[Senate Report 108-25]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 40
108th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 108-25
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RIM OF THE VALLEY CORRIDOR STUDY ACT
_______
March 19, 2003.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Domenici, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 347]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred to the bill (S. 347) to direct the Secretary of the
Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a joint
special resources study to evaluate the suitability and
feasibility of establishing the Rim of the Valley Corridor as a
unit of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area,
and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports
favorably thereon with an amendment and an amendment to the
title and recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.
The amendments are as follows:
1. Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in
lieu thereof the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rim of the Valley Corridor Study
Act''.
SEC. 2. RIM OF THE VALLEY CORRIDOR STUDY.
The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture
shall conduct a joint resource study of the lands, waters, and
interests of the area comprising the Rim of the Valley Corridor in
Southern California, as depicted on the map entitled ``Santa Monica
Mountains Conservancy Zone--Rim of the Valley Corridor Parklands and
Open Space'' and dated July 30, 2002, to evaluate a range of
alternative for protecting resources, including the suitability and
feasibility of establishing the area as a unit of the Santa Monica
Mountains National Recreation Area. The Secretaries shall consult with
appropriate State, county and local government entities in conducting
the study.
SEC. 3 AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this Act.
2. Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to direct the
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to
conduct a joint resource study to evaluate the suitability and
feasibility of establishing the Rim of the Valley Corridor as a
unit of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area,
and for other purposes.''.
PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE
The purpose of S. 347 is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a joint
resources study to evaluate the suitability and feasibility of
establishing the Rim of the Valley Corridor as a unit of the
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
BACKGROUND AND NEED
S. 347 directs the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture to study the Rim of the Valley
Corridor, the escarpment of the San Gabriel Mountains in
southern California primarily within the Angeles National
Forest, as a possible addition to the Santa Monica Mountains
National Recreation Area. The Santa Monica Mountains N.R.A. is
the largest urban unit of the National Park System, comprising
more than 150,000 acres near Los Angeles.
The Rim of the Valley Corridor contains parts of an
endangered habitat area, the Mediterranean chaparral ecosystem.
Nearby mountains also provide notable recreation opportunities
and a haven from the noise and commotion of the Los Angeles
Basin. The State of California has adopted the Rim of the
Valley Master Plan submitted by the Santa Monica Mountain
Conservancy, but State and local efforts to protect the area
have been hampered by a lack of financial resources and
resource management expertise.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
S. 347 was introduced by Senator Feinstein on February 11,
2003. Similar legislation, S. 2571, was introduced by Senator
Feinstein during the 107th Congress. The Subcommittee on
National Parks held a hearing on S. 2571 on July 18, 2002. At
its business meeting on July 31, 2002, the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources ordered S. 2571, as amended, favorably
reported.
The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on S. 347
on March 4, 2003. At the business meeting on March 12, 2003,
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 347,
as amended, favorably reported.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open
business session on March 12, 2003, by a unamimous vote of a
quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 347, if
amended as described herein.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
During the consideration of S. 347, the Committee adopted
an amendment in the nature of a substitute which eliminates the
congressional findings and clarifies that the National Park
Service is to conduct a ``resource study'' instead of the
``special resource study'' authorized in the bill. A special
resource study is typically reserved for actions that may lead
to designation of a new unit of the National Park System. A
resource study is performed for other types of actions such as
expanding an existing park unit. The Committee also adopted an
amendment to the title.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1 titles the bill the ``Rim of the Valley Corridor
Study Act.''
Section 2 directs the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a joint resource study,
sets forth requirements and criteria for conducting the study
and consultation with affected governmental entities.
Section 3 authorizes the appropriations of such sums as are
necessary to carry out this 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, March 13, 2003.
Hon. Pete V. Domenici,
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. 347, the Rim of the
Valley Corridor Study Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan
Carroll.
Sincerely,
Douglas Holtz-Eakin
Director.
Enclosure.
S. 347--Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act
S. 347 would direct the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture to study the suitability and
feasibility of adding certain federal lands to the Santa Monica
Mountains National Recreation Area in California. Based on
information from the Department of the Interior, CBO estimates
that the proposed study would cost about $500,000 in 2004,
assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. Enacting S.
