[105th Congress Public Law 81]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


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[DOCID: f:publ81.105]

Public Law 105-81
105th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study concerning 
 grazing use and open space within and adjacent to Grand Teton National 
        Park, Wyoming, and to extend temporarily certain grazing 
           privileges. <<NOTE: Nov. 13, 1997 -  [H.R. 708]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS. <<NOTE: 16 USC 406d-2 note.>> 

    Congress finds that--
            (1) open space near Grand Teton National Park continues to 
        decline;
            (2) as the population continues to grow in Teton County, 
        Wyoming, undeveloped land near the Park becomes more scarce;
            (3) the loss of open space around Teton Park has negative 
        impacts on wildlife migration routes in the area and on visitors 
        to the Park, and its repercussions can be felt throughout the 
        entire region;
            (4) a few ranches make up Teton Valley's remaining open 
        space, and the ranches depend on grazing in Grand Teton National 
        Park for summer range to maintain operations;
            (5) the Act that created Grand Teton National Park allowed 
        several permittees to continue livestock grazing in the Park for 
        the life of a designated heir in the family;
            (6) some of the last remaining heirs have died, and as a 
        result the open space around the Park will most likely be 
        subdivided and developed;
            (7) in order to develop the best solution to protect open 
        space immediately adjacent to Grand Teton National Park, the 
        Park Service should conduct a study of open space in the region; 
        and
            (8) the study should develop workable solutions that are 
        fiscally responsible and acceptable to the National Park 
        Service, the public, local government, and landowners in the 
        area.

SEC. 2. STUDY OF GRAZING USE AND OPEN SPACE. <<NOTE: 16 USC 406d-2 
            note.>> 

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a study 
concerning grazing use and open space in Grand Teton National Park, 
Wyoming, and associated use of certain agricultural and ranch lands 
within and adjacent to the Park, including--
            (1) base land having appurtenant grazing privileges within 
        Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, remaining after January 1, 
        1990, under the Act entitled ``An Act to establish a new Grand 
        Teton National Park in the State of Wyoming, and for other 
        purposes'', approved September 14, 1950 (16 U.S.C. 406d-1 et 
        seq.); and
            (2) any ranch and agricultural land adjacent to the Park, 
        the use and disposition of which may affect accomplishment of 
        the purposes of the Act.

    (b) Purpose.--The study shall--
            (1) assess the significance of the ranching use and pastoral 
        character of the land (including open vistas, wildlife habitat, 
        and other public benefits);
            (2) assess the significance of that use and character to the 
        purposes for which the Park was established and identify any 
        need for preservation of, and practicable means of, preserving 
        the land that is necessary to protect that use and character;
            (3) recommend a variety of economically feasible and viable 
        tools and techniques to retain the pastoral qualities of the 
        land; and
            (4) estimate the costs of implementing any recommendations 
        made for the preservation of the land.

    (c) Participation.--In conducting the study, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall seek participation from the Governor of the State of 
Wyoming, the Teton County Commissioners, the Secretary of Agriculture, 
affected land owners, and other interested members of the public.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 3 years from the date funding is 
available for the purposes of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior 
shall submit a report to Congress that contains the findings of the 
study under subsection (a) and makes recommendations to Congress 
regarding action that may be taken with respect to the land described in 
subsection (a).

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF GRAZING PRIVILEGES. <<NOTE: 16 USC 406d-2 note.>> 

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary of the 
Interior shall reinstate and extend for the duration of the study 
described in section 2(a) and until such time as the recommendations of 
the study are implemented, the grazing privileges described in section 
2(a)(1), under the same terms and conditions as were in effect prior to 
the expiration of the privileges.
    (b) Effect of Change in Land Use.--If, during the period of the 
study or until such time as the recommendations of the study are 
implemented, any portion of the land described in section 2(a)(1) is 
disposed of in a manner that would result in the land no longer being 
used for ranching or other agricultural purposes, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall cancel the extension described in subsection (a).

    Approved November 13, 1997.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 708 (S. 308):
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-300 (Comm. on Resources).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-64 accompanying S. 308 (Comm. on Energy and 
Natural Resources).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 143 (1997):
            Oct. 21, considered and passed House.
            Nov. 4, considered and passed Senate.

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