[Senate Report 110-96]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 226
110th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 110-96
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WASHINGTON-ROCHAMBEAU REVOLUTIONARY ROUTE NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL
DESIGNATION ACT
_______
June 26, 2007.--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. 686]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 686) to amend the National Trails System
Act to designate the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
National Historic Trail, having considered the same, reports
favorably thereon without amendment, and recommends that the
bill do pass.
Purpose
The purpose of S. 686 is to designate the Washington-
Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, a 600-
mile route extending from Newport, Rhode Island, to Yorktown,
Virginia.
Background and Need
During the 106th Congress, legislation was enacted (Public
Law 106-473) authorizing the National Park Service to undertake
a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of
designating the 600-mile route taken by the armies of George
Washington and Count Rochambeau between Newport, Rhode Island
and Yorktown, Virginia in 1781 and the return to Boston,
Massachusetts in 1782.
The National Park Service completed the study in October
2006. The study concluded that the trail was appropriate for
designation as a National Historic Trail, which was the
preferred alternative of the study.
As part of the alliance with the 13 rebellious colonies
that would form the United States, French General Jean Baptiste
Donatien de Vimeur, comte de (Count) Rochambeau, sailed into
Newport, Rhode Island in July of 1780 as head of the expedition
Particuliere, an army of 5,300 officers and men. After
wintering in Newport, Rochambeau's army marched through Rhode
Island and Connecticut in June and July of 1781, and joined
General George Washington's Continental Army in Philipsburg,
New York.
Abandoning the idea of attacking New York, held by the
British under General Sir Henry Clinton, the two generals
devised instead a southern campaign to attack General Charles
Lord Cornwallis in Virginia. In August and September, their
armies took a combination of strategic roads and waterways that
led them through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland,
the future District of Columbia, and Virginia, reaching
Williamsburg in late September. Together they attacked and held
under siege the British-fortified town of Yorktown. A French
fleet under the command of Admiral de Grasse blocked the
Chesapeake Bay to either reinforcement from New York or sea
escape from Yorktown. On October 19, 1781, after three weeks of
siege, General Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington,
marking Yorktown as one of the most decisive American victories
in the War for Independence.
Shortly afterwards, Washington and the Continentals
returned to defend northern posts. Rochambeau and his army
wintered in Williamsburg, then marched north in the summer of
1782. In the towns and cities they passed through along the
way, both the American and French forces were warmly greeted
and celebrated. While small contingents stayed in different
ports and left for France the following year, the bulk of
Rochambeau's army sailed from Boston on Christmas Eve, 1782.
In all, nine states and the future District of Columbia
formed the route and supported the march, providing ports,
roads, campsites, officers' lodging, provisions of food, and
supplies: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia.
Legislative History
S. 686 was introduced by Senator Lieberman and others on
February 26, 2007. The Subcommittee on National Parks held a
hearing on the bill on April 26, 2007.
Committee Recommendation
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in an
open business session on May 23, 2007, by a unanimous voice
vote of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S.
686.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1 contains the short title, the ``Washington-
Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
Designation Act.''
Section 2 amends section 5(a) of the National Trails System
Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)) to add the approximately 600-mile
Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic
Trail, extending from Newport, Rhode Island to Yorktown,
Virginia. The trail is to be administered by the Secretary of
the Interior, in consultationwith Federal, State, tribal,
regional, and local agencies, and the private sector. The Secretary is
authorized to acquire lands and interests therein outside the exterior
boundary of Federally-administered areas only on a willing-seller
basis.
Cost and Budgetary Considerations
The following estimate of the cost of this measure has been
provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
June 5, 2007.
Hon. Jeff Bingaman,
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. 686, the Washington-
Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
Designation Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew
Pickford.
Sincerely,
Peter R. Orszag.
Enclosure.
S. 686--Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic
Trail Designation Act
S. 686 would amend the National Trails System Act to
designate the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route as a
National Historic Trail. The route spans over 600 miles across
nine states and the District of Columbia that trace the marches
taken by the American and French armies during the Yorktown
campaign of the Revolutionary War. The National Park Service
(NPS) would administer the trail and coordinate the efforts of
public and private entities on trail administration, planning,
development, and maintenance.
Based on information provided by the NPS and assuming the
availability of appropriated funds, CBO estimates that
establishing, developing, and administering the proposed
historic trail would cost about $2 million over the 2008-2012
period. Of this amount, we estimate that the NPS would spend
about $300,000 over the next three years to prepare a
comprehensive management plan for the trail. In addition, we
estimate that the NPS would spend about $350,000 annually
beginning in 2010 for the operations and maintenance of the
interpretive program for trail visitors.
S. 686 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 Matthew
Pickford. The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine,
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. 686. 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. 686, as ordered reported.
Executive Communications
The testimony provided by the National Park Service at the
April 26, 2007 Subcommittee hearing on S. 686 follows:
Statement of Daniel N. Wenk, Deputy Director, National Park Service,
Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, thank you for
the opportunity to appear before you to provide the Department
of the Interior's views on S. 686, a bill to designate the
Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route as a national
historic trail.
The Department supports enactment of this bill.
The study report on the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary
Route, authorized by P.L. 106-473, continues under public
review until May 4, 2007. The study has preliminarily concluded
that the trail meets the criteria for designation as a national
historic trail. Although we normally prefer to complete studies
before making a recommendation, the study's central
recommendation is unlikely to change this late in the process.
The public comment period will determine if any further
revisions to the study are required.
