[House Document 108-151]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
108th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 108-
151
REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
TRANSMITTING
IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROVISIONS OF THE ``1997 EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL
APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR RECOVERY FROM NATURAL DISASTERS, AND FOR
OVERSEAS PEACEKEEPING EFFORTS, INCLUDING THOSE IN BOSNIA'' (PUBLIC LAW
105-18), A REQUEST TO MAKE AVAILABLE EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
January 20, 2004.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and
ordered to be printed
The White House,
Washington, January 15, 2004.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: In accordance with provisions of the
``1997 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Recovery
from Natural Disasters, and for Overseas Peacekeeping Efforts,
Including those in Bosnia'' (Public Law 105-18), I hereby
request and make available $22.5 million in emergency funding
for the Department of the Interior's National Park Service.
These funds would allow for the repair and replacement of
concession facilities at Yosemite National Park that were
damaged in a 1997 flood.
The Congress required that certain prerequisites be met
before these funds could be released. These requirements have
been met and I designate the funds made available today as an
emergency requirement consistent with the requirements of
Public Law 105-18.
The details of this action are set forth in the attached
letter from the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush.
[Estimate No. 24, 108th Cong. 1st Sess.]
Executive Office of the President,
Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC, January 13, 2004.
The President,
The White House.
Submitted for your consideration is a request to make
available previously appropriated contingent emergency funds
for the Department of the Interior's (DOI's) National Park
Service. These funds were made contingent upon your submission
of a budget request to the Congress that includes a designation
of the amount requested as an emergency requirement.
Public Law 105-18, the 1997 Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations Act for Recovery from Natural Disasters, and for
Overseas Peacekeeping Efforts, Including those in Bosnia,
provided $187.3 million in emergency funding for the Park
Service. Of this amount, $30.0 million was provided for the
restoration of facilities operated by the Yosemite Concession
Service Corporation (YCSC) in Yosemite National Park that were
damaged in a 1997 flood. Your approval of this request would
now make available $22.5 million to DOI. An additional $7.5
million in property damage insurance proceeds has been paid by
YCSC.
P.L. 105-18 also stipulates that in order for the funds to
be available, the Secretary of the Interior must certify that a
specific amount of such funds are required and the Solicitor of
the Interior must certify that YCSC has fully met its
obligations. These requirements have been met.
The National Park Service has faced many delays since these
funds were appropriated in 1997. Before it could proceed with
specific plans for rebuilding, the Park Service had to finalize
its Yosemite Valley Plan. Although the plan was finished in
2000, it was delayed by lawsuits by various environmental
groups. The litigation was not resolved until 2002. Then, the
Park Service was sued over the Merced River Wild and Scenic
Comprehensive Management Plan, which was finally resolved in
2003. The Park Service is now moving ahead and is ready to
issue contracts for construction to begin in the spring of
2004.
I recommend that you designate this request as an emergency
requirement in accordance with provisions of P.L. 105-18. No
further congressional action will be required.
I have carefully reviewed this proposal and am satisfied
that it is necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the
Secretary of the Interior in recommending that you make the
requested funds available by signing the enclosed letter to the
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Sincerely,
Joshua B. Bolten,
Director.
Enclosure.
Emergency Appropriations: Amounts Previously Appropriated Made
Available by the President
Department of the Interior: National Park Service--
Construction........................................ $22,500,000
Public Law 105-18, the 1997 Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations Act for Recovery from Natural Disasters, and for
Overseas Peacekeeping Efforts, Including those in Bosnia,
provided $187.3 million in emergency funding for the National
Park Service (NPS). To date, $157.3 million has been designated
as an emergency requirement and made available by the
President.
Of the total appropriation, $30.0 million was provided for
the restoration of facilities operated by the Yosemite
Concession Service Corporation (YCSC) in Yosemite National Park
that were damaged in a 1997 flood. Based on P.L. 105-18, the
funds were made contingent upon:
(1) The Secretary of the Interior certifying that a
specific amount of these funds are required for the
Federal portion of the costs to repair or replace
concession use facilities;
(2) The Solicitor of the Department of the Interior
certifying that YCSC has met its obligations to repair
or replace concession use facilities; and
(3) The President transmitting a budget request for a
specific dollar amount, including designation of the
entire amount of the request as an emergency
requirement.
The Secretary of the Interior has certified that $22.5
million of these funds is required for the Federal portion of
the costs and the Solicitor of the Interior has certified that
this payment fully satisfies the obligations of YCSC.