[Senate Report 106-332]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 666
106th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 106-332
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NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY, MISSISSIPPI
_______
July 10, 2000.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Murkowski, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 2020]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 2020) to adjust the boundary of the
Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippi, and for other purposes,
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
purpose of the measure
The purpose of S. 2020 is to adjust the boundary of the
Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi to include specified
additional lands totaling 230 acres, and to authorize the
Secretary of the Interior to lease certain land within the
boundary of the Parkway to the city of Natchez, Mississippi,
for any purpose compatible with the Parkway.
background and need
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, the historic
Natchez Trace was the principal overland link between the old
Southwest Territory on the lower Mississippi River and the
United States. The trace was a primitive network of trails that
stretched from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee.
The Natchez Trace Parkway was established as a unit of the
National Park System in 1938 to commemorate the Natchez Trace.
Two segments of the Parkway remain unfinished, including
the southern terminus near Natchez, Mississippi. In 1998, the
National Park Service (NPS) released the Final Environmental
Impact Statement for completion of the southern terminus, and
selected a development alternative that will require the NPS to
acquire approximately 150 acres of land to provide a corridor
for approximately 4 miles of new roadway and an interchange in
the city of Natchez.
In addition, the Parkway's General Management Plan (GMP)
includes the Emerald Mound Development Concept Plan (DCP). The
Emerald Mound is a prehistoric Natchez Indian ceremonial mound
covering nearly eight acres. The property lines for the site
are not contiguous with the present parkway boundary, and
access is via a narrow, winding county road with hazardous
intersections. The Parkway's GMP/DCP calls for the acquisition
of 60-80 acres of private land to accommodate construction of a
short spur road directly from the Parkway motor road to the
mound site, an enlarged parking area, a wayside shelter with
interpretive exhibits, and a new trail.
S. 2020 addresses both land acquisition issues by
authorizing the acquisition of 150 acres to provide for the
Parkway's southern terminus, and 80 acres near the Emerald
Mound. In addition, S. 2020 authorizes the Secretary to lease
land within the boundary of the Parkway to the city of Natchez
for any purpose compatible with the Parkway. The latter
provision stems from a parcel of land which was donated to the
Parkway by the State of Mississippi, based on the assumption
that it would be needed for the Parkway's southern terminus.
Because a different alignment will be used for the terminus,
the land is not needed for that purpose. The city of Natchez,
however, desires use of the land for recreational purposes.
legislative history
S. 2020 was introduced by Senators Cochran and Lott on
February 1, 2000. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation, and Recreation held a hearing on S. 2020 on May
11, 2000. At its business meeting on June 7, 2000, the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 2020
favorably reported.
committee recommendation and tabulation of votes
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open
business session on June 7, 2000, by a unanimous vote of a
quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 2020.
section-by-section analysis
Section 1 provides definitions for terms used in the bill.
Section 2 directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary)
to adjust the boundary of the Natchez Trace Parkway (Parkway)
by adding 230 acres of land depicted on specified maps. The
Secretary is authorized to acquire the land through donation,
purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, and
to administer the lands as part of the Parkway.
Section 3 authorizes the Secretary to lease land within the
boundary of the Parkway to the City of Natchez, Mississippi,
for any purpose compatible with the Parkway.
Section 4 authorizes the appropriation of such sums as are
necessary to carry out the Act.
cost and budgetary considerations
The following estimate of the cost of this measure has been
provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, June 26, 2000.
Hon. Frank H. Murkowski,
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. 2020, a bill to
adjust the boundary of the Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippi,
and for other purposes.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts for this
estimate are James O'Keeffe (for federal costs), and Victoria
Heid Hall (for the state and local impact).
Sincerely,
Barry B. Anderson
(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
Enclosure.
S. 2020--A bill to adjust the boundary of the Natchez Trace Parkway,
Mississippi, and for other purposes
S. 2020 would expand the Natchez Trace Parkway in
Mississippi to include a 150-acre plot and an 80-acre plot,
which are currently both privately owned. The bill would
authorize the Department of the Interior (DOI) to acquire those
pieces of property by donation, purchase, or exchange. Finally,
under the bill, land within the parkway boundary could be
leased to the city of Natchez. CBO estimates that acquiring
this property would have no significant impact on the federal
budget, but this acquisition would be necessary to complete
construction of the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Based on information from DOI, CBO expects that the 150-
acre piece of land would be purchased by the state of
Mississippi and donated to the United States. There has been no
formal appraisal of the land, but based on information from
DOI, CBO estimates that purchasing the 80-acre plot would cost
about $500,000.
DOI and the city of Natchez have not agreed on the terms of
a possible lease for a portion to the parkway, but DOI expects
that it would charge only a nominal amount. Any money collected
from a lease would be recorded as offsetting receipts--a credit
against direct spending. Because S. 2020 would affect direct
spending, pay-as-you-go procedures would apply; but based on
information from DOI, CBO expects that any receipts collected
under the bill would be less than $5,000 annually.
