[House Report 108-640]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



108th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     108-640

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TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO STUDY THE SUITABILITY AND 
 FEASIBILITY OF DESIGNATING CASTLE NUGENT FARMS LOCATED ON ST. CROIX, 
 VIRGIN ISLANDS, AS A UNIT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM, AND FOR OTHER 
                                PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

 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. 2663]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 2663) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study 
the suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent 
Farms located on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the 
National Park System, and for other purposes, 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. 2663 is to authorize the Secretary of 
the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of 
designating Castle Nugent Farms located on St. Croix, U.S. 
Virgin Islands, as a Unit of the National Park System.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Located on the island of St. Croix, United States Virgin 
Islands, Castle Nugent Farms is one of 264 cotton and sugar 
plantations that were formed on the island after 1733 when the 
Danish West Indies Company purchased the island from France. 
Historians believe Castle Nugent Farms, which includes a 17th 
century Danish estate house and a number of structures, is one 
of the oldest ongoing cattle ranches in the West Indies 
specializing in Senepol breed of cattle. Today, Castle Nugent, 
the largest parcel of privately-held land in the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, is a genetic bank for the Senepol breed. The shores of 
the farm also include large coral reefs and turtle and heron 
nesting sites.
    The National Park Service study authorized by H.R. 2663 
would determine the suitability, feasibility and national 
significance of establishing the Castle Nugent Farm Estate as a 
unit of the Park System.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 2663 was introduced on July 8, 2003, by Delegate Donna 
Christensen (D-VI). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 
National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. On March 25, 2004, 
the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On April 22, 2004, 
the Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. No amendments were 
offered and the bill was forwarded to the full Resources 
Committee by unanimous consent. On May 5, 2004, the full 
Resources Committee met to consider the bill. No amendments 
were offered and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the 
House of Representatives by unanimous consent.

            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. General Performance Goals and Objectives. This bill does 
not authorize funding and therefore, clause 3(c)(4) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives does not 
apply.
    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, May 12, 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. 2663, a bill to 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the 
suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent Farms 
located on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National 
Park System.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact for this 
estimate is Deborah Reis.
            Sincerely,
                                      Elizabeth M. Robinson
                               (For Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 2663--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study 
        the suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent 
        Farms located on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the 
        National Park System

    H.R. 2663 would direct the Department of the Interior to 
study the feasibility and suitability of designating the 
approximately 1,400-acre site of Castle Nugent Farms on St. 
Croix as a unit of the National Park System. The department 
would be required to report its findings and recommendations 
within three years of receiving funds for the study.
    Assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO 
estimates that implementing H.R. 2663 would cost the federal 
government about $300,000 over the next three years to complete 
the required study and report. Enacting the legislation would 
not affect direct spending or revenues.
    H.R. 2663 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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