[House Report 116-644]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress   }                                     {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session      }                                     {      116-644

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



 
          WEIR FARM NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK REDESIGNATION ACT

                                _______
                                

 December 14, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 5852]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 5852) to redesignate the Weir Farm National 
Historic Site in the State of Connecticut as the ``Weir Farm 
National Historical Park'', having considered the same, reports 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the 
bill do pass.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H.R. 5852 is to redesignate the Weir Farm 
National Historic Site in the State of Connecticut as the 
``Weir Farm National Historical Park.''

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    In 1882, the American artist Julian Alden Weir traded a 
still life painting he had acquired in Europe for a 153-acre 
farm in Branchville, Connecticut. At the farm, Weir spent many 
years developing a new approach to landscape painting, using 
the rural setting for inspiration, and gained a reputation as a 
leader of the American Impressionists.\1\
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    \1\National Park Service. (n.d.) Weir Farm National Historic Site, 
Connecticut: Julian Alden Weir. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/
wefa/learn/historyculture/jaldenweir.htm.
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    In 1990, Congress established the Weir Farm National 
Historic Site (P.L. 101-485) in Fairfield County, Connecticut, 
to preserve the house, studio, farm buildings, and rural 
landscape that inspired Weir's transition into American 
Impressionism. Today, the 68-acre National Historic Site 
comprises 15 historic structures, including the studio of 
American Master Sculptor Mahonri Young, as well as historic 
gardens, orchards, terraces, fields, the Weir Pond, and 
hundreds of historic painting sites. There are three miles of 
trails on the site's property and more than seven miles of 
trails in two bordering open spaces--the 110-acre Weir 
Preserve, which is owned by the Weir Farm Art Alliance, and the 
29-acre Nod Hill Refuge. The National Historic Site also 
maintains a collection that contains more than 200,000 archives 
and objects, including original paintings, sculptures, prints, 
and furnishings associated with the site.
    H.R. 5852 redesignates the Weir Farm National Historic Site 
as the Weir Farm National Historical Park. As national 
historical parks are typically areas of larger physical extent 
with a greater diversity of historical resources than national 
historic sites, the redesignation would bring the site into 
conformance with the National Park Service's standard pattern 
of nomenclature and help promote increased visitation and 
recognition.

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 5852 was introduced on February 11, 2020, by 
Representative Jim Himes (D-CT). The bill was referred solely 
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee 
to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public 
Lands. On July 13, 2020, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
bill. On September 30, 2020, the Natural Resources Committee 
met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged by 
unanimous consent. No amendments were offered, and the bill was 
adopted and ordered favorably reported to the House of 
Representatives by unanimous consent.

                                Hearings

    For the purposes of section 103(i) of H.Res. 6 of the 116th 
Congress--the following hearing was used to develop or consider 
H.R. 5852: legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on National 
Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held on July 13, 2020.

            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) of rule XIII 
of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) 
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect to 
requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives and section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested 
but not received a cost estimate for this bill from the 
Director of Congressional Budget Office. The Committee adopts 
as its own cost estimate the forthcoming cost estimate of the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office, should such cost 
estimate be made available before House passage of the bill.
    The Committee has requested but not received from the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office a statement as to 
whether this bill contains any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditures.
    2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and 
objectives of this bill are to redesignate the Weir Farm 
National Historic Site in the State of Connecticut as the 
``Weir Farm National Historical Park.''

                           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.

                 Unfunded Mandates Reform Act Statement

    An estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chair of 
the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the 
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.

                           Existing Programs

    This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of 
the federal government known to be duplicative of another 
program.

                  Applicability to Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

               Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law

    Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or 
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's 
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the 
U.S. Constitution.

         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 italics, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

       WEIR FARM NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE ESTABLISHMENT ACT OF 1990



           *       *       *       *       *       *       *
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

  As used in this Act--
          (1) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
        Interior.
          (2) The term ``[historic site] historical park'' 
        means the Weir Farm [National Historic Site] National 
        Historical Park established in section 4.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF WEIR FARM NATIONAL [HISTORIC SITE] HISTORICAL 
                    PARK.

