[House Report 107-267]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
107th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 107-267
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UTAH PUBLIC LANDS ARTIFACT PRESERVATION ACT OF 2001
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November 5, 2001.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Hansen, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 1491]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(H.R. 1491) to assist in the preservation of archaeological,
paleontological, zoological, geological, and botanical
artifacts through construction of a new facility for the
University of Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City,
Utah, 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. 1491 is to assist in the preservation
of archaeological, paleontological, zoological, geological, and
botanical artifacts through construction of a new facility for
the University of Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake
City, Utah.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The Utah Museum of Natural History is located at the
University of Utah and has been designated by the Utah State
Legislature as the State museum of natural history. The
archeology, paleontology, biology and geology of the
Intermountain West are documented in the more than one million
objects and specimens stored in the Museum. While the Museum
holds large collections of objects and specimens recovered from
State and private lands, the vast majority of the collection
has come from federal lands in Utah and surrounding States.
More than 75 percent of the Museum's collection contain
artifacts from lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management,
the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, the U.S.
Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the
Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The Museum is currently housed in the George Thomas
Building at the University of Utah, which poses serious
environmental threats to the collections, lacks good public
access and contains very small and outdated exhibits. In 1994,
the University and the Museum developed a master plan that
recommended that the Museum build a new building and move to a
new site located adjacent to the University, but with vast
improved public access. The University's Board of Trustees in
1996 reserved 14 acres for the new museum in Research Park,
immediately south of and adjacent to the Red Butte Garden and
Arboretum and north of the Place State Park and Hogle Zoo. The
State of Utah has committed $800,000 for annual operating funds
for the new museum and has collected $11 million in cash and
pledges from eight foundations and individuals. However, the
key to the public-private partnership is obtaining the
commitment from the federal government, which would represent
25 percent of the overall cost of the new facility.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 1491 was introduced on April 4, 2001, by Congressman
Jim Matheson (D-UT). The bill was referred to the Committee on
Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on
National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands. On June 7, 2001,
the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On June 26, 2001,
the Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. No amendments were
offered and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the Full
Committee by voice vote. On October 17, 2001, the Full
Resources Committee met to consider the bill. No amendments
were offered and the bill 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 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 assist in the preservation of
archaeological, paleontological, zoological, geological, and
botanical artifacts through construction of a new facility for
the university of Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake
City, Utah.
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:
Congressional Budget Office,
October 29, 2001.
Hon. James V. Hansen,
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. 1491, the Utah
Public Lands Artifact Preservation Act of 2001.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
Barry B. Anderson
(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
Enclosure.
H.R. 1491--Utah Public Lands Artifact Preservation Act of 2001
H.R. 1491 would direct the Department of the Interior to
make a grant to the University of Utah to fund a portion of the
costs of building a new museum facility. For this purpose, the
bill would authorize the appropriation of $15 million.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amount, CBO
estimates that implementing H.R. 1491 would cost the federal
government $15 million in fiscal year 2002. The bill would not
affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go
procedures would not apply.
H.R. 1491 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandated Reform Act.
Enactment of this legislation would benefit the University of
Utah, a public institution. Any costs incurred by the
university or the state of Utah to provide the required
matching funds or meet other grant conditions would be
voluntary. The bill would not affect the budgets of other
state, local, or tribal governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis.
The 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.