[Senate Report 114-329]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                      Calendar No. 602
114th Congress     }                                    {       Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session        }                                    {      114-329

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                  COLTSVILLE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

                                _______
                                

               September 6, 2016.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Ms. Murkowski, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 2620]

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 2620) to facilitate the addition of park 
administration at the Coltsville National Historical Park, and 
for other purposes, having considered the same, reports 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the 
bill do pass.

                                Purpose

    The purpose of S. 2620 is to facilitate the addition of 
park administration at the Coltsville National Historical Park.

                          Background and Need

    Section 3032 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ``Buck'' 
McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 
(Public Law 113-291) established the Coltsville National 
Historical Park in Hartford, Connecticut, at the site of the 
Samuel Colt homestead and manufacturing headquarters to 
commemorate its role in American manufacturing history. The 
authorization included language making the establishment of the 
park contingent on the donation of approximately 10,000 square 
feet in the East Armory building for park administrative and 
visitor services. The East Armory is the main and most 
recognizable building on the former Colt complex and was 
initially thought to be the best site for a park visitor 
center. However, the National Park Service and stakeholders 
have determined that there are other buildings on the complex 
better suited for the visitor center. Legislation is needed to 
allow for the visitor center to be located elsewhere on the 
complex.

                          Legislative History

    S. 2620 was introduced by Senators Blumenthal and Murphy on 
March 2, 2016. The Subcommittee on National Parks held a 
hearing on the measure on March 17, 2016.
    Representative Larson introduced similar legislation to S. 
2620, H.R. 2857, on June 23, 2015. H.R. 2857 was reported from 
the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment on March 
10, 2016 (H. Rept. 114-447), and passed the House of 
Representatives on a voice vote on March 22, 2016.
    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open 
business session on July 13, 2016, and ordered S. 2620 
favorably reported.

                        Committee Recommendation

    The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in 
open business session on July 13, 2016, by a majority voice 
vote of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 
2620.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


Section 1. Amendment to Coltsville National Historical Park Donation 
        Site

    Section 1 amends section 3032(b)(2)(B) of Public Law 113-
291, which currently requires the property owners to donate 
10,000 square feet of space in the East Armory building to the 
National Park Service for park administration and visitor 
services. By striking ``East Armory'' and inserting ``Colt 
Armory Complex'' in section 3032(b)(2)(B), the amendment allows 
space to be donated for park administration and visitor 
services elsewhere within the Colt Armory Complex.

                   Cost and Budgetary Considerations

    The following estimate of the costs of this measure has 
been provided by the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                    Washington, DC, August 5, 2016.
Hon. Lisa Murkowski,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
U.S. Senate Washington, DC.
    Dear Madam Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2620, a bill to 
facilitate the addition of park administration at the 
Coltsville National Historical Park, and for other purposes.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jon Sperl.
            Sincerely,
                                             Mark P. Hadley
                                                  (For Keith Hall).
    Enclosure.

S. 2620--A bill to facilitate the addition of park administration at 
        the Coltsville National Historic Park, and for other purposes

    S. 2620 would revise the boundaries of the Coltsville 
National Historic Park in Connecticut. The Coltsville site is 
about 260 acres of land and structures that hold artifacts 
associated with Colt Firearms and the Samuel Colt family. S. 
2620 would allow the National Park Service (NPS) to use space 
outside of the area stipulated under current law as the 
National Historic Park.
    Under S. 2620, NPS would relocate some existing facilities 
to the new area. CBO estimates that any costs to implement S. 
2620 would be insignificant and subject to the availability of 
appropriated funds.
    Because enacting S. 2620 would not affect direct spending 
or revenues, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO 
estimates that enacting S. 2620 would not increase net direct 
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 
10-year periods beginning in 2027.
    S. 2620 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.
    On March 4, 2016, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 
2857, a bill to facilitate the addition of park administration 
at the Coltsville National Historic Park, and for other 
purposes, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural 
Resources on February 3, 2016. The two pieces of legislation 
are similar and CBO's estimates of their budgetary effects are 
the same.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jon Sperl. The 
estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, 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. 2620. 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. 2620, as ordered reported.

