[Senate Report 108-9]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 17
108th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 108-9
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COLTSVILLE STUDY ACT OF 2003
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February 11, 2003.--Ordered to be printed
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Mr. Domenici, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 233]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 233) 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
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE
The purpose of S. 233 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 sixshooter, 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. 233 was introduced by Senators Dodd and Lieberman on
January 23, 2003. Similar legislation, S. 2519, was introduced
by Senators Dodd and Lieberman in the 107th Congress. The
Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on S. 2519 on
June 20, 2002. The Committee ordered S. 2519 favorably reported
with an amendment on July 31, 2002, and the Senate adopted the
text of the bill as part of amendment 4972 of S. 1894, which
passed the Senate by unanimous consent on November 19, 2002.
At its business meeting on February 5, 2003, the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 233 favorably
reported.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open
business session on February 5, 2003, by a unanimous voice vote
of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 233.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1 entitles the bill the ``Coltsville Study Act of
2003.''
Section 2 contains findings including results of a 1998
National Park Service special resource reconnaissance study of
the Connecticut River Valley.
Section 3 directs the Secretary of the Interior to
complete, not later than 3 years after the date on which funds
are made available, a study of the site in the State of
Connecticut commonly known as Coltsville.
Section 4 directs the Secretary of the Interior to submit,
not later than 30 days after completing the study under section
3, a report to the Committee on Resources of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate.
Section 5 authorizes to be appropriated such sums as are
necessary to carry out this Act.
COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS
The following estimate of costs of this measure has been
provided by the Congressional Budget Office.
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, February 7, 2003.
Hon. Pete V. Domenici,
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. 233, the Coltsville
Study Act of 2003.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
Douglas Holtz-Eakin.
Enclosure.
S. 233--Coltsville Study Act of 2003
S. 233 would direct the Department of the Interior to
conduct a study of an area in Connecticut known as Coltsville
to evaluate the area's national significance. The study also
would assess the feasibility and suitability of designating
Coltsville as 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 finding 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 revenues.
S. 233 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 Paul R. Cullinan, Chief for Human
Resources Cost Estimates Unit of the Budget Analysis Division.
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. 233. The bill is not a regulatory measure in
the sense of imposing Government-established standards of
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
enactment of S. 233, as ordered reported.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
On February 6, 2003, 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. 233. These reports
had not been received at the time the report on S. 233 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.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
In compliance with paragraph 12 of the rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no
changes in existing law are made by the bill S. 233, as ordered
reported.