[Senate Report 117-88]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 297
117th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 117-88
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CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL PARK
_______
March 2, 2022.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Manchin, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 1320]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 1320), to establish the Chiricahua
National Park in the State of Arizona as a unit of the National
Park System, and for other purposes, having considered the
same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment in the nature
of a substitute and recommends that the bill, as amended, do
pass.
AMENDMENT
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 ``Chiricahua National Park Act''.
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL PARK, ARIZONA.
(a) Designation.--
(1) In general.--The Chiricahua National Monument in the
State of Arizona established by Presidential Proclamation 1692
(54 U.S.C. 320301 note; 43 Stat. 1946) shall be known and
designated as ``Chiricahua National Park'' (referred to in this
Act as the ``National Park'').
(2) Boundaries.--The boundaries of the National Park shall be
the boundaries of the Chiricahua National Monument as of the
date of enactment of this Act, as generally depicted on the map
entitled ``Chiricahua National Park Proposed Boundary'',
numbered 145/156,356, and dated March 2021.
(3) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, or other record of the United States to the
Chiricahua National Monument shall be considered to be a
reference to the ``Chiricahua National Park''.
(4) Availability of funds.--Any funds available for the
Chiricahua National Monument shall be available for the
National Park.
(b) Administration.--The Secretary of the Interior shall administer
the National Park in accordance with--
(1) Presidential Proclamation 1692 (54 U.S.C. 320301 note; 43
Stat. 1946);
(2) Presidential Proclamation 2288 (54 U.S.C. 320301 note; 52
Stat. 1551); and (3) the laws generally applicable to units of
the National Park System, including--
(A) section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and sections
100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of title 54,
United States Code; and
(B) chapter 3201 of title 54, United States Code.
PURPOSE
As ordered reported, the purpose of S. 1320 is to
redesignate the Chiricahua National Monument in the State of
Arizona as Chiricahua National Park.
BACKGROUND AND NEED
Established by Presidential Proclamation issued by
President Coolidge in 1924 under the authority of the
Antiquities Act, the Chiricahua National Monument protects
approximately 12,000 acres of unique natural and cultural
heritage in Cochise County, Arizona. The national monument is
primarily known for its unique ``standing rock'' formations
eroded from rhyolitic tuff, but also includes a varied
biological landscape due to its location at the crossroads of
four biogeographical regions.
The national monument's cultural landscape includes the
homeland of the Chiricahua Apache Indians and their ancestors,
19th century homesteads, Buffalo Soldier history, an early 20th
century guest ranch, and a depression-era Civilian Conservation
Corps camp. In 1976, Congress designated the majority of the
monument as wilderness.
S. 1320 redesignates the national monument as a national
park, but does not change the National Park Service management
of the area.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Senators Kelly and Sinema introduced S. 1320 on April 22,
2021. The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on the
bill on June 23, 2021. A related bill, H.R. 6451, was
introduced in the House by Representative Kirkpatrick on
January 20, 2022. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests,
and Public Lands held a hearing on the bill on February 3,
2022. No further action has been taken.
In the 116th Congress, Senators McSally and Sinema
introduced similar legislation, S. 3121. Senator Kelly later
joined as a cosponsor. The Subcommittee on National Parks held
a hearing on that bill on March 4, 2020, but no further action
was taken.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in
open business session on November 18, 2021, by a majority voice
vote of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S.
1320, if amended as described herein.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
During its consideration of S. 1320, the committee adopted
an amendment in the nature of a substitute. As introduced, the
bill abolished the Chiracahua National Monument and established
the Chiracahua National Park. The substitute amendment
redesignates the national monument as a national park and makes
other clarifying edits. The amendment is described in the
summary below.
SUMMARY
S. 1320 redesignates the 12,305-acre Chiricahua National
Monument as Chiricahua National Park. The bill provides that
the boundaries of the National Park shall be the boundaries of
Chiricahua National Monument and any reference to the monument
or funding made available to the monument shall be available to
the park. The national park is to be administered in accordance
with the presidential proclamations establishing and expanding
the national monument and other laws generally applicable to
units of the National Park System.
COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS
The Congressional Budget Office has not estimated the costs
of S. 1320 as passed by the Senate. The Committee has
requested, but has not yet received, the Congressional Budget
Office's estimate of the cost of S. 1320 as ordered reported.
When the Congressional Budget Office completes its cost
estimate, it will be posted on the Internet at www.cbo.gov.
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. 1320. 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. 1320, as ordered reported.
CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING
S. 1320, 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 Department of the Interior at
the June 23, 2021, hearing on S. 1320 follows:
Statement of Michael Caldwell, Acting Associate Director, Park
Planning, Facilities, and Lands, National Park Service, U.S. Department
of the Interior
Chairman King, Ranking Member Daines and members of the
Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the
views of the Department of the Interior on S. 1320, to
establish the Chiricahua National Park in the State of Arizona
as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.
The Department supports S. 1320.
Chiricahua National Monument was established on April 18,
1924, by President Calvin Coolidge by presidential
proclamation. The monument is located in Cochise County,
approximately 37 miles southeast of Willcox, Arizona. It is
located at the intersection of the Chihuahuan and Sonoran
deserts, the southern Rocky Mountains, and the northern Sierra
Madre.
Chiricahua National Monument is known as a ``Wonderland of
Rocks'' because of its distinctive pinnacle formations. These
formations are the result of powerful volcanic events combined
with geologic erosive forces over time creating the rhyolitic
rock formations in the monument. The Madrean Sky Island
ecosystem of the Monument protects a great diversity of flora
and fauna as well as critical habitat for threatened,
endangered and endemic species.
Chiricahua National Monument also preserves evidence of
diverse human history spanning thousands of years, including
prehistoric indigenous peoples, Chiricahua Apaches, Buffalo
Soldiers, European American pioneers and ranchers, and the
1930's Civilian Conservation Corps. The monument's Faraway
Ranch Historic District includes structures, resources and
landscapes associated with the former pioneer homestead and
working cattle ranch. Stories and evidence of struggle,
perseverance, stewardship and connection to the land unite the
experiences of each of these groups which left a lasting legacy
on the land and our country.
Re-designating the monument as Chiricahua National Park is
consistent with the nomenclature patterns of the National Park
System. Units designated as national parks generally contain a
variety of resources and encompass a large land or water area
to help provide adequate protection of the resources. With its
wealth of both natural and cultural resources over a large land
mass of approximately 12,025 acres, it is appropriate to
designate this unit as a national park.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I would be
pleased to answer any questions 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, the Committee notes that no
changes in existing law are made by the bill as ordered
reported.
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