[House Report 108-637]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



108th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     108-637

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           TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS SPECIAL RESOURCES STUDY ACT

                                _______
                                

 September 7, 2004.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Pombo, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 2129]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 2129) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct 
a special resources study regarding the suitability and 
feasibility of designating certain historic buildings and areas 
in Taunton, Massachusetts, as a unit of the National Park 
System, and for other purposes, having considered the same, 
report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that 
the bill as amended do pass.
  The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Taunton, Massachusetts Special 
Resources Study Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

  Congress finds the following:
          (1) The city of Taunton, Massachusetts, is home to 9 distinct 
        historic districts, with more than 600 properties on the 
        National Register of Historic Places. Included among these 
        districts are the Church Green Historic District, the 
        Courthouse Historic District, the Taunton Green Historic 
        District, and the Reed and Barton Historic District.
          (2) All of these districts include buildings and building 
        facades of great historical, cultural, and architectural value.
          (3) Taunton Green is the site where the Sons of Liberty first 
        raised the Liberty and Union Flag in 1774, an event that helped 
        to spark a popular movement, culminating in the American 
        Revolution, and Taunton citizens have been among the first to 
        volunteer for America's subsequent wars.
          (4) Robert Treat Paine, a citizen of Taunton, and the first 
        Attorney General of Massachusetts, was a signer of the 
        Declaration of Independence.
          (5) Taunton was a leading community in the Industrial 
        Revolution, and its industrial area has been the site of many 
        innovations in such industries as silver manufacture, paper 
        manufacture, and ship building.
          (6) The landscaping of the Courthouse Green was designed by 
        Frederick Law Olmsted, who also left landscaping ideas and 
        plans for other areas in the city which have great value and 
        interest as historical archives and objects of future study.
          (7) Main Street, which connects many of the historic 
        districts, is home to the Taunton City Hall and the Leonard 
        Block building, 2 outstanding examples of early 19th Century 
        American architecture, as well as many other historically and 
        architecturally significant structures.
          (8) The city and people of Taunton have preserved many 
        artifacts, gravesites, and important documents dating back to 
        1638 when Taunton was founded.
          (9) Taunton was and continues to be an important destination 
        for immigrants from Europe and other parts of the world who 
        have helped to give Southeastern Massachusetts its unique 
        ethnic character.

SEC. 3. STUDY.

  The Secretary, in consultation with the appropriate State historic 
preservation officers, State historical societies, the city of Taunton, 
and other appropriate organizations, shall conduct a special resources 
study regarding the suitability and feasibility of designating certain 
historic buildings and areas in Taunton, Massachusetts, as a unit of 
the National Park System. The study shall be conducted and completed in 
accordance with section 8(c) of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)) 
and shall include analysis, documentation, and determinations regarding 
whether the historic areas in Taunton--
          (1) can be managed, curated, interpreted, restored, 
        preserved, and presented as an organic whole under management 
        by the National Park Service or under an alternative management 
        structure;
          (2) have an assemblage of natural, historic, and cultural 
        resources that together represent distinctive aspects of 
        American heritage worthy of recognition, conservation, 
        interpretation, and continuing use;
          (3) reflect traditions, customs, beliefs, and historical 
        events that are valuable parts of the national story;
          (4) provide outstanding opportunities to conserve natural, 
        historic, cultural, architectural, or scenic features;
          (5) provide outstanding recreational and educational 
        opportunities; and
          (6) can be managed by the National Park Service in 
        partnership with residents, business interests, nonprofit 
        organizations, and State and local governments to develop a 
        unit of the National Park System consistent with State and 
        local economic activity.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

  Not later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which funds are first 
made available for this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the 
findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study required under 
section 3.

SEC. 5. PRIVATE PROPERTY.

  The recommendations in the report submitted pursuant to section 4 
shall discuss and consider the concerns expressed by private landowners 
with respect to designating the certain structures referred to in this 
Act as a unit of the National Park System.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary 
to carry out the purposes of this Act.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 2129 is to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct a special resources study regarding the 
suitability and feasibility of designating certain historic 
buildings and areas in Taunton, Massachusetts, as a unit of the 
National Park System, and for other purposes.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    The city of Taunton, Massachusetts, is home to nine 
distinct historic districts, with more than 600 properties on 
the National Register of Historic Places. Included among these 
districts are the Church Green Historic District, the 
Courthouse Historic District, the Taunton Green Historic 
District, and the Reed and Barton Historic District. All of 
these districts include buildings and building facades of great 
historical, cultural, and architectural value. Taunton Green is 
the site where the Sons of Liberty first raised the Liberty and 
Union Flag in 1774, an event that helped to spark a popular 
movement, culminating in the American Revolution; Taunton 
citizens have been among the first to volunteer for America's 
subsequent wars. Taunton was a leading community in the 
Industrial Revolution, and its industrial area has been the 
site of many innovations in such industries as silver 
manufacture, paper manufacture, and shipbuilding. Main Street, 
which connects many of the historic districts, is home to the 
Taunton City Hall and the Leonard Block building, two 
outstanding examples of early 19th Century American 
architecture, as well as many other historically and 
architecturally significant structures. Taunton was and 
continues to be an important destination for immigrants from 
Europe and other parts of the world who have helped to give 
southeastern Massachusetts its unique ethnic character.
    H.R. 2129 directs the Secretary of the Interior, in 
consultation with the appropriate State historic preservation 
officers, State historical societies, the City of Taunton, and 
other appropriate organizations, to conduct a special resources 
study regarding the suitability and feasibility of designating 
certain historic buildings and areas in Taunton, Massachusetts, 
as a unit of the National Park System. The study shall be 
conducted within three years of passage of this Act.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 2129 was introduced on May 15, 2003, by Congressman 
Barney Frank (D-MA). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 
National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. On June 15, 2004, 
the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On July 14, 2004, 
the Full Resource Committee met to consider the bill. The 
Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands was 
discharged from further consideration of this bill by unanimous 
consent. Chairman Pombo offered an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute to the bill. Specifically, the amendment added to 
the requirements of the proposed study a requirement that the 
Secretary provide an analysis of the impact such a designation 
would have on private property located within or abutting the 
historic buildings cited in the bill. The amendment was agreed 
to by unanimous consent. The bill as amended, was then ordered 
favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous 
consent.

            COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1)of Rule 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 and Article IV, section 3 of the 
Constitution of the United States grant 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. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or 
objective of this bill is to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct a special resources study regarding the 
suitability and feasibility of designating certain historic 
buildings and areas in Taunton, Massachusetts, as a unit of the 
National Park System, and for other purposes.
    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, July 28, 2004.
Hon. Richard W. Pombo,
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. 2129, the Taunton, 
Massachusetts, Special Resources Study Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
            Sincerely,
                                      Elizabeth M. Robinson
                               (For Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 2129--Taunton, Massachusetts, Special Resources Study Act

    H.R. 2129 would direct the Department of the Interior to 
conduct a special resource study to determine the feasability 
and suitability of designating certain historic buildings and 
areas of Taunton, Massachusetts, as a unit of the National Park 
System. The bill would require the department to report its 
findings and recommendations within three years of receiving 
funding for the study.
    Assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO 
estimates that it would cost less than $200,000 over the next 
three years to complete the required study and report. Enacting 
this legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues.
    H.R. 2129 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.

                    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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