[House Report 115-580]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


115th Congress    }                                    {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                    {      115-580

======================================================================



 
  TO UPDATE THE MAP OF, AND MODIFY THE MAXIMUM ACREAGE AVAILABLE FOR 
       INCLUSION IN, THE FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT

                                _______
                                

 February 26, 2018.--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. 835]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 835) to update the map of, and modify the 
maximum acreage available for inclusion in, the Florissant 
Fossil Beds National Monument, 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. 835 is to update the map of, and modify 
the maximum acreage available for inclusion in, the Florissant 
Fossil Beds National Monument.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    The Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument was designated 
in Teller County, Colorado, in 1969 to preserve one of the 
richest fossil deposits in the world and interpret its 
geological significance and its paleontological resources.\1\ 
The Monument features detailed fossils of insects, plants and 
giant petrified redwood stumps, teaching visitors about 
prehistoric Colorado. The Monument offers a variety of 
recreational activities including hiking, sightseeing, ranger-
led experiences and stargazing.\2\
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    \1\``Learn about the Park.'' Florissant Fossil Beds. National Parks 
Service. https://www.nps.gov/flfo/learn/index.htm.
    \2\``Basic Information'' Florissant Fossil Beds. National Parks 
Service. https://www.nps.gov/flfo/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm.
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    The Monument has a collection of more than 12,000 fossil 
specimens and is part of ongoing collaborations with 
universities.\3\ These resources have allowed scientists to 
study the ecosystem of the area from 34-35 million years ago.
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    \3\Statement of Dr. Stephanie Toothman, Associate Director, 
Cultural Resources, Partnerships and Science, National Parks Service. 
June 15, 2016.
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    The Monument encompasses 5,998 acres just west of Pikes 
Peak, and 35 miles west of Colorado Springs, Colorado.\4\
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    \4\S. Rept. 115-38--TO UPDATE THE MAP OF, AND MODIFY THE MAXIMUM 
ACREAGE AVAILABLE FOR INCLUSION IN, THE FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL 
MONUMENT.
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    In May 2016, the National Park Service (NPS) received a 
proposed donation of 280 acres of private land adjacent to the 
current northwestern boundary of the Monument.\5\ The donation 
would give access to the Monument for wildland fire protection 
and additional wildlife habitat.
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    \5\Statement of Dr. Stephanie Toothman, Associate Director, 
Cultural Resources, Partnerships and Science, National Parks Service. 
June 15, 2016.
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    The Monument size is capped at 6,000 acres by Public Law 
91-60 and requires legislative action to expand the boundaries.
    H.R. 835 would allow for modification of the maximum area 
of the Monument to 6,300 acres and allow NPS to accept the 280 
acres currently being held by the Palmer Land Trust and 
Coalition for the Upper South Platte.\6\
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    \6\S. Rept. 115-38--TO UPDATE THE MAP OF, AND MODIFY THE MAXIMUM 
ACREAGE AVAILABLE FOR INCLUSION IN, THE FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL 
MONUMENT.
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    This legislation would allow for updates to the official 
map of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. According 
to NPS, the only additional expenses associated with accepting 
the donation would be the minor labor cost to move boundary 
fences and update maps. No additional funding or staff is 
needed.\7\
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    \7\Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Questions and Answers. 
National Parks Service.
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                            Committee Action

    H.R. 835 was introduced on February 2, 2017, by Congressman 
Doug Lamborn (R-CO). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee 
on Federal Lands. On February 6, 2018, the Subcommittee held a 
hearing on the legislation. On February 14, 2018, the Natural 
Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee 
was discharged 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 Natural Resources' oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

      Compliance With House Rule XIII and Congressional Budget Act

    1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. 
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the 
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                 Washington, DC, February 20, 2018.
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. 835, a bill to 
update the map of, and modify the maximum acreage available for 
inclusion in, the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani 
Shankaran.
            Sincerely,
                                                Keith Hall,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 835--A bill to update the map of, and modify the maximum acreage 
        available for inclusion in, the Florissant Fossil Beds National 
        Monument

    H.R. 835 would revise the boundary of the Florissant Fossil 
Beds National Monument in Colorado and increase the maximum 
number of acres that could be included in that monument from 
6,000 acres to 6,300 acres. Enacting H.R. 835 would enable the 
National Park Service (NPS) to proceed with plans to acquire 
approximately 280 acres of land for inclusion within the 
monument. The underlying legislation that established the 
monument authorizes the NPS to acquire land by donation, 
purchase, or exchange.
    According to the NPS, the owner of the 280-acre parcel is 
willing to donate the land for inclusion within the monument; 
CBO estimates that any administrative costs associated with 
such a transaction would be negligible. Alternatively, if the 
NPS were to purchase the parcel, CBO estimates that the 
resulting costs would total about $1 million over the 2018-2022 
period; such spending would be subject to the availability of 
appropriated funds. That estimate is based on information from 
the NPS and recent sale prices of comparable tracts of land in 
the areas where the land would be purchased. Total costs would 
depend on the average price per acre, which according to local 
property records could range from $2,500 per acre to $4,000 per 
acre.
    Enacting H.R. 835 would not affect direct spending or 
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 835 would not increase net 
direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four 
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
    H.R. 835 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
    On April 7, 2017, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 
287 a bill to update the map of, and modify the maximum acreage 
available for inclusion in the Florissant Fossil Beds National 
Monument, as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources on March 30, 2017. The bills are similar 
and CBO's estimates of their budgetary effects are the same.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani 
Shankaran. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
    2. 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 update the map of, and modify the 
maximum acreage available for inclusion in, the Florissant 
Fossil Beds National Monument.

                           Earmark Statement

    This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined 
under clause 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. This bill does not contain any 
directed rule makings.
    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 Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italic, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

                            PUBLIC LAW 91-60

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in order 
to preserve and interpret for the benefit and enjoyment of 
present and future generations the excellently preserved insect 
and leaf fossils and related geologic sites and objects at the 
Florissant lakebeds, the Secretary of the Interior may acquire 
by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or 
exchange such land and interests in land in Teller County, 
Colorado, as he may designate from the lands shown on the map 
[entitled ``Proposed Florissant Fossil Beds National 
Monument'', numbered NM-FFB-7100, and dated March 1967, and 
more particularly described by metes and bounds in an 
attachment to that map,] entitled ``Florissant Fossil Beds 
National Monument Proposed Boundary Adjustment'', numbered 171/
132,544, and dated May 3, 2016, not exceeding, however, [six 
thousand acres] 6,300 acres thereof, for the purpose of 
establishing the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.

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