[Senate Report 115-70]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                       Calendar No. 88
115th Congress      }                                    {      Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session        }                                    {      115-70

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



 
  TO FACILITATE THE ADDITION OF PARK ADMINISTRATION AT THE COLTSVILLE 
                HISTORICAL PARK, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

                  May 16, 2017.--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 H.R. 863]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (H.R. 863) 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 bill do 
pass.

                                Purpose

    The purpose of H.R. 863 is to facilitate the relocation of 
a park administration and visitor facility at the Coltsville 
National Historical Park in Connecticut.

                          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. The park commemorates 
the site of the Samuel Colt homestead and manufacturing 
headquarters and 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. Because the location of 
the administration and visitor facility was specified in the 
park's enabling Act, legislation is needed to allow for the 
facility to be located elsewhere on the complex.

                          Legislative History

    Representative Larson introduced H.R. 863 on February 3, 
2017. On February 27, 2017, H.R. 863 passed on a vote of 369-42 
in the House of Representatives.
    In the 114th Congress similar legislation, 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. The Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources met in open business session on July 13, 2016, and 
ordered S. 2620 favorably reported (S. Rept. 114-329).
    Representative Larson introduced similar legislation, 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, and passed the House of Representatives on a voice vote 
on March 22, 2016.
    The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in 
open business session on March 30, 2017, and ordered H.R. 863 
favorably reported.

                        Committee Recommendation

    The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in 
open business session on March 30, 2017, by a majority voice 
vote of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass H.R. 
863.

                      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 before the national historical park can be officially 
established. 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 costs of this measure has been 
provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
    H.R. 863 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. H.R. 
863 would allow the National Park Service (NPS) to use space 
outside of the area stipulated under current law as the 
National Historic Park.
    Under H.R. 863, NPS would relocate some existing facilities 
to the new area. CBO estimates that any costs to implement H.R. 
863 would be insignificant and subject to the availability of 
appropriated funds.
    Enacting H.R. 863 would not affect direct spending or 
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO 
estimates that enacting H.R. 863 would not increase net direct 
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 
10-year periods beginning in 2028.
    H.R. 863 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 Jon Sperl. The 
estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 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 H.R. 863. 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 H.R. 863, as ordered reported.

                   Congressionally Directed Spending

    H.R. 863, 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

    Because H.R. 863 is similar to legislation considered by 
the Committee in the 114th Congress, the Committee did not 
request Executive Agency views. The testimony provided by the 
National Park Service at the hearing before the Subcommittee on 
National Parks on March 17, 2016, 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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