[Senate Report 110-303]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 655
110th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 110-303
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WOLF HOUSE STUDY ACT OF 2008
_______
April 10, 2008.--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. 1941]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 1941) to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of
designating the Wolf House, located in Norfork, Arkansas, as a
unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes,
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an
amendment and an amendment to the title and recommends that the
bill, as amended, do pass.
The amendments are as follows:
1. Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in
lieu thereof the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Wolf House Study Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
the Interior.
(2) Wolf house.--The term ``Wolf House'' means the structure
known by that name located on Highway 5 in Norfork, Arkansas.
SEC. 3. WOLF HOUSE STUDY.
(a) In General.--In accordance with subsection (b), the Secretary
shall complete a special resource study of the Wolf House to
determine--
(1) the suitability and feasibility of designating the Wolf
House as a unit of the National Park System; and
(2) the methods and means for the protection and
interpretation of the Wolf House by--
(A) the National Park Service;
(B) other entities of the Federal Government;
(C) State and local government entities; and
(D) private and nonprofit organizations.
(b) Study Requirements.--The Secretary shall conduct the study in
accordance with section 8(c) of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)).
(c) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are
made available to carry out this section, the Secretary shall submit to
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report
containing--
(1) the results of the study; and
(2) any recommendations of the Secretary.
2. Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to authorize the
Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and
feasibility of designating the Wolf House, located in Norfork,
Arkansas, as a unit of the National Park System, and for other
purposes.''.
PURPOSE
The purpose of S. 1941 is to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and
feasibility of including the Wolf House, located in Norfork,
Arkansas, as a unit of the National Park System.
BACKGROUND AND NEED
The Wolf House is a two-story log structure built in 1829
in Baxter County, Arkansas. The structure dates to Arkansas'
territorial period. It is the oldest public building in
Arkansas and the oldest territorial courthouse west of the
Mississippi River. The structure is named for its owner and
builder, Major Jacob Wolf. It was originally built as the
county courthouse and from 1836 to 1863 it served as the
residence for Wolf and his family.
Baxter County purchased the Wolf House and an extensive
restoration of the structure was began in 1999 and completed in
2001. Research was conducted relating to the structure's
history and 1829 appearance. The restoration was funded by a
County Courthouse Restoration Grant awarded by the Arkansas
Historic Preservation Program, an agency of the Department of
Arkansas Heritage. The restored building reopened to the public
in the spring of 2002 to coincide with Norfork's Pioneer Days
festival.
The site is operated by the Wolf House Memorial Foundation
under an agreement with the county. The Wolf House was placed
on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
S. 1941 was introduced by Senators Lincoln and Pryor on
August 2, 2007. The Subcommittee on National Parks held a
hearing on the bill on November 8, 2007. (S. Hrg. 110-282.)
At its business meeting on January 30, 2008, the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 1941 favorably
reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Similar legislation, was introduced in the 109th (S. 434)
and the 108th (S. 3008) Congresses, but no action was taken on
either bill.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open
business session on January 30, 2008, by a voice vote of a
quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 1941, if
amended as described herein.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
During the consideration of S. 1941, the Committee adopted
an amendment in the nature of a substitute. The amendment
deletes the finding section and makes other conforming
amendment. The amendment is explained in detail in the section-
by-section analysis below.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1 contains the short title, the ``Wolf House Study
Act of 2008''.
Section 2 defines the term ``Secretary'' to mean the
Secretary of the Interior and ``Wolf House'' means the
structure known by that name on Highway 5 in Norfork, Arkansas.
Section 3(a) states the Secretary shall complete a special
resource study to determine the suitability and feasibility of
designating the Wolf House as a unit of the National Park
System and the methods and means for the protection and
interpretation of the Wolf House by involved entities.
Subsection (b) states the Secretary shall conduct the study
in accordance with section 8(c) of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C.
19-5(c)), which provides criteria for National Park Service
studies.
Subsection (c) provides that the Secretary shall submit to
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives a report containing the results of the study
and any recommendations of the Secretary.
COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS
The following estimate of costs of this measure has been
provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
S. 1941--Wolf House Study Act of 2008
S. 1941 would require the National Park Service (NPS) to
conduct a study to determine the feasibility and suitability of
designating the Wolf House in Arkansas as a unit of the
National Park System. The bill would require the NPS to report
its findings and recommendations to the appropriate
Congressional committees within three years of receiving
funding for the study.
Assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO
estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $300,000
over the next three years. Enacting this legislation would not
affect direct spending or revenues.
S. 1941 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 Deborah Reis.
The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, 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. 1941. 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. 1941, as ordered reported.
CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING
S. 1941, as reported, does not contain any congressionally
directed spending items, limited tax benefits, or limited
tariff benefits as defined in Rule XLIV of the Standing Rules
of the Senate.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
The testimony provided by the National Park Service at the
November 8, 2007 Subcommittee hearing on S. 1941 follows.
Statement of Katherine H. Stevenson, Acting Assistant Director,
Business Services, National Park Service, Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank you for
the opportunity to appear before you today to present the
Department of the Interior's views on S. 1941, a bill to direct
the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and
feasibility of designating the Wolf House, located in Norfork,
Arkansas, as a unit of the National Park System.
The Department opposes S. 1941. While the Wolf House is an
impressive historical structure, it is not distinguished beyond
that of many other historical log structures in cities all over
the United States. It is currently operated by the Wolf House
Memorial Foundation, Inc., (Foundation) with the backing of
Baxter County, Arkansas. Even though the Wolf House has
significance for the political history of the state of
Arkansas, we believe it may be more suited for inclusion in the
State Park system, either separately or as part of the Bull
Shoals-White River State Park. Finally, we believe that
priority should be given to the 35 previously authorized
studies for potential units of the National Park System,
potential new National Heritage Areas, and potential additions
to the National Trails System and National Wild and Scenic
River System that have not yet been transmitted to the
Congress.
S. 1941 would authorize a study of the Wolf House, a two-
story dogtrot log structure dating back to 1829. It is a relic
of the Arkansas territorial period, the oldest territorial
courthouse west of the Mississippi River, and is located on
Highway 5 in Norfork, Arkansas. It also would study the Wolf
House property, several outbuildings, and portions of several
city lots, all located within the city of Norfork. The study
would be conducted in accordance with the criteria contained in
Section 8(c) of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)). A report
that includes the findings, conclusions, and recommendations
for future management of the study area would be required to be
transmitted by the Secretary to Congress no later than one year
after enactment of this legislation. S. 1941 states that the
Wolf House is located in the city of Norfolk; the correct
location is the city of Norfork.
The Wolf House became the property of the city of Norfork
in the 1930s and was maintained and opened to the public by
interested citizens who eventually formed the Foundation. The
Wolf House was placed on the National Register of Historic
Places on April 13, 1973. In the 1990s, controversies over
management of the property led the Foundation to approach the
Arkansas State Parks to assume responsibility for the property.
They were told that the State Parks could not acquire new
properties at the time. In 1999, the Foundation and the city of
Norfork quit claimed their ownership of the property to Baxter
County. At the same time, the Arkansas Historic Preservation
Program acquired a historic preservation easement on the
property.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my prepared testimony. I would
be pleased to answer any questions you or the subcommittee may
have.
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. 1941, as
ordered reported.