[House Report 108-495] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 108th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 108-495 ====================================================================== MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2003 _______ May 17, 2004.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Pombo, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 265] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 265) to provide for an adjustment of the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. 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 ``Mount Rainier National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2003''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds the following: (1) The Carbon River watershed within Pierce County in the State of Washington has unique qualities of ecological, economic, and educational importance, including clean water, productive salmon streams, important wildlife habitat, active geologic processes, outdoor recreational opportunities, scenic beauty, educational opportunities, and diverse economic opportunities. (2) Mount Rainier National Park is one of the premier attractions in the State of Washington, providing recreational, educational, and economic opportunities that will be enhanced by the construction of new campgrounds and visitor contact facilities in the Carbon River valley outside old-growth forest habitats and above the flood plain. (3) Coordination of management across national forest and national park lands in this corridor will enhance the conservation of the forest ecosystem and public enjoyment of these public lands. (4) Protection and development of historic and recreational facilities in the Carbon River valley, such as trails and visitor centers, can be facilitated by the National Park Service. SEC. 3. MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT. (a) Boundary Adjustment.--The boundary of Mount Rainier National Park is modified to include the area within the boundary generally depicted on the map entitled ``Mount Rainier National Park, Carbon River Boundary Adjustment'', numbered 105/92,002B, and dated June 2003. The Secretary of the Interior shall keep the map on file in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service. (b) Land Acquisition.--The Secretary of the Interior may acquire, only with the consent of the owner, by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange-- (1) land or interests in land, totaling not more than 800 acres, and improvements thereon within the boundary generally depicted on the map referred to in subsection (a) for development of camping and other recreational facilities; and (2) land or interests in land, totaling not more than one acre, and improvements thereon in the vicinity of Wilkeson, Washington, for a facility to serve visitors to public lands along the Carbon and Mowich Corridors. (c) Administration of Acquired Lands.--Lands acquired under this section shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior as part of Mount Rainier National Park in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. SEC. 4. ASSOCIATED LANDS. The Secretary of Agriculture shall manage that portion of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest lying adjacent to Mt. Rainier National Park, as identified on the map referred to in section 3(a), to maintain the area's natural setting in a manner consistent with its management as of June 1, 2003. PURPOSE OF THE BILL The purpose of H.R. 265 is to provide for an adjustment of the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park, and for other purposes. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION The main entrance to northwest area of Mount Rainier National Park is by Carbon River Road, which follows along the Carbon River into the Park. Because a large section of the road is below the level of the Carbon River, the road continues to be washed out by heavy rains and thus visitors are prevented from driving their cars into the Park and accessing the Park's western campgrounds. In addition, the River continues to shift southward causing long-term damage to the road and prevents any permanent repairs to the road or the campgrounds. H.R. 265 would allow the National Park Service to move the road by extending the Park's boundaries west up the Carbon River Valley to encompass approximately 1,000 acres outside the park. The new land, a mixture of public and private land, would allow a new road to be built on higher ground. The single private land owner, Plum Creek Timber, is aware of the legislation and supports the purchase. The Committee intends that the acquisition and boundary adjustment will have no effect on the existing County Road No. 165 S, which runs through a portion of and along the South boundary of the land to be acquired, and that this road would continue to remain open and accessible to public use, including existing commercial trucking operations. COMMITTEE ACTION H.R. 265 was introduced on January 8, 2003, by Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn (R-WA). The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. On October 21, 2003, the Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. Congressman George Radanovich (R-CA) offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute that authorized the Secretary of the Interior to acquire up to 800 acres west of Mount Rainier National Park from willing sellers to create a new noncontiguous part for the Park, and directed the U.S. Forest Service to manage the land in the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest adjacent to the Park in a manner consistent with the area's designation. The amendment was agreed to by voice vote. The bill, as amended, was forwarded to the Full Committee by voice vote. On October 29, 2003, the Full Resources Committee met to consider the bill. Congressman Radanovich offered an amendment to clarify that the U.S. Forest Service is to manage the land in the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest adjacent to the Park in a manner consistent with its management as of June 1, 2003. The amendment was agreed to by unanimous consent. The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to the Full Committee by unanimous consent. 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 Resources' oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the body of this report. CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill. COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII 1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by 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, this bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. 3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. This bill does not authorize funding and therefore, clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply. 4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: U.S. Congress, Congressional Budget Office, Washington, DC, January 30, 2004. Hon. Richard W. Pombo, Chairman, Committee on Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 265, the Mount Rainier National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2003. If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. Sincerely, Elizabeth Robinson (For Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director). Enclosure. H.R. 265--Mount Rainier National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2003 H.R. 265 would modify the boundary of the Mount Rainier National park in the state of Washington to include a noncontiguous area west of the existing park. The bill would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to acquire up to 800 acres within the new area (as well as an additional 1-acre parcel in a nearby town) by donation, purchase, or exchange. The new parkland would be developed for camping and other recreational purposes; the small off-site parcel would be used for a visitor facility. Based on information provided by the NPS and assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that the federal government would send about $12 million over the next two years to implement H.R. 265. We estimate that about one- half of that amount would be used to purchase nearly 750 acres of land; the remaining amount would finance the development of a new campground and other visitor facilities. Following land acquisition and development, we expect that annual spending at the park would not increase significantly because the costs to operate the new recreational facilities are likely to be roughly equal to the cost of operating similar facilities that would be made obsolete. H.R. 265 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would have no significant impact on the budgets of State, local, or tribal governments. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4 This bill contains no unfunded mandates. PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW This bill is not intended to preempt any state, local or tribal law. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing law.