[House Report 106-361]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 106-361
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UPPER DELAWARE SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVER MONGAUP VISITOR CENTER ACT
OF 1999
_______
October 4, 1999.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 20]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(H.R. 20) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
construct and operate a visitor center for the Upper Delaware
Scenic and Recreational River on land owned by the State of New
York, 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. 20 is to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to construct and operate a visitor center for the
Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River on land owned by
the State of New York.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter
into a 99-year lease for state-owned land within the boundaries
of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River located at
Mongaup, New York. The bill also directs the Secretary to
construct and operate a visitor center on that land.
In June 1993, the State of New York authorized a 99-year
lease between the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation and the National Park Service for the construction
and operation of the Mongaup Visitor Center. Because the Act
which established the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational
River and its approved river management plan limits federal
authority to acquire land, Congressional action is needed to
authorize the expenditure of appropriated funds for the
construction and subsequent operation of the visitor center on
the leased land.
The visitor center will serve as an information point for
area services and attractions, as well as supply basic traveler
services such as restrooms and telephones. The center will also
provide river safety information, exhibits and programs on bald
eagles, and a rotation of exhibits on natural and valley
history and site interpretation.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 20 was introduced on January 6, 1999, by Congressman
Benjamin Gilman (R-NY). The bill was referred to the Committee
on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on
National Parks and Public Lands. On July 13, 1999, the
Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill where the
Administration testified in favor of the bill. On August 5,
1999, the Subcommittee met to consider the bill. No amendments
were offered and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the
Full Committee by voice vote. On September 22, 1999, the Full
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. Government Reform Oversight Findings. Under clause
3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, the Committee has received no report of
oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on
Government Reform on this bill.
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:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, September 29, 1999.
Hon. Don Young,
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. 20, the Upper
Delaware Scenic and Recreational River Mongaup Visitor Center
Act of 1999.
If you wish further details in 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. 20--Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River Mongaup Visitor
Center Act of 1999
H.R. 20 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to
enter into a 99-year lease with the state of New York for
state-owned land located near the Delaware Scenic and
Recreational River. The bill also would authorize the NPS to
construct and operate a visitor center on the leased land.
Based on information provided by the NPS and assuming
appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that the
agency would spend about $7 million over the next four years to
construct a visitor center on land leased from New York. We
estimate that the costs of the long-term lease would be
negligible. Once the center has been completed, the NPS would
spend about $600,000 annually to operate it.
H.R. 20 would not affect direct spending or receipts;
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. The bill
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 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.
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.