[House Report 113-66]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 113-66
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MANHATTAN PROJECT NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK ACT
_______
May 17, 2013.--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. 1208]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 1208) to establish the Manhattan Project
National Historical Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Los Alamos,
New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington, and for other purposes,
having considered the same, report favorably thereon without
amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 1208 is to establish the Manhattan
Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Los
Alamos, New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The Manhattan Project was an unprecedented top-secret
program implemented during World War II to construct a nuclear
weapon and to counter threats of similar development by Nazi
Germany. The Manhattan Project was a highly significant chapter
in America's history that expanded scientific research,
developed new technologies, and changed the role of the United
States in the world.
In 2004, Congress authorized a study of historic sites
associated with the Manhattan Project to determine the
suitability and feasibility of including such sites in the
National Park System. In 2010, the National Park Service (NPS)
reported back a recommendation to create a national historical
park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Los Alamos, New Mexico, and
Hanford, Washington, to be managed as a partnership between NPS
and the Department of Energy.
H.R. 1208 establishes the historical park, but first allows
one year for the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation
with the Secretary of Energy, to determine suitable facilities
and areas among those specified. Many of these facilities are
currently scheduled to be destroyed by the Department of
Energy, but their preservation for public visitation would
instead reduce federal spending by millions of dollars. For
example, the first full-scale nuclear reactor ever built, the B
Reactor at the Hanford site, would alone cost tens of millions
of dollars to demolish, while facilitating safe and secure
public access to the structure can occur at a small fraction of
that cost.
H.R. 1208 also directs the Secretary of the Interior and
the Secretary of Energy to enter into an agreement, within one
year, that governs their respective roles concerning facilities
and land under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy.
Such facilities and land will remain under the jurisdiction of
the Department of Energy, but the interpretive responsibilities
will fall to NPS.
H.R. 1208 requires coordination, planning, and cooperation
between NPS and the Department of Energy to ensure safe and
secure visitor access and protection of national security.
Additionally, the Department of Energy shall retain
responsibility for any environmental remediation that may be
necessary.
H.R. 1208 contains significant private property rights
protections. The legislation explicitly prohibits condemnation
and requires written permission from owners before non-federal
property may be included in the historical park. Furthermore,
buffer zones are prohibited around the boundaries of the
historical park--activities that can be seen or heard from
within the historical park shall not preclude the conduct of
that activity outside the historical park--and, land
acquisition may only occur by donation or exchange.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 1208 was introduced on March 15, 2013, by Congressman
Doc Hastings (R-WA). The bill was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee
on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation. On April 12,
2013, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On April 24,
2013, the Full Natural Resources Committee met to consider the
bill. The Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental
Regulation was discharged by unanimous consent. No amendments
were offered, and the bill was then adopted and ordered
favorably reported to the House of Representatives 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 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. 1208--Manhattan Project National Historical Park Act
H.R. 1208 would establish the Manhattan Project National
Historical Park from eligible sites in Tennessee, New Mexico,
and Washington. Within one year of enactment, the legislation
would require the Department of the Interior and the Department
of Energy (DOE) to finalize the boundaries of the proposed park
and to complete an agreement specifying how each department
would administer properties included in it. H.R. 1208 also
would require the National Park Service (NPS) to complete a
general management plan for the park within three years after
funds have been made available.
The final costs of implementing H.R. 1208 would depend on
which lands are chosen for inclusion in the new park unit.
Based on information from the NPS, CBO estimates that if all
eligible sites were included, implementing the bill would cost
$21 million over the 2014-2018 period, assuming appropriation
of the necessary amounts. DOE would continue to operate and
manage sites currently under its jurisdiction and the NPS would
only be responsible for providing public education and
technical assistance at those sites. CBO estimates that the
annual operating costs to the NPS could total about $4 million.
CBO estimates that completing the required general management
plan would cost about $750,000 over the next three years.
Enacting H.R. 1208 would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
H.R. 1208 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 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 from the
NPS, CBO estimates that if all eligible sites were included,
implementing the bill would cost $21 million over the 2014-2018
period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. The
Department of Energy would continue to operate and manage sites
currently under its jurisdiction and the NPS would only be
responsible for providing public education and technical
assistance at those sites. CBO estimates that the annual
operating costs to the NPS could total about $4 million. CBO
estimates that completing the required general management plan
would cost about $750,000 over the next three years.
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 establish the Manhattan Project
National Historical Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Los Alamos,
New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington.
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.
COMPLIANCE WITH H. RES. 5
Directed Rule Making. The Chairman does not believe that
this bill directs any executive branch official to conduct any
specific rule-making proceedings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law
98-169) as relating to other programs.
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.