[House Report 110-127]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
110th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 110-127
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GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK EXTENSION ACT OF 2007
_______
May 7, 2007.--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. 1080]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 1080) to modify the boundaries of Grand Teton
National Park to include certain land within the GT Park
Subdivision, 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. 1080 is to modify the boundaries of
Grand Teton National Park to include certain land located
within the GT Park Subdivision.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
H.R. 1080 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
expand the boundaries of the Grand Teton National Park to
include approximately 50 acres that landowners in the Grand
Teton Park Subdivision wish to donate to the park.
The property is adjacent to the park's eastern boundary and
is visible from the park's main road. According to the National
Park Service, the land is similar in character and quality to
the adjacent park lands and offers unobstructed views of the
Teton Range across the broad valley of Jackson Hole.
One lot in the subdivision is owned by the Gerald Halpin
family. The remaining seven lots were donated by the Halpin
family to private organizations, including the National Fish
and Wildlife Foundation, the National Park Foundation, and the
Grand Teton National Park Foundation.
All of these owners would like to donate their land to the
park, but the parcels lie outside the existing park boundary.
The 1950 law creating the park includes a provision forbidding
expansion of any national park or monument in Wyoming without
the express authorization of Congress.
H.R. 1080 would authorize the Secretary to accept the
donation of lands within the subdivision and, upon acquisition,
adjust the boundary of Grand Teton National Park. The bill
would prohibit the future sale, donation, exchange or other
transfer of the acquired land without congressional approval.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 1080 was introduced on February 15, 2007, by
Representative Barbara Cubin (R-WY). 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 April 19, 2007, the Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. It
was adopted, without amendment, by voice vote. The bill was
then forwarded to the Full Committee. On May 2, 2007 the Full
Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The bill
as introduced was ordered favorably reported to the House of
Representatives by unanimous consent.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 provides that this Act may be cited as the
``Grand Teton National Park Extension Act of 2007.''
Section 2. Definitions
Section 2 defines the terms of the bill, including defining
the area to be added to the park as approximately 49.67 acres
within the GT Park Subdivision, as generally depicted on a plat
recorded in the Office of the Teton County Clerk and Recorder
on December 16, 1997.
Section 3. Acquisition of land
Section 3 would permit the Secretary of the Interior to
accept from any willing donor the donation of any land or
interest in land within the defined Subdivision.
Upon acquisition of any land or an interest in land
acquired under subsection (a), the Secretary is directed to
include the land or interest in land within the boundaries of
the Grand Teton National Park; and to administer the land or
interest as part of the Park, in accordance with all applicable
laws and regulations.
The section also directs that the transfer be completed
within one (1) year of the date of enactment, and forbids the
Secretary from donating, selling, exchanging or otherwise
transferring any land acquired under the bill without express
authorization from Congress.
Section 4. Authorization of appropriations
Section 4 authorizes such sums as are necessary to carry
out the Act.
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 modify the boundaries of Grand
Teton National Park to include certain land located within the
GT Park Subdivision.
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. 1080--Grand Teton National Park Extension Act of 2007
H.R. 1080 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
accept the donation of about 50 acres of land in Wyoming. Once
acquired, the property would become part of the Grand Teton
National Park under the administration of the National Park
Service. Subject to the availability of appropriated funds, CBO
estimates that implementing H.R. 1080 would cost less than
$500,000, mostly for surveys and appraisals. Enacting this
legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues.
The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would have no significant impact on the budgets of state,
local, or tribal governments.
On February 8, 2007, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S.
277, the Grand Teton National Park Extension Act of 2007, as
ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources on January 31, 2007. S. 277 and H.R. 1080 are
identical, as are the cost estimates.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis.
This 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.
EARMARK STATEMENT
H.R. 1080 does not contain any congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in
clause 9(d), 9(e) or (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
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.