Expanding the boundaries of this parkway could enable the
Department of Transportation's (DOT's) Federal Lands Highways
Program to construct an access road and the southern terminus
of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Based on information from DOT,
CBO estimates this construction would cost about $25 million
over the 2003-2005 period, assuming appropriation of the
necessary amounts. Spending for the Federal Lands Highways
Program is authorized under current law.
S. 2020 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. Enacting the bill would benefit
the city of Natchez, Mississippi, by allowing it to lease a
portion of the parkway. Any nonfederal land acquired by the
National Park Service under this bill would only be acquired if
agreeable to the state or local jurisdictions.
The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are James O'Keeffe
(for federal costs), and Victoria Heid Hall (for the state and
local impact). The estimate was 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. 2020. 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. 2020, as ordered reported.
executive communications
On June 6, 2000, the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources requested legislative reports from the Department of
the Interior and the Office of Management and Budget setting
forth Executive agency recommendations on S. 2020. These
reports had not been received at the time the report on S. 2020
was filed. When the reports become available, the Chairman will
request that they be printed in the Congressional Record for
the advice of the Senate. The testimony provided by the
National Park Service at the Subcommittee hearing follows:
Statement of Denis P. Galvin, Deputy Director, National Park Service,
Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present the
Department of the Interior's views on S. 2020, to adjust the
boundary of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi, and for
other purposes.
The Department supports S. 2020. This legislation would set
the stage for completing the southern terminus of Natchez Trace
Parkway, which would allow visitors direct access into the
historic city of Natchez by way of an historic transportation
route. The legislation would provide the authority necessary to
build a direct access road from the parkway to the Emerald
Mound site.
The historical Natchez Trace extended from Natchez,
Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee. The trace was the main
overland link between the Southwest Territory on the lower
Mississippi River and the United States in the late 18th and
early 19th centuries. In 1938, Congress established the 445-
mile Natchez Trace Parkway as a unit of the National Park
System. Currently, the southern end of the parkway is eight
miles outside of the city of Natchez at U.S. Highway 61. The
southern terminus, and another segment in the vicinity of
Jackson, Mississippi, are the only two parkway segments that
still need to be completed.
A southern extension of the parkway has been partially
constructed from U.S. Highway 61 to U.S. Highway 84/98, but
this four-mile segment will not open to traffic until a
terminus alternative has been selected and fully constructed.
Planning for the southern terminus has been going on for
several decades, but several different options considered over
the years were determined to be infeasible. During the 1990's,
the possibilities were narrowed to three alternatives that were
analyzed in a 1998 Environmental Impact Statement prepared by
the National Park Service. The options included a ``no action''
alternative, the Liberty Road alternative, and the Sergeant
Prentiss Drive alternative. After analyzing the total range of
the impacts of these alternatives, the National Park Service
concluded that the Liberty Road alternative would be the best
choice.
S. 2020 reflects the National Park Service's preference for
locating the southern terminus at Liberty Road. The bill would
expand the boundary of the parkway by approximately 150 acres
from the vicinity of St. Catherine Creek to Liberty Road. Land
acquisition authority provided by the bill would enable the
National Park Service to acquire the property necessary for the
construction of an interchange and about four miles of parkway,
as called for in the Liberty Road alternative. We anticipate
that funding for the necessary land acquisition would be
provided by the State of Mississippi, and that funding for
construction would be provided through the Federal Lands
Highways Program of the Department of Transportation, subject
to National Park Service priorities.
S. 2020 would also expand the boundary of the parkway by
about 80 acres in the Emerald Mound area, a National Park
Service site along the parkway about 10 miles northeast of
Natchez. Emerald Mound, which was constructed and used during
the Mississippian period (approximately 1300 to 1600 A.D.), is
the third largest Indian mound of any type and the second
largest ceremonial mound in the United States.
Access to Emerald Mound is in serious need of improvement.
Visitors reach the mound by exiting the parkway motor road at
milepost 10.3 and traveling about one mile to the parking area
on a narrow winding county road with hazardous intersections.
The Emerald Mound property lines are not contiguous with the
present parkway boundary. The parkway's 1987 general management
plan and 1993 land protection plan update call for acquiring 60
to 80 acres of land to construct a three-quarter-mile spur
road, parking area, wayside shelter, and trail to Emerald
Mound. Besides enhancing visitor use and interpretation and
consolidating parkway lands, this project would enable the
National Park Service to improve protection and preservation of
this very impressive and valuable ceremonial mound.
In addition, S. 2020 would authorize the Secretary to lease
land within the boundary of the parkway to the city of Natchez
for purposes compatible with the parkway. Several years ago,
the State of Mississippi donated to the National Park Service
land that was expected to be used as a right-of-way for the
southern terminus. However, this land would not be necessary
for the southern terminus under the Liberty Road alternative.
The authority provided by S. 2020 would enable the National
Park Service to lease a portion of the property to the city of
Natchez for public recreational uses.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my statement. I will 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 S. 2020, as
ordered reported.