  (a) In General.--There is established, as a unit of the 
National Park System, the Weir Farm National [Historic Site] 
Historical Park in the State of Connecticut.
  (b) Description.--The [historic site] historical park shall 
consist of--
          (1) the approximately 2-acre core parcel containing 
        the Weir house, studio, and barn;
          (2) the approximately 60 acres and improvements 
        thereon owned by the State of Connecticut;
          (3) the approximately 2-acre parcel of land situated 
        in the town of Wilton, Connecticut, designated as lot 
        18 on a map entitled ``Revised Map of Section I, 
        Thunder Lake at Wilton, Connecticut, Scale 1'=100', 
        October 27, 1978, Ryan and Faulds Land Surveyors, 
        Wilton, Connecticut'', that is on file in the office of 
        the town clerk of the town of Wilton, and therein 
        numbered 3673; and
          (4) the approximately 0.9-acre western portion of a 
        parcel of land situated in the town of Wilton, 
        Connecticut, designated as Tall Oaks Road on the map 
        referred to in paragraph (3).
  (c) General Depiction.--The parcels referred to in paragraphs 
(1) through (4) of subsection (b) are all as generally depicted 
on a map entitled ``Boundary Map, Weir Farm National Historic 
Site, Fairfield County Connecticut'', dated June 1994. Such map 
shall be on file and available for public inspection in the 
appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
  (d) Acquisition of Land for Visitor and Administrative 
Facilities; Limitations.--
          (1) Acquisition.--
                  (A) In general.--To preserve and maintain the 
                historic setting and character of the [historic 
                site] historical park, the Secretary may 
                acquire not more than 15 additional acres for 
                the development of visitor and administrative 
                facilities for the [historic site] historical 
                park.
                  (B) Proximity.--The property acquired under 
                this subsection shall be within Fairfield 
                County.
                  (C) Management.--The acquired property shall 
                be included within the boundary of the 
                [historic site] historical park and shall be 
                managed and maintained as part of the [historic 
                site] historical park.
          (2) Development.--
                  (A) Maintaining natural character.--The 
                Secretary shall keep development of the 
                property acquired under paragraph (1) to a 
                minimum so that the character of the acquired 
                property will be similar to the natural and 
                undeveloped landscape of the property described 
                in subsection (b).
                  (B) Treatment of previously developed 
                property.--Nothing in subparagraph (A) shall 
                either prevent the Secretary from acquiring 
                property under paragraph (1) that, prior to the 
                Secretary's acquisition, was developed in a 
                manner inconsistent with subparagraph (A), or 
                require the Secretary to remediate such 
                previously developed property to reflect the 
                natural character described in subparagraph 
                (A).
          (3) Agreements.--Prior to and as a prerequisite to 
        any development of visitor and administrative 
        facilities on the property acquired under paragraph 
        (1), the Secretary shall enter into one or more 
        agreements with the local governmental entity that, in 
        accordance with applicable State law, has jurisdiction 
        over any property acquired under paragraph (1)(A) for 
        the purposes of--
                  (A) developing the parking, visitor, and 
                administrative facilities for the [historic 
                site] historical park; and
                  (B) managing bus traffic to the [historic 
                site] historical park and limiting parking for 
                large tour buses to an offsite location.

SEC. 5. ACQUISITION OF REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND SERVICES.

  (a)  Real and Personal Property.---The Secretary is 
authorized to acquire by donation, exchange, or purchase with 
donated or appropriated funds, the lands and improvements 
within the boundaries of the [historic site] historical park, 
except that any such lands and improvements owned by the State 
of Connecticut may be acquired only by donation. The Secretary 
may also acquire by the same methods personal property 
associated with, and appropriate for, the interpretation of the 
[historic site] historical park: Provided, That the Secretary 
may acquire works of art associated with the Weir family, J. 
Alden Weir, and other artists who lived at or visited the site 
only by donation or purchase with donated funds.
  (b) Other Property, Funds, and Services.--The Secretary is 
authorized to accept and use donated funds, property, and 
services to carry out this Act.

SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF [HISTORIC SITE] HISTORICAL PARK.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the [historic 
site] historical park in accordance with this Act and the laws 
generally applicable to units of the National Park System, 
including the Act entitled ``An Act to establish a National 
Park Service, and for other purposes'', approved August 25, 
1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), and the Act entitled ``An Act to 
provide for the preservation of historic American sites, 
buildings, objects, and antiquities of national historic 
significance, and for other purposes'', approved August 21, 
1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.), except that the Secretary shall 
take no action with respect to the 60 acres owned by the State 
of Connecticut within the boundaries of the [historic site] 
historical park until such time as the State has transferred 
all right, title, and interests therein to the Secretary.
  (b) Cooperative Agreements.--(1) The Secretary may consult 
and enter into cooperative agreements with the Weir Farm 
Heritage Trust, the State of Connecticut, the American Academy 
of Arts and Letters, and other organizations and groups in the 
development, presentation and funding of art exhibits, resident 
artist programs, and other appropriate activities related to 
the preservation, development, and use of the [historic site] 
historical park.
  (2) The Secretary may consult and enter into cooperative 
agreements with the Nature Conservancy and the towns of 
Ridgefield and Wilton for the purpose of coordinating 
activities on the [historic site] historical park with 
activities on the Nature Conservancy's Weir Preserve and lands 
adjoining the [historic site] historical park owned by the 
towns.
  (c) Exhibits.--The Secretary may display, and accept for the 
purpose of display, works of art associated with J. Alden Weir, 
the Weir Farm, and the American Impressionist movement, as may 
be necessary for the interpretation of the [historic site] 
historical park.
  (d) General Management Plan.--Within 2 complete fiscal years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs 
of the United States House of Representatives and to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States 
Senate a general management plan for the [historic site] 
historical park. The plan shall be prepared in accordance with 
section 12(b) of the Act of August 18,1970 (16 U.S.C. la-1 
through la-7) and other applicable law.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


        Supplemental, Minority, Additional, or Dissenting Views

    None.

                                  [all]