S. 686 would amend the National Trails System Act to
designate the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
National Historic Trail across nine states and the District of
Columbia. The trail would be administered by the Secretary of
the Interior in consultation with other Federal, State, tribal,
regional, and local agencies, and the private sector.
The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route spans over
600 miles from Newport, Rhode Island where French forces under
the command of Jean Baptiste Donatien de Viemeur, comte de
Rochambeau landed in July 1780, to Yorktown, Virginia where
with General George Washington and Continental Army forces, the
combined armies forced the surrender of the British Army under
General Charles Lord Cornwallis. Historians regard this
cooperative endeavor resulting in the Yorktown surrender as one
of the most decisive events in bringing the American Revolution
to a successful conclusion. It initiated and has had the long-
lasting effect of our continued friendship with the people of
France.
After wintering in Newport, Rochambeau's army marched
through Rhode Island and Connecticut and joined Washington's
army in Phillipsburg, New York. Foregoing an attack on New York
City, the two generals decided to attack from the south. In
August through September, the armies traversed New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the future District of
Columbia, and Virginia, reaching Williamsburg in late
September. A French fleet under Admiral DeGrasse blocked the
Chesapeake Bay from British entry and the possible escape of
British troops at Yorktown. On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis
surrendered his forces to those who had suffered the hardships
of rebellion and their allies, and ultimately forged the birth
of a nation.
In the summer of 1782, Rochambeau's army marched north to
Boston and the bulk of his troops sailed to France on Christmas
Eve of that year. In this crucial march south and then
victoriously north after Yorktown, American and French troops
were warmly greeted and celebrated by the populace. In all,
nine future states and the future District of Columbia
comprised portions of the route and supported the march,
providing ports, roads, campsites, officers' lodging, food
provisions and supplies.
The extant resources associated with the marches of 1781
and 1782 are well-documented. Comprehensive historical and
architectural surveys have identified 750 known resources
directly related to the route and many more in adjacent
locations. Many resources found along the Revolutionary Route
are National Historic Landmarks or sites listed on the National
Register of Historic Places. They include campsites and
bivouacs; historic road segments and landscapes; numerous
buildings used for accommodations of the troops and meetings;
archeological resources; tombstones and grave markers; and,
abundant plaques, tablets and statues marking the passage of
those, both French and American, who marched to secure a
nation's beginning.
The proposed trail links units of the National Park System,
national heritage areas, and related resources administered by
States, local governments and private organizations that
commemorate the nation's struggle for independence. As one
traverses the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route, the
places that ring of our nation's revolutionary past come into
view from Newport to Hartford; Peekskill to Morristown,
Princeton, and Trenton; Philadelphia and Valley Forge to
Wilmington and Baltimore; and Mt. Vernon to Williamsburg and
Yorktown.
S. 686, if enacted, would provide for administration of the
Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic
Trail by the Secretary of the Interior and, in accordance with
provisions of the National Trails System Act, provide for the
establishment of a trail advisory council. The Secretary would
also consult with Federal agencies, State and local governments
and private organizations to develop a comprehensive management
plan for the trail. The cost associated with implementation of
the plan could be shared by relevant State and local
governments and private organizations, which generally helps to
limit Federal expenditures for national trails. The Federal
cost to administer this national trail is expected to be phased
in, eventually reaching approximately $200,000 to $400,000
annually.
Our experience during the course of the study for the trail
has indicated that there is wide-spread support for designation
among affected State and local governments and the many private
organizations that participated in our public meetings and
closely followed the progress of the study. For example, during
the study process, a new nine-State nonprofit 501(c)(3)
partnership group, the National Washington Rochambeau
Revolutionary Route Association, was formed to support
designation of the trail and education of the public on the
Revolutionary War. This group could be a key partner in the
preservation and interpretation of the route if the trail is
designated. We believe that this trail, if designated, will be
characterized by significant continued participation by the
many governments and organizations along the route.
This concludes my prepared remarks, Mr. Chairman. I will be
happy to answer any questions you or other committee members
may have regarding this bill.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by
the bill S. 686, as ordered reported, are shown as follows:
(existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black
brackets, new matter is printed in italic, existing law in
which no change is proposed is shown in roman):
Public Law 90-543--Oct. 2, 1968
16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.
AN ACT To establish a national trails system, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Trails System
Act''.
* * * * * * *
SEC. 5. NATIONAL SCENIC AND NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS.
(a) National Scenic and national historic trails shall be
authorized and designated only by Act of Congress. There are
hereby established the following National Scenic and National
Historic Trails:
* * * * * * *
(26) Washington-rochambeau revolutionary route
national historic trail.--
(A) In general.--The Washington-Rochambeau
Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, a
corridor of approximately 600 miles following
the route taken by the armies of General George
Washington and Count Rochambeau between
Newport, Rhode Island, and Yorktown, Virginia,
in 1781 and 1782, as generally depicted on the
map entitled ``WASHINGTON-ROCHAMBEAU
REVOLUTIONARY ROUTE NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL'',
numbered T01/80,000, and dated July 2006.
(B) Map.--The map referred to in subparagraph
(A) shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the appropriate offices of the
National Park Service.
(C) Administration.--The trail shall be
administered by the Secretary of the Interior,
in consultation with--
(i) other Federal, State, tribal,
regional, and local agencies; and
(ii) the private sector.
(D) Land acquisition.--The United States
shall not acquire for the trail any land or
interest in land outside the exterior boundary
of any federally-managed area without the
consent of the owner of the land or interest in
land.