S. Rept. 106-319 - SAINT CROIX ISLAND HERITAGE ACT106th Congress (1999-2000)
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106th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 106-319
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SAINT CROIX ISLAND HERITAGE ACT
_______
June 27, 2000.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Murkowski, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 2485]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 2485) to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to provide assistance in planning and constructing a
regional heritage center in Calais, Maine, having considered
the same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and
recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
On page 4, line 15, strike ``with State and local
agencies'' and insert in lieu thereof the following: ``with
other Federal agencies, State and local agencies''.
purpose of the measure
The purpose of S. 2485 is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to take all necessary and appropriate steps to work
with Federal, State, and local agencies, historical societies,
and nonprofit organizations to facilitate the development of a
regional heritage center in downtown Calais, Maine before the
400th anniversary of the settlement of Saint Croix Island.
background and need
Saint Croix Island is located in the Saint Croix River,
which forms the boundary between Canada and the State of Maine.
In 1604 and 1605, Pierre Dugua Sieur de Mons with his company
of men established a French settlement on the island, predating
the English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. Saint
Croix Island International Historic Site is administered by the
National Park Service, preserving the site as a monument to the
beginning of the United States and Canada.
The 1998 General Management Plan for Saint Croix Island
International Historic Site envisions the development of a
visitor center, either on NPS shore property at Red Beach,
Maine, or in downtown Calais, Maine. If the visitor center were
to be located in Calais, the plan envisions it to be planned,
developed, operated, and maintained in a cooperative
arrangement involving the National Park Service, community
organizations, and other agencies.
S. 2485 directs the Secretary of the Interior to work with
Federal, State, and local agencies, historical societies, and
nonprofit organizations to provide assistance in planning,
constructing, and operating a regional heritage center in
downtown Calais. The bill authorizes the Secretary to enter
into cooperative agreements, the appropriation of $2 million
for design and construction of the facility, and such sums as
are necessary to maintain and operate interpretive exhibits.
legislative history
S. 2485 was introduced by Senators Collins and Snowe on
April 27, 2000. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation, and Recreation held a hearing on S. 2485 on May
11, 2000. At its business meeting on June 7, 2000, the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 2485, as
amended, favorably reported.
committee recommendation and tabulation of votes
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open
business session on June 7, 2000, by a unanimous vote of a
quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 2485, if
amended as described herein.
committee amendments
During the consideration of S. 2485, the Committee adopted
an amendment to add ``other Federal agencies'' to the list of
entities to which the Secretary may enter into cooperative
agreements.
section-by-section analysis
Section 1 designates the bill's short title as the ``Saint
Croix Island Heritage Act.''
Section 2 contains congressional findings concerning Saint
Croix Island and the National Park Service plan to manage and
interpret the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site.
Section 3 defines the terms used in the bill.
Section 4(a) requires the Secretary of the Interior to
provide assistance in planning, constructing, and operating a
regional heritage center in Calais, Maine, to facilitate the
management and interpretation of Saint Croix Island
International Historic Site.
Subsection 4(b) authorizes the Secretary to enter into
cooperative agreements with State, local, and other Federal
agencies, and nonprofit organizations to provide exhibits,
interpretive services, and technical assistance; to provide
financial assistance for the construction of a regional
heritage center in exchange for space in the center to
interpret the National Historic Site; and to assist with
operation and maintenance of the center.
Section 5 authorizes the appropriation of $2 million for
the design and construction of the regional heritage center,
subject to a dollar-for-dollar match of non-Federal funds. Also
authorized is the appropriation of funds that are necessary to
maintain and operate interpretive exhibits in the center.
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, June 20, 2000.
Hon. Frank H. Murkowski,
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. 2485, the Saint
Croix Island Heritage Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
Steven M. Lieberman
(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
Enclosure.
congressional budget office cost estimate
S. 2485.--Saint Croix Island Heritage Act
S. 2485 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to
provide financial and other assistance for a regional heritage
center in Calais, Maine. The Secretary would enter into a
cooperative agreement with state and local authorities and
nonprofit groups under which the federal government would help
to finance construction of the center, provide interpretive
exhibits, and assist in operating and maintaining the facility.
