[House Report 112-449]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
112th Congress } { Report
2d Session } HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES { 112-449
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REVISING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK TO
INCLUDE THE GETTYSBURG TRAIN STATION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
_______
April 19, 2012.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Hastings of Washington, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 1335]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 1335) to revise the boundaries of the Gettysburg
National Military Park to include the Gettysburg Train Station,
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. GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK BOUNDARY REVISION.
Section 1 of the Act titled ``An Act to revise the boundary of the
Gettysburg National Military Park in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
and for other purposes'', approved August 17, 1990 (16 U.S.C. 430g-4),
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Additional Land.--In addition to the land identified in
subsections (a) and (b), the park shall include the following, as
depicted on the map titled `Gettysburg National Military Park Proposed
Boundary Addition', numbered 305/80,045 and dated January 2010, if the
owner of the property has provided written consent to inclusion:
``(1) The land and interests in land commonly known as the
`Gettysburg Train Station' and its immediate surroundings in
the Borough of Gettysburg.
``(2) The land and interests in land located along Plum Run
in Cumberland Township.''.
SEC. 2. ACQUISITION AND DISPOSAL OF LAND.
Section 2 of that Act (16 U.S.C. 430g-5) is amended by adding at the
end of subsection (a) the following: ``The Secretary is also authorized
to acquire publicly or privately owned property within the area defined
in section 1(d) by purchase, from willing sellers only, if efforts to
acquire that property without cost have been exhausted. The Secretary
may not acquire property within the area defined in section 1(d) by
eminent domain.''.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of H.R. 1335, as ordered reported, is to revise
the boundaries of the Gettysburg National Military Park to
include the Gettysburg Train Station.
Background and Need for Legislation
H.R. 1335 authorizes the inclusion of the site known as
Gettysburg Train Station in the Borough of Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania, and 45 acres located along Plum Run in Cumberland
Township, Pennsylvania, into Gettysburg National Military Park.
The Gettysburg Train Station is the historic depot where
President Abraham Lincoln arrived and departed via train in
1863, when he gave the historic Gettysburg Address. Currently,
the depot is owned by the Borough of Gettysburg, but with this
legislation may be transferred to the National Park Service.
Its value is estimated to be approximately $700,000. The other
45 acres, located in Cumberland Township, has already been
donated to the National Park Service, but needs to be
incorporated into the boundaries to be part of the National
Military Park.
The Secretary of the Interior would be authorized to
acquire the publicly-owned train station by purchase from
willing sellers only if efforts to acquire it without cost have
been exhausted. The bill authorizes no funding for this
acquisition. H.R. 1335 specifically prohibits the acquisition
of property within the areas of the Train Station and along
Plum Run by eminent domain. Additionally, during full committee
markup, the committee adopted an amendment offered by
Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT) to require written consent from
owners before their property could be included into the
boundary of the Park.
Committee Action
H.R. 1335 was introduced on April 1, 2011, by Congressman
Todd Platts (R-PA). 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 4,
2011, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On February
29, 2012, the Full Natural Resources Committee met to consider
the bill. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and
Public Lands was discharged by unanimous consent. Congressman
Rob Bishop (R-UT) offered amendment designated #1 to the bill;
the amendment was approved 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.
Compliance With House Rule XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(1) 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)(2)(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. 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. 1335--A bill to revise the boundaries of the Gettysburg National
Military Park to include the Gettysburg Train Station, and for
other purposes
H.R. 1335 would expand the boundaries of the Gettysburg
National Military Park in Pennsylvania to include two nearby
properties. CBO expects that the National Park Service (NPS),
which administers the park, would purchase a small parcel of
land containing the newly refurbished Gettysburg Train Station
and would accept (from the Gettysburg Foundation) the donation
of a 45-acre tract of land along Plum Run in Cumberland
Township.
Based on information provided by NPS, CBO estimates that
implementing H.R. 1335 would cost about $1 million over the
next two years, assuming the availability of appropriated
funds. That sum would be used to purchase the train station and
conduct minor development projects at the added sites. We
estimate that annual costs to operate and maintain the new
properties after that time would be minimal because the train
station would continue to be operated by local or nonprofit
organizations and the Plum Run acreage would be left
undeveloped. Enacting H.R. 1335 would not affect direct
spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do
not apply.
H.R. 1335 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.
If enacted, the bill would benefit the Borough of Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Martin von
Gnechten. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
2. Section 308(a) of 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, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in
revenues or tax expenditures. Based on information provided by
the National Park Service, CBO estimates that implementing H.R.
1335 would cost about $1 million over the next two years,
assuming the availability of appropriated funds.
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, as ordered reported, is to revise the
boundaries of the Gettysburg National Military Park to include
the Gettysburg Train Station.
Earmark Statement
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
Compliance With Public Law 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates as defined under
Public Law 104-4.
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):
ACT OF AUGUST 17, 1990
(Public Law 101-377)
AN ACT To revise the boundary of Gettysburg National Military Park in
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and for other purposes.
* * * * * * *
SECTION 1. GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK BOUNDARY REVISION.
(a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(d) Additional Land.--In addition to the land identified in
subsections (a) and (b), the park shall include the following,
as depicted on the map titled ``Gettysburg National Military
Park Proposed Boundary Addition'', numbered 305/80,045 and
dated January 2010, if the owner of the property has provided
written consent to inclusion:
(1) The land and interests in land commonly known as
the ``Gettysburg Train Station'' and its immediate
surroundings in the Borough of Gettysburg.
(2) The land and interests in land located along Plum
Run in Cumberland Township.
SEC. 2. ACQUISITION AND DISPOSAL OF LANDS.
(a) General Authority.--The Secretary is authorized to
acquire lands and interests in lands within the park by
donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds,
exchange, or otherwise. In acquiring lands and interests in
lands under this Act, the Secretary shall acquire the minimum
Federal interests necessary to achieve the objectives
identified for specific areas and the park. The Secretary is
also authorized to acquire publicly or privately owned property
within the area defined in section 1(d) by purchase, from
willing sellers only, if efforts to acquire that property
without cost have been exhausted. The Secretary may not acquire
property within the area defined in section 1(d) by eminent
domain.
* * * * * * *