[Senate Report 107-193] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] Calendar No. 470 107th Congress Report SENATE 2d Session 107-193 ====================================================================== VANCOUVER NATIONAL HISTORIC RESERVE PRESERVATION ACT _______ June 28, 2002.--Ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Bingaman, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany S. 1649] The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was referred the bill (S. 1649) to amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to increase the authorization of appropriations for the Vancouver National Historic Reserve and for the preservation of Vancouver Barracks, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass. The amendments are as follows: 1. On page 1, line 5, strike ``2001'' and insert ``2002''. 2. On page 4, line 15, strike: `` `$5,000,000 for development costs' and insert `$15,000,000 for development costs associated with capital projects consistent with the cooperative management plan, except that the Federal share of such development costs shall not exceed 50 percent of the total costs.' ''. Purpose The purpose of S. 1649, as ordered reported, is to amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to authorize $10 million in additional appropriations for the Vancouver National Historic Reserve and for the preservation of the West Barracks within the Reserve. Background and Need Overlooking the lower reaches of the Columbia River, Fort Vancouver became the base of regional operations for the Hudson's Bay Trading Company in the early 19th century. As the administrative headquarters and supply depot for the hundreds of employees at dozens of posts in the region, the Fort served as a linchpin for the development of the Pacific Northwest region. Dating from the location of the Northwest's administrative headquarters at the Fort in 1849, the U.S. Army continuously occupied the Vancouver Barracks for 150 years. In the 1920's, the Army created a small airfield for the Army Air Corps, which is now the site of the oldest operating airfield in the Nation, Pearson Airfield. In the 1930's, the Fort was used as a training camp for those participating in the Civilian Conservation Corps' reforestation program. Additionally, during World War II, General George C. Marshall presided over the Barracks and resided on Officer's Row. In 1996, Congress created the Vancouver National Historic Reserve as part of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act (section 502 of Public Law 104-333). The 366- acre Reserve encompasses the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, established in 1961 to protect the Hudson Bay Company trading post. The National Historic Site is the only portion of the Reserve that is managed by the Park Service, and the Reserve is not a unit of the National Park System. The Reserve also includes the West, East, and South Barracks, Officer's Row, Pearson Air Field, portions of the Columbia River waterfront, and the Water Resources Education Center. The 1996 legislation created a partnership for the Reserve, consisting of representatives of the National Park Service, the Historic Preservation Office of the State of Washington, the Department of the Army, and the city of Vancouver. The partnership was directed to submit a general management plan for the administration of the Reserve within 3 years. The Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust, a non-profit organization established in 1998, helps support the reserve and brings private resources into the partnership. Since the creation of the Reserve, in 1996, the Army has decided to vacate the West Barracks earlier than anticipated. The partnership's Cooperative Management Plan for the Reserve envisions reuse of the West Barracks for a variety of purposes: historic preservation, education, restaurants, art studios, offices, and overnight accommodations. The potential for drawing additional economic activity back to this site near the heart of Vancouver makes this project important for Southwest Washington. In November 2000, Congress authorized the transfer of the 16 buildings that comprise theWest Barracks to the city of Vancouver, as part of the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001. The legal process of transferring the West barracks to the city has begun and could be complete later this year. The 2000 Vancouver Barracks Adaptive Re-use & Economic Analysis estimates that the rehabilitation and adaptation of the Barracks will cost approximately $40 million, provided that the work can be done in 4 years. The 1996 legislation creating the Reserve authorized Federal expenditures of $5 million in development costs, and $400,000 in annual operating costs. The $5 million in development costs has already been appropriated for various planning and development costs within the Reserve. S. 1649 would raise the authorized ceiling on development costs to $15 million in order to incorporate a $10 million Federal contribution for updating the West Barracks. Legislative History S. 1649 was introduced by Senators Cantwell and Murray on November 7, 2001. The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on the bill on February 14, 2002. The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources adopted amendments to S. 1649 at its business meeting on May 15, 2002, and ordered the bill as amended favorably reported at its business meeting on June 5, 2002. Committee Recommendation The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on June 5, 2002, by a voice of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 1649, if amended as described therein. Committee Amendments During its consideration of S. 1649, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources adopted two amendments. Amendment #1 updates the short title. Amendment #2 authorizes $10 million in for additional development costs at the Vancouver National Historic Reserve in Washington State, for capital projects consistent with the Reserve's general management plan. Federal costs are required to be matched on at least a one-to-one basis with non-Federal funding. The amendment decreases the authorization level by $10 million from the introduced version of S. 1649. Section-by-Section Analysis Section 1 contains the short title, the ``Vancouver National Historic Reserve Preservation Act of 2002''. Section 2 contains congressional findings and states that the purpose of the Act is to increase the authorization of appropriations for the Vancouver National Historic Reserve and for the preservation of the Vancouver Barracks. Section 3 amends section 502(d) of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-333; U.S.C. 461 note) by increasing the authorization of appropriated funds for the Vancouver National Historic Reserve from $5 million to $15 million in development costs. The bill also requires that expenditures for development costs be associated with capital projects consistent with the cooperative management plan and that the Federal share of development costs not exceed 50 percent of the total costs. Cost and Budgetary Considerations The following estimate of the costs of this measure has been provided by the Congressional Budget Office: U.S. Congress, Congressional Budget Office, Washington, DC, June 24, 2002. Hon. Jeff Bingaman, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1649, the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Preservation Act of 2002. If you wish further details on this estimate, will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. Sincerely, Barry B. Anderson (For Dan L. Crippen, Director). Enclosure. S. 1649--Vancouver National Historic Reserve Preservation Act of 2002 Summary: S. 1649 would raise the ceiling on the authorization of appropriations for development of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve (in the state of Washington) from $5 million to $15 million. Assuming appropriation of the additional authorized amount, CBO estimates that implementing S. 1649 would cost the federal government $9 million over the 2003-2007 period. The bill would not affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you- go procedures would not apply. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. The state of Washington and the city of Vancouver might incur some costs to comply with the matching requirements established by this bill, but these costs would be voluntary. Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of S. 1649 is shown in the following table. The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ By fiscal year, in millions of dollars-- ----------------------------------------- 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION Vancouver National Historic Reserve Spending Under Current Law: Budget Authority 1........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 Estimated Outlays......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 Proposed Changes: Estimated Authorization 0 2 2 2 2 1 Level.................... Estimated Outlays......... 0 2 2 2 2 1 Vancouver National Historic Reserve Spending Under S. 1649 Authorization Level1...... 2 2 2 2 2 1 Estimated Outlays......... 2 2 2 2 2 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 The 2002 level is the amount appropriated for that year. (Initial appropriations of $4 million were provided in previous years). Basis of Estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that S. 1649 will be enacted before fiscal year 2003 and that an additional $9 million will be appropriated over the next five years for construction projects at the reserve. Because the existing development ceiling of $5 million was exceeded by $1 million in fiscal year 2002, the bill would only authorize the appropriation of an additional $9 million. For this estimate, we assume that the additional funds would be appropriated and spent in a manner similar to that of past funding for this project. Pay-as-you-go considerations: None. Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. The state of Washington and the city of Vancouver might incur some costs to comply with the matching requirements established by this bill, but these costs would be voluntary. Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis. Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Marjorie Miller. Impact on the Private Sector: Jean Talarico. Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, 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 S. 1649. The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing Government-established standards or significant 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. 1649. Executive Communications The testimony provided by the National Park Service at the Subcommittee hearing follows: Statement of Durand Jones, Deputy Director, National Park Service Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present the views of the Department of the Interior on S. 1649, a bill to amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to increase the authorization of appropriations for the Vancouver National Historic Reserve and for the preservation of Vancouver Barracks. The Department recognizes and appreciates the efforts of our partners to cooperatively administer the Vancouver National Historic Reserve. This is a partnership that has worked well, and we look forward to continuing to work with the City of Vancouver, the State of Washington, and the Department of the Army to achieve the goals outlined in the cooperative management plan for the Reserve. However, in light of the Department's commitment to supporting the President's initiative to eliminate the deferred maintenance backlog in our