                   Congressionally Directed Spending

    S. 2620, as ordered 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 
March 17, 2016, Subcommittee on National Parks hearing on S. 
2620, follows:

  Statement of Peggy O'Dell, Deputy Director for Operations, National 
             Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior

    Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank you for 
the opportunity to present the views of the Department of the 
Interior on S. 2620, a bill to facilitate the addition of park 
administration at the Coltsville National Historical Park.
    The Department supports S. 2620.
    S. 2620 would amend the law that authorizes the 
establishment of the Coltsville National Historical Park in 
Hartford, Connecticut, by making a technical change in one of 
the requirements for establishing the park. Section 
3032(b)(2)(B) of Public Law 113-291 requires the donation of 
10,000 square feet of space for park administration and visitor 
services in the East Armory building of the Colt Armory complex 
in order for the Secretary of the Interior to designate 
Coltsville as a unit of the National Park System. S. 2620 would 
allow this requirement to be met by a donation of 10,000 square 
feet anywhere in the armory complex, not just specifically in 
the East Armory building.
    The East Armory is the most visible and best-known building 
within the Colt Armory complex. It houses the site's iconic 
blue onion dome, and it has been the primary focus of 
redevelopment of the complex. Immediately adjacent to the East 
Armory are two brownstone buildings, the Forge Shop and the 
Foundry, that date to 1855. They are key historic resources 
within the Colt Armory complex and closely associated with the 
East Armory.
    As the National Park Service (NPS) began working with the 
property owners (Colt Gateway LLC) and the city of Hartford to 
implement the legislation, it became clear that a much better 
location for park administration and visitor services than the 
East Armory itself would be the adjacent brownstone buildings. 
This is for two reasons: first, the redevelopment of the East 
Armory building is far enough along that locating park 
administration and visitor service facilities within the 
building would disrupt existing occupancy, including a school 
and residences. Second, the two brownstone buildings are better 
suited to welcome visitors because they are at grade and 
directly adjacent to parking and, therefore, provide universal 
accessibility. The brownstones together contain approximately 
18,000 square feet of space, well in excess of the 10,000 
square feet of space required by the law.
    A joint letter sent to the NPS by Senator Richard 
Blumenthal and Representative John Larson, on February 16, 
2016, stated that it was their view that an agreement for the 
donation of the 18,000 square feet of space for park 
administration and visitor services in the two brownstones 
immediately adjacent to the East Armory would meet the law's 
intention, so long as the agreement also provides for visitor 
access to the East Armory dome. They noted that the brownstone 
buildings are so close that it would be logical to infer that 
the term ``East Armory'' includes these smaller buildings in 
the immediate vicinity of the actual East Armory building. The 
letter from the House and Senate sponsors of the original Colt 
legislation has given the NPS confidence to move forward with 
plans to accept the donation of the brownstone buildings. Even 
so, the Department would like to have the legal certainty about 
meeting the donation requirement that S. 2620 would provide.
    The NPS continues to make steady progress in meeting the 
other requirements for establishing the Coltsville National 
Historical Park. Agreements with the property owners (Colt 
Gateway LLC) and the city of Hartford are nearing completion. 
The donation of the required space for park administration and 
visitor services is the next critical step necessary to 
officially establish Coltsville National Historical Park as a 
unit of the National Park System, which we would like to 
complete in the NPS's Centennial year.
    Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I would be happy 
to answer any questions that you or other members of the 
subcommittee may have.

                        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 original bill, as 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):

CARL LEVIN AND HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION 
                        ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015


Public Law 113-291

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    DIVISION B--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATIONS

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TITLE XXX--NATURAL RESOURCES RELATED GENERAL PROVISIONS

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Subtitle C--National Park System Units

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SEC. 3032. COLTSVILLE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK.

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    (b) Establishment.--
          (2) Conditions for Establishment.--The park shall not 
        be established until the date on which the Secretary 
        determines that--
                  (A) the Secretary has acquired by donation 
                sufficient land or an interest in land within 
                the boundary of the park to constitute a 
                manageable unit;
                  (B) the State, city, or private property 
                owner, as appropriate, has entered into a 
                written agreement with the Secretary to donate 
                at least 10,000 square feet of space in the 
                [East Armory] Colt Armory Complex which would 
                include facilities for park administration and 
                visitor services; and
                  (C) the Secretary has entered into a written 
                agreement with the State, city, or other public 
                entity, as appropriate, providing that land 
                owned by the State, city, or other public 
                entity within the Coltsville Historic District 
                shall be managed consistent with this section.

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