[House Report 114-650]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


114th Congress     }                                    {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session        }                                    {      114-650

======================================================================
 
            SAINT FRANCIS DAM DISASTER NATIONAL MEMORIAL ACT

                                _______
                                

  July 1, 2016.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Bishop of Utah, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted 
                             the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 5244]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 5244) to provide for the establishment of a 
national memorial and national monument to commemorate those 
killed by the collapse of the Saint Francis Dam on March 12, 
1928, and for other purposes, having considered the same, 
report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that 
the bill as amended do pass.
    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Saint Francis Dam Disaster National 
Memorial Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

  Congress finds the following:
          (1) On March 12, 1928, the Saint Francis Dam located in the 
        northern portion of Los Angeles County, California, breached, 
        resulting in a devastating flood that caused the death of 
        approximately 425 individuals.
          (2) The residents of Santa Clarita Valley, San Francisquito 
        Canyon, Castaic Junction, Santa Clara River Valley, Piru, 
        Fillmore, Bardsdale, Saticoy, and Santa Paula were directly 
        impacted and suffered greatly from the worst flood in the 
        history of the State of California.
          (3) The disaster resulted in a tremendous loss of human life, 
        property, and the livelihood of local residents, and was 
        surpassed in the level of destruction in the 20th century only 
        by the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
          (4) The collapse of the dam may represent America's worst 
        civil engineering failure in the 20th century.
          (5) The site of the disaster is subject to the theft of 
        historic artifacts, graffiti, and other vandalism.
          (6) It is right to pay homage to the citizens who were 
        killed, injured, or dislocated due to the flood, and to educate 
        the public about this important historical event.
          (7) It is appropriate that the site of the Saint Francis Dam 
        and surrounding areas be specially designated and protected to 
        commemorate this tragic event.

SEC. 3. SAINT FRANCIS DAM DISASTER NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

  (a) Establishment.--The Secretary is authorized to establish a 
memorial at the Saint Francis Dam site in the County of Los Angeles, 
California, for the purpose of honoring the victims of the Saint 
Francis Dam disaster of March 12, 1928.
  (b) Requirements.--The Memorial shall be--
          (1) known as the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National 
        Memorial; and
          (2) managed by the Forest Service.
  (c) Donations.--The Secretary is authorized to accept, hold, 
administer, invest, and spend any gift, devise, or bequest of real or 
personal property made to the Secretary for purposes of developing, 
designing, constructing, and managing the Memorial.

SEC. 4. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MEMORIAL.

  (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
recommendations regarding--
          (1) the planning, design, construction, and long-term 
        management of the Memorial;
          (2) the proposed boundaries of the Memorial;
          (3) a visitor center and educational facilities at the 
        Memorial; and
          (4) ensuring public access to the Memorial.
  (b) Consultation.--In preparing the recommendations required under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with--
          (1) appropriate Federal agencies;
          (2) State, tribal, and local governments, including the Santa 
        Clarita City Council; and
          (3) the public.

SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF SAINT FRANCIS DAM DISASTER NATIONAL MONUMENT.

  (a) Establishment.--There is established as a national monument in 
the State, certain National Forest System land administered by the 
Secretary in the County of Los Angeles comprising approximately 440 
acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled ``Proposed Saint 
Francis Dam Disaster National Monument'', created on June 14, 2016, to 
be known as the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument.
  (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Monument is to conserve and enhance 
for the benefit and enjoyment of the public the cultural, 
archaeological, historical, watershed, educational, and recreational 
resources and values of the Monument.

SEC. 6. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY WITH RESPECT TO MONUMENT.

  (a) Management Plan.--
          (1) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a management 
        plan for the Monument.
          (2) Consultation.--The management plan shall be developed in 
        consultation with--
                  (A) appropriate Federal agencies;
                  (B) State, tribal, and local governments; and
                  (C) the public.
          (3) Considerations.--In developing and implementing the 
        management plan, the Secretary shall, with respect to methods 
        of protecting and providing access to the Monument, consider 
        the recommendations of the Saint Francis Disaster National 
        Memorial Foundation, the Santa Clarita Valley Historical 
        Society, and the Community Hiking Club of Santa Clarita.
  (b) Management.--The Secretary shall manage the Monument--
          (1) in a manner that conserves and enhances the cultural and 
        historic resources of the Monument; and
          (2) in accordance with--
                  (A) the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 
                Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq.) and the 
                laws generally applicable to the National Forest 
                System;
                  (B) this Act; and
                  (C) any other applicable laws.
  (c) Uses.--
          (1) Use of motorized vehicles.--The use of motorized vehicles 
        within the Monument may be permitted only--
                  (A) on roads designated for use by motorized vehicles 
                in the management plan required under subsection (a);
                  (B) for administrative purposes; or
                  (C) for emergency responses.
          (2) Grazing.--The Secretary shall permit grazing within the 
        Monument, where established before the date of the enactment of 
        this Act--
                  (A) subject to all applicable laws (including 
                regulations and Executive orders); and
                  (B) consistent with the purpose described in section 
                5(b).

