[House Report 109-433]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
109th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 109-433
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TO REDESIGNATE THE MASON NECK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN VIRGINIA AS
THE ELIZABETH HARTWELL MASON NECK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
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April 25, 2006.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
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Mr. Pombo, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3682]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(H.R. 3682) to redesignate the Mason Neck National Wildlife
Refuge in Virginia as the Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck
National Wildlife Refuge, 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. 3682 is to redesignate the Mason Neck
National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia as the Elizabeth Hartwell
Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge was
administratively created on February 1, 1969. The Refuge,
located in Lorton, Virginia, was established for the protection
of nesting, feeding and roosting habitat for bald eagles. In
fact, it was the first such wildlife refuge created to protect
what was then an endangered species. The original land, which
was 845 acres, was purchased from funds allocated under the
Land and Water Conservation Fund. Until 1974, Mason Neck was a
subunit of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
Over time, the Refuge has grown. As of September 30, 2004,
1,488 acres have been purchased at a cost of $7,235,360, and an
additional 789 acres are leased from the Northern Virginia
Regional Park Authority. Currently, the Refuge, situated along
the Potomac River on the Mason Neck Peninsula, consists of
2,277 acres of hardwood and pine forest, 300 acres of
freshwater marshes and over 4 miles of coastline. This urban
refuge has the largest freshwater marsh in Northern Virginia,
the largest Great Blue heron rookery in the Mid-Atlantic
region, and has more than 200 species of birds, 44 species of
reptiles and amphibians and 31 species of mammals.
Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge offers ideal habitat
for eagles and it is, therefore, not surprising that the Refuge
is listed as one of the top locations in the lower 48 states
for viewing bald eagles. According to the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, eagles use the mature forests for shelter and
nesting sites and the bays, marshes and rivers for foraging
activities. It has been estimated that a number of bald eagles
nest within the Refuge and up to 100 birds winter within the
Refuge boundaries.
In addition, to wildlife observation, the Refuge offers
other forms of wildlife dependent recreation including
environmental education, fishing and hunting. According to the
most recent figures, there are about 30,000 people who visited
the Refuge each year.
The term ``Mason Neck'' refers to George Mason who built
the Gunston Hall Plantation and was one of the richest planters
in Virginia. He served in the Virginia House of Burgesses, was
the original author of the Virginia Bill of Rights and
represented the State at the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
This legislation which would rename the Refuge as the
Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge.
Elizabeth Hartwell, who was affectionately called the ``Eagle
Lady,'' was a leading environmentalist who successfully led a
campaign to protect the Mason Neck Peninsula for the
preservation of the American bald eagle. Due to her tireless
leadership, the 2,277-acre Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge,
the 1,804-acre Mason Neck State Park and the 1,003-acre Pohick
Bay Regional Park were established.
As a lifetime Virginian, she dedicated her life to
conservation causes and her list of public service achievements
included winning the Conservation Award of the National Capital
Area Federation of Garden Clubs in 1967, and being named
Fairfax County's Citizen of the Year in 1971. She also served
as Vice Chairman of the Northern Virginia Regional Park
Authority, Chairman of the Citizens Council for a Clean
Potomac, Vice President of the Conservation Council of Virginia
and as a long-time member of the Northern Virginia Potomac
River Basin Commission. She also founded the 11-member
Conservation Committee for Mason Neck, organized the Friends of
Mason Neck and was a Board Member of the Audubon Naturalist
Society of the Central Atlantic States.
Between 1965 and 1983, Mrs. Hartwell was credited with
stopping at least 21 separate environmental threats to Mason
Neck. These threats included efforts to: provide a deep-water
port for ocean going vessels; an outer beltway highway plan
through the Refuge; a garbage landfill for the District of
Columbia; a liquified natural gas pipeline; and a major sewer
line construction project. There are many people who believe
that the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge would not exist
today had it not been for Mrs. Elizabeth Hartwell. In addition,
a number of local organizations such as the Hallowing Point
Citizens Association, the Lorton Federation of Citizens
Associations and the Mason Neck Citizens Association have
endorsed this designation. Sadly, Mrs. Hartwell died at the age
of 76 of congestive heart failure on December 14, 2000.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 3682 was introduced on September 7, 2005, by
Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA). The bill was referred to the
Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans. On December 6, 2005, the
Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On March 29, 2006, the
Full Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The
Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans was discharged from
further consideration of the bill by unanimous consent. 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:
H.R. 3682--A bill to redesignate the Mason Neck National Wildlife
Refuge in Virginia as the Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck
National Wildlife Refuge
H.R. 3682 would redesignate the Mason Neck National
Wildlife Refuge in Virginia as the Elizabeth Hartwell Mason
Neck National Wildlife Refuge. Based on information from the
Department of the Interior and assuming the availability of
appropriated funds, CBO estimates that any resulting change in
federal spending would be negligible. The bill would not affect
direct spending or revenues.
H.R. 3682 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Megan Carroll.
This estimate was approved by Paul R. Cullinan, Chief, Human
Resources Cost Estimates Unit for the Budget Analysis Division.
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.