national parks, we cannot support diverting limited funds away from the Service's own needs. We believe that funds that are appropriated to the National Park Service are more appropriately directed to reducing the long list of necessary but deferred construction projects that have been identified in our national parks. The Vancouver area of southwestern Washington was an important site of 19th-century social, economic, political, and military activity in the Pacific Northwest. In recognition of its historical significance, Congress in 1948 designated a portion of the area--Fort Vancouver--as a National Monument, and in 1961 Fort Vancouver became a National Historic Site. Over the next several decades, continuing efforts to preserve the area's other historic sites prompted Congress, in 1990, to pass legislation authorizing the creation of a Vancouver Historical Study Commission. Subsequently, the commission recommended the establishment of a reserve as the best management strategy for protection of the resources within the study area, and in 1996, Congress passed legislation that established the Vancouver National Historic Reserve. The Reserve itself is not a unit of the National Park System, although the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site component is part of the System. The Reserve encompasses 366 acres along the Columbia River within the City of Vancouver, Washington, and includes a particularly rich collection of cultural resources, including Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Officers Row, Vancouver Barracks, Pearson Air Museum and Air Field, portions of the Columbia River waterfront, and the Water Resources Education Center. In this nationally significant historic setting, the Reserve celebrates well over 200 years of history including the use of the area by Native Americans; the creation of the first multi-cultural village of its kind in the Pacific; the Hudson Bay Company's Fort Vancouver, which was one of the largest such British enterprises; and the growth of the U.S. Army in the Pacific Northwest as reflected in the historic Officers Row and Vancouver Barracks. The law that established the Reserve directed the preparation of a general management plan to be developed by a partnership comprised of the National Park Service, the Historic Preservation Office of the State of Washington, the Department of the Army, and the City of Vancouver, Washington. The plan, completed in early 2000 and approved by the Secretary of the Interior, envisions an active public/private partnership in managing the shared assets of the Reserve. The Reserve partners, while maintaining full authority and management responsibilities for their individual areas consistent with applicable laws, work cooperatively on all matters relating to the Reserve. Additional financial support comes from the privately based nonprofit Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust. The cornerstones of the 15-year management plan are preservation, education, and public use. The plan, however, is not a budget document. While it identified estimated costs for recommended actions, it did not commit any of the agencies or other partners to specific funding requirements. Signature by the partners of the Secretaries did not commit the Department of the Interior or the Army to any funding requirements outside of agency budgets as approved by Congress. The law that established the reserve authorized the appropriation of $400,000 annually for operational costs, and a total of $5 million for development costs. These funds have been provided in the National Park Service budgets for fiscal years 1998 through 2002 in the construction and statutory aid accounts. The cooperative management plan for the Reserve provided a summary of development costs estimated at approximately $85 million (in 1998 dollars). The plan contemplates that the costs will be shared by the federal government, the state, the city, nonprofit groups and organizations, and private investors, corporations, and businesses. The federal share could be allocated from the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army Reserve, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Interior. The Vancouver National Historic Reserve has benefited greatly from the contributions made by our partners and other donors, who have already provided over $19 million for a wide variety of projects, and plan to provide approximately $20 million more for projects that have already been identified. We would like to emphasize that we are committed to working with our partners in the Vancouver National Historic Reserve to find appropriate ways to meet the goals outlined in the cooperative management plan. We encourage our partners in the reserve to continue to seek funding and other solutions for the preservation and protection of its resources through grants and other programs administered by the Service, the Department, and other federal agencies. This concludes my testimony. I am glad to answer any questions that you or 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 bill S. 1649, as ordered 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): Public Law 104-333 AN ACT To provide for the administration of certain Presidio properties at minimal cost to the Federal taxpayer, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS. * * * * * * * SEC. 502. VANCOUVER NATIONAL HISTORIC RESERVE. (a) * * * * * * * * * * (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated $400,000 per year for operational costs for each fiscal year following enactment of this Act and [$5,000,000 for development costs] $15,000,000 for development costs associated with capital projects consistent with the cooperative management plan, except that the Federal share of such development costs shall not exceed 50 percent of the total costs. * * * * * * *