national 
significance, suitability, and feasibility for designation as a 
unit of the National Park System. The bill also directs NPS to 
evaluate the importance of the site to the history of precision 
manufacturing.
    At the core of the Coltsville area, which is estimated as 
some 260 acres is the 17-acre Coltsville Heritage Park. Owned 
by a non-profit subsidiary of the Goodrich Corporation, this 
site contains ten historic buildings, some of which are 
occupied by commercial, residential, and office tenants; a 
number of artists also live and work in the complex. Also 
within the study area, but in separate ownership, are examples 
of former Colt worker housing and other buildings associated 
with Colt history. The potential study area borders Interstate 
91, which parallels the Connecticut River, and is close to the 
central business district where the State Capitol and Museum of 
Connecticut State History are located. The State Museum is a 
major repository of Colt-related artifacts and archives, as is 
the Wadsworth Atheneum, a renowned museum also in the city 
center.
    Samuel Colt was born in Hartford in 1814 and died there in 
1862. He obtained his first patent in 1836 and went on to found 
a company that is still in operation today, although it moved 
from the historic armory to West Hartford, Connecticut and is 
no longer owned by the Colt family. The Colt name is known 
throughout the world. Colt firearms and other products have 
been used in every major conflict from the U.S.-Mexican War to 
the present.
    The Colt revolver was a revolutionary weapon that changed 
military tactics and eventually made the sword obsolete in 
combat. First produced in 1847, it maintained its reputation 
through the Civil War despite competition from other 
manufacturers. Colt's salesmanship was legendary, and the 
company grew due to his marketing, advertising, and public 
relations skills. He began construction of his first factory in 
Hartford in 1847. At the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition in 
London, Colt revolvers were displayed and their 
interchangeability demonstrated as a highlight of the 
``American System of Manufacturing.'' Colt was so impressed 
with his reception in England that he would build a factory 
there, becoming the first American to set up a manufacturing 
plant overseas.
    The Hartford facility expanded in the mid-19th century. The 
armory's distinctive blue onion dome, a Hartford landmark 
visible from I-91, was built in 1855. In order to attract 
laborers, Colt built a self-contained community surrounding the 
factory at Coltsville that included housing, gardens, beer 
halls, and a band. A library and school were established for 
the children of the workers, as well as a church and social 
hall. Many of these structures are still extant and are part of 
the Colt Industrial National Register District that was listed 
in 1976. The Colt family home, Armsmear, a National Historic 
Landmark, and its surrounding grounds are situated in Colt 
Park, abutting the armory site. The original factory burned in 
1864, but was rebuilt soon after.
    Colt would continue to supply sidearms to the United States 
military until 1985. Colt weapons were carried not only by the 
American soldier on the frontier, but were the personal weapon 
of choice of cowboys, both famous and infamous.
    Colt history complements that of Springfield Armory 
National Historic Site, which is managed by the National Park 
Service in Springfield, Massachusetts, 25 miles north of 
Hartford along the Connecticut River. Originally Springfield 
Armory produced shoulder arms while Colt made handguns. Later 
they worked together to bring the rapid-fire gun and later the 
machine-gun into the inventories of the U.S. military. But in 
1961 Colt challenged Springfield Armory's M14 rifle while 
promoting its competing AR-15, now known as the M16 rifle. This 
ultimately resulted in the demise of Springfield Armory in 
1968.
    The Colt story is also the story of Elizabeth Colt, who 
took over the factory after her husband's death in 1862, and 
ran it successfully for another 39 years. The history of this 
remarkable woman is not well-known and should be included as 
part of the study.
    In our 1998 Connecticut River Valley Special Resource 
Reconnaissance Study, we said, ``innovations stimulated by 
firearms manufacture, notably mass production and the concept 
of interchangeable parts, had far-reaching consequences 
throughout American industry.'' As the skills developed in 
firearms manufacture were given broader application, the 
corridor between New Haven, Connecticut and Windsor, Vermont 
became known as the ``Precision Valley.'' Developments in arms 
making translated to other metal-working industries, such as 
sewing machines, typewriters, bicycles, railway equipment, and 
clocks.
    It is appropriate for the National Park Service to explore 
further this theme of American history. Only through further 
investigation will it be possible to determine if it is 
feasible and suitable for inclusion in the National Park 
System.
    The Office of Management and Budget advises that there is 
no objection to the presentation of this report from the 
standpoint of the Administration's program.
            Sincerely,
                                              Craig Manson,
               Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

                        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. 1519, as 
ordered reported.

                                  
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