[House Report 110-736] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 110th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 110-736 ====================================================================== WASHINGTON-ROCHAMBEAU REVOLUTIONARY ROUTE NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL DESIGNATION ACT _______ July 8, 2008.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Rahall, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 1286] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 1286) to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, 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 ``Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail Designation Act''. SEC. 2. ADDITION TO NATIONAL SCENIC AND NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS. Section 5(a) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(__) Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail.-- ``(A) In general.--The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, a corridor of approximately 600 miles following the route taken by the armies of General George Washington and Count Rochambeau between Newport, Rhode Island, and Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781 and 1782, as generally depicted on the map titled `Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail', numbered T01/80,001, and dated June, 2007. ``(B) Map.--The map referred to in subparagraph (A) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service. ``(C) Administration.--The trail shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with-- ``(i) other Federal, State, tribal, regional, and local agencies; and ``(ii) the private sector. ``(D) Land acquisition.--The United States shall not acquire for the trail any land or interest in land outside the exterior boundary of any federally-managed area without the consent of the owner of the land or interest in land.''. SEC. 3. ENERGY. Nothing in the amendment made by section 2 of this Act shall prohibit or hinder the development, production, conveyance, or transmission of energy. Purpose of the Bill The purpose of H.R. 1286 is to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail. Background and Need for Legislation H.R. 1286 would designate an approximately 600-mile national historic trail tracing the routes taken by Continental and French troops marching from New England to face the British Army at Yorktown, Virginia. In 1780, as part of the alliance with the 13 colonies seeking to overthrow British rule, France sent an army to the aid of General George Washington as he prepared for a decisive campaign against General Charles Lord Cornwallis. General Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de (Count) Rochambeau sailed into Newport, Rhode Island, at the head of the Expedition Particuliere, an army of 450 officers and 5,300 men. After wintering in Newport, Rochambeau's army marched through Rhode Island and Connecticut in June and July of 1781, and joined General George Washington's 4,000-man Continental Army in Philipsburg, New York. The American and French troops took a combination of strategic roads and waterways from Philipsburg through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the future District of Columbia, and Virginia, reaching Williamsburg in late September 1781. With a French fleet blocking the Chesapeake, barring British reinforcements from New York or a sea escape for Cornwallis' army, Washington and Rochambeau's three-week siege of Yorktown ended in Cornwallis' surrender to Washington on October 19, 1781. After their victory, Washington and the Continentals returned to defend northern posts while Rochambeau and his troops wintered in Williamsburg prior to marching north the following summer. Both armies were warmly celebrated by the towns and cities along their return routes. A study by the National Park Service, authorized by the 106th Congress (Public Law 106-473), examined the corridor along that historic march and concluded that the trail is suitable and feasible for designation as a national historic trail under the National Trails System Act. The National Park Service's preferred alternative, which the bill implements, outlines a route that mostly follows existing public roads; some segments are on public lands (especially lands owned by local jurisdictions) or near publicly regulated navigable waters. While the historic route does cross some private lands, the NPS study states ``No federal acquisition of lands or interests in lands is proposed or anticipated. . . . Management of the trail would depend on cooperative partnerships.'' Committee Action H.R. 1286 was introduced on March 21, 2007, by Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-NY). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. On October 30, 2007, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill, at which a representative of the National Park Service testified that the Administration supports H.R. 1286. On June 25, 2008, the Full Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1286. Subcommittee Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) offered an amendment to update the map citation. The amendment was agreed to by voice vote. Representative Robert J. Wittman (R-VA) offered an amendment to clarify that the designation of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail shall neither prohibit nor hinder the development, production, conveyance or transmission of energy. The amendment was agreed to by voice vote. The bill as amended was then ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice vote. 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 Natural 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. As required by clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective of this bill is to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail. 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: H.R. 1286--Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail Designation Act H.R. 1286 would amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route as a National Historic Trail. The route spans over 600 miles across nine states and the District of Columbia and traces the marches taken by the American and French armies during the Yorktown campaign of the Revolutionary War. The National Park Service (NPS) would administer the trail and coordinate the efforts of public and private entities on trail administration, planning, development, and maintenance. Based on information provided by the NPS and assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO estimates that establishing, developing, and administering the proposed historic trail would cost about $2 million over the 2009-2013 period. Of this amount, we estimate that the NPS would spend about $300,000 over the next three years to prepare a comprehensive management plan for the trail. In addition, we estimate that the NPS would spend about $350,000 annually beginning in 2010 to operate and maintain the interpretive program for trail visitors. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on State, local, or tribal governments. The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Deborah Reis and Matthew Pickford. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. Compliance With Public Law 104-4 This bill contains no unfunded mandates. Earmark Statement H.R. 1286 does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e) or 9(f) of rule XXI. Preemption of State, Local or Tribal Law This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or tribal law. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is printed in italic and existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): SECTION 5 OF THE NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM ACT * * * * * * * NATIONAL SCENIC AND NATIONAL HISTORICAL TRAILS Sec. 5. (a) National scenic and national historic trails shall be authorized and designated only by Act of Congress. There are hereby established the following National Scenic and National Historic Trails: (1) * * * * * * * * * * (__) Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail.-- (A) In general.--The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, a corridor of approximately 600 miles following the route taken by the armies of General George Washington and Count Rochambeau between Newport, Rhode Island, and Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781 and 1782, as generally depicted on the map titled ``Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail'', numbered T01/80,001, and dated June, 2007. (B) Map.--The map referred to in subparagraph (A) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service. (C) Administration.--The trail shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with-- (i) other Federal, State, tribal, regional, and local agencies; and (ii) the private sector. (D) Land acquisition.--The United States shall not acquire for the trail any land or interest in land outside the exterior boundary of any federally-managed area without the consent of the owner of the land or interest in land. * * * * * * *