347 would not affect direct spending or revenues.
S. 347 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 Megan Carroll.
This 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. 347. 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. 347, as ordered reported.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
On February 26, 2003, 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. 347. These reports
had not been received at the time the report on S. 347 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 de Teel Patterson Tiller, Acting Associate Director for
Cultural Resources, National Park Service, Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present the
Department's views on S. 347, a bill to direct the Secretaries
of Interior and Agriculture to conduct a joint special
resources study to evaluate the suitability and feasibility of
establishing the Rim of the Valley Corridor, in the Los Angeles
region, as a unit of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation
Area.
The Department supports this bill with the minor
clarification provided in this testimony. We believe that this
study will provide a good opportunity to explore partnerships
with a wide range of state, local, private, and other federal
entities for the purpose of protecting and interpreting
important natural and cultural resources.
On July 18, 2002, the Department testified on S. 2571, a
similar bill that would have directed the Secretary of the
Interior to study the Rim of the Valley for addition to Santa
Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. In our testimony, we
recommended that the bill be amended to make the study a joint
study between the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture and
we suggested that the provision that established a 17-member
advisory commission was unnecessary. At the committee markup,
S. 2571 was amended incorporating the department's suggestions.
S. 347 is identical to S. 2571 as it was amended in the 107th
Congress.
S. 347 directs the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture
to conduct a joint Special Resource Study of the Rim of the
Valley Corridor in Southern California. S. 347 further requires
that the study evaluate the suitability and feasibility of
establishing the area as a unit of the Santa Monica Mountains
National Recreation Area. The Secretaries are directed to use
the criteria for study of areas for inclusion in the National
Park System and to consult with appropriate State, county, and
local governments. The study is estimated to cost approximately
$500,000.
The National Park Service generally conducts special
resource studies to evaluate the suitability and feasibility of
an area to become a new unit of the National Park System. We
understand that the intent of this bill is not to establish a
new park, but rather to study the Rim of the Valley as a
potential addition for Santa Monica Mountains National
Recreation Area. As such, we suggest that ``Special Resource
Study'' be replaced with ``resource study'' in all places where
it appears in the bill. We would be happy to work with the
subcommittee staff to develop any additional clarifying
language that may be required.
The study would assess habitat quality, access to urban
open space, low-impact recreation and educational uses,
wildlife and habitat restoration and protection and watershed
improvements along the Rim of the Valley corridor surrounding
the San Fernando and La Crescenta Valleys. This corridor
consists of portions of the Santa Monica Mountains, Santa
Susanna Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, Verdugo Mountains,
San Rafael Hills and the connector to Los Padres, Angeles, and
San Bernardino National Forests, which provide notable
recreation opportunities close to the Los Angeles basin.
In addition to natural and recreational opportunities, the
area also includes properties found on the National Register of
Historic Places. Old stagecoach stops and images of the Wild
West still exist. Amtrak's Coast Starlight line travels past
many of these rich cultural and natural motifs. The area
supports a diverse system of plants and animals, including 26
distinct plant communities and more than 400 vertebrate
species.
As the largest urban park area in the National Park System,
the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area includes
153,750 acres and provides recreational opportunities for
approximately 530,000 visitors annually. During the 25 years
since the national recreation area was authorized by Congress,
this unit has become a model of collaboration of many local,
state, and federal public land managers, as well as many
private property owners--all working together as stewards of
the scenic, natural, cultural, and recreational resources.
Recognizing the limitation of federal resources for
acquiring and managing additional lands, the study would have
to examine a number of alternatives for protecting significant
areas of open space in the Rim of the Valley Corridor,
including those that involve minimal cost to the federal
government. With the study area encompassing 491,518 acres, the
study would emphasize public-private partnerships. Given the
large size and the diversity of stakeholders in the area, the
study undertaken by the National Park Service would involve
extensive outreach with members of the public, private
landowners, and local governments. It would likely entail
extended comment periods, and extensive analysis.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony. I would be happy
to answer any questions you or any 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. 347, as ordered
reported.