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

  In this Act:
          (1) Memorial.--The term ``Memorial'' means the Saint Frances 
        Dam Disaster National Memorial authorized under section 3(a).
          (2) Monument.--The term ``Monument'' means the Saint Francis 
        Dam Disaster National Monument established under section 5(a).
          (3) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of California.
          (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
        Agriculture.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 5244 is to provide for the 
establishment of a national memorial and national monument to 
commemorate those killed by the collapse of the Saint Francis 
Dam on March 12, 1928.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    The Saint Francis Dam was one of several large 
infrastructure projects constructed in the early 20th century 
to help control the flow of water to southern California. On 
March 12, 1928, the dam breached, resulting in significant 
flooding that took more than 400 lives in Los Angeles County, 
California.\1\ This failure is considered one of the worst 
civil engineering failures in the 20th century and resulted in 
the resignation of William Mulholland as head of the Los 
Angeles Bureau of Water Works and Water Supply.\2\ Beyond the 
loss of life, thousands of residents lost their homes and 
experienced significant property damage due to the flood. 
Today, the site of the dam collapse and the affected areas are 
often subject to theft and vandalism.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Harrison, Scott. ``St. Francis Damn Collapse Left a Trail of 
Death and Destruction.'' Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2016.
    \2\Blitz, Matt. ``On Occasions Like This, I Envy the Dead: The St. 
Francis Dam Disaster.'' Smithsonian, 12 Mar. 2015.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    H.R. 5244 recognizes the devastation of the flood and its 
impact on the residents of northern Los Angeles County by 
establishing a national memorial as well as a national monument 
to preserve the affected area for future generations. The bill 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the 
memorial via donation in consultation with the Santa Clarita 
City Council and the public. No taxpayer funds are authorized 
for the construction of the memorial.
    The bill also authorizes the creation of a 440 acre 
monument that will encompass the St. Francis Dam memorial. The 
boundaries of the monument were designated in consultation with 
interest groups in the community. Motorized access will be 
allowed within the monument and grazing will continue to be 
allowed on any land where it is already permitted.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 5244 was introduced on May 16, 2016, by Congressman 
Stephen Knight (R-CA). The bill was referred to the Committee 
on Natural Resources, and within the Committee, to the 
Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On May 24, 2016, the 
Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On June 14, 2016, the 
Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The 
Subcommittee was discharged by unanimous consent. Congressman 
Bruce Westerman (R-AR) offered an amendment designated #1. The 
amendment was adopted by unanimous consent. No other amendments 
were offered, and the bill, as amended, was ordered favorably 
reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent 
on June 15, 2016.

            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 Natural Resources' oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

    1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(1) 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)(2)(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. 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, June 28, 2016.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, 
        Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 5244, the Saint 
Francis Dam Disaster National Memorial Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jeff LaFave.
            Sincerely,
                                              Keith Hall, Director.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 5244--Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Memorial Act

    H.R. 5244 would establish a national monument on 440 acres 
of land administered by the Forest Service. The bill also would 
require the agency to submit recommendations to the Congress 
for a memorial to the victims of the Saint Francis Dam failure 
and to complete a management plan for the monument. CBO expects 
that the construction of the memorial or any other structures 
or improvements within the monument would be funded by 
donations.
    Based on information provided by the Forest Service 
regarding the amount of staff time required to carry out the 
activities required under the bill, CBO estimates that 
implementing the legislation would cost less than $125,000 (the 
estimated cost of one year's salary and benefits for a mid- to 
senior-level employee of the Forest Service in Los Angeles 
County) over the 2017-2021 period; such spending would be 
subject to the availability of appropriated funds. If, in 
accordance with the recommendations provided to the Congress 
from the Forest Service any improvements were made within the 
monument, including constructing a visitor center, the cost of 
managing the monument could exceed $125,000. However, CBO 
expects that any costs associated with those improvements would 
be incurred after 2021.
    Enacting H.R. 5244 could affect direct spending by 
increasing offsetting receipts from donations and the 
associated direct spending of those funds to construct a 
memorial; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, 
CBO estimates that any net effect on direct spending would be 
negligible. Enacting the bill would not affect revenues. CBO 
estimates that enacting H.R. 5244 would not increase net direct 
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 
10-year periods beginning in 2027.
    HR. 5244 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 Jeff LaFave. The 
estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis
    2. Section 308(a) of 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 spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditure. According to the Congressional 
Budget Office, implementing H.R. 5244 would cost less than 
$125,000, subject to appropriation, over the 2017-2012 period. 
In addition, ``any net effect on direct spending would be 
negligible''.
    3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or 
objective of this bill is to provide for the establishment of a 
national memorial and national monument to commemorate those 
killed by the collapse of the Saint Francis Dam on March 12, 
1928.

                           EARMARK STATEMENT

    This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined 
under clauses 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

                       COMPLIANCE WITH H. RES. 5

    Directed Rule Making. The Chairman does not believe that 
this bill directs any executive branch official to conduct any 
specific rule-making proceedings.
    Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not 
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government 
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was 
not included in any report from the Government Accountability 
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program 
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law 
98-169) as relating to other programs.

                PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

    This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or 
tribal law.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    This bill makes no changes to existing law.

                                  [all]