For these purposes, the bill would authorize the appropriation
of $2 million for development costs and whatever sums are
necessary for operation and maintenance.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO
estimates that implementing S. 2485 would cost $2 million over
the next three fiscal years. Additional annual expenses to help
operate and maintain the center once it is completed in 2004
would not be significant. The bill would not affect direct
spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would
not apply.
S. 2485 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. State
and local governments might incur some costs to match the
federal funds authorized by the bill, but these costs would be
voluntary.
The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. 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. 2485. 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. 2485, as ordered reported.
executive communications
On June 6, 2000, 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. 2485. These
reports had not been received at the time the report on S. 2485
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 Denis P. Galvin, Deputy Director, National Park Service,
Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear
before the subcommittee to present the views of the Department
of the Interior on S. 2485, a bill to direct the Secretary of
the Interior to provide assistance in planning and constructing
a regional heritage center in Calais, Maine, in order to
support visitor and interpretive services for Saint Croix
Island International Historic Site (ISH), in preparation for
the 400th anniversary of Saint Croix in 2004.
The Department of the Interior strongly supports enactment
of this legislation, with an amendment to encourage
participation of a larger partnership. This legislation will
authorize the National Park Service to participate in a
collaborative partnership to develop the Calais Center.
Calais, Maine, is located along the Saint Croix River,
which is the international boundary between the United States
and Canada. Saint Croix Island and Saint Croix Island
International Historic Site, the only international historic
site in the National Park System, are located eight miles down
river from Calais. Saint Croix Island is the site of the first
French attempt in 1604 to colonize the territory they called
Acadia and is the location of one of the earliest European
settlements in North America. The island lies west of the
international border and can be seen from a National Park
Service interpretive site (Red Beach) on the Maine shore of the
Saint Croix River. The island can also be seen from a Parks
Canada facility on the New Brunswick shore of the Saint Croix
River.
Saint Croix Island ISH is significant to the people of the
United States, Canada and France. The National Park Service
will be a key player in commemorating the world-historical
events which had their start at Saint Croix Island. We would
also like to thank Senator Collins and Senator Snowe for the
energy and insight they have brought to this issue in order for
the Service to prepare for celebrations in 2004.
The National Park Service completed a general management
plan (GMP) for Saint Croix Island IHS in 1998. The GMP
recommends the best strategy to protect and interpret Saint
Croix Island International Historic Site is to develop an
interpretive trail and ranger station on the site's mainland
shore, Red Beach, Maine, and to assist in the development of a
multi-agency visitor center in downtown Calais. The National
Park Service is working with Federal, State and local partners
on a strategy to interpret the heritage of the entire region. A
goal is to incorporate the Saint Croix Island story into the
themes of the regions cultural and natural history in both the
United States and in Canada. In addition, a 1982 international
memorandum of understanding between the Department of the
Interior of the United States and the Department of Environment
of Canada provides a mechanism for coordination with Canadian
officials. Planning efforts to commemorate and interpret the
international historic site, and specifically the 400th
anniversary of the settlement in 2004, are ongoing. The
timetable is extremely short for these projects to be
accomplished in time for the anniversary celebrations.
The National Park Service has prepared a development
support package for the Red Beach site for the construction of
restrooms and parking and for installing interpretive wayside
exhibits. We have also acquired key parcels of land and
structures at the Red Beach site. It should be noted that
visitation to Saint Croix Island will not be encouraged in
order to protect the fragile lands and the significant
archaeological remains. A second development support package
provides for the remaining development work recommended in the
GMP. This work includes the National Park Service portion of
the costs for a Calais Regional Heritage Center. National Park
Service funds for this center would be subject to the
availability of appropriations and NPS priorities. The total
preliminary cost estimate for the center is $6.5 million with
the NPS share being $2 million.
On the Canadian side of the Saint Croix River, Parks Canada
has completed an extensive interpretive trail, exhibits,
brochures and web pages with links to other French sites
throughout eastern Canada. The Province of New Brunswick is
developing a reconstructed settlement on the river shore
directly opposite the island.
The National Park Service wishes to continue to cooperate
with others in planning for a regional heritage center. The
center would not be owned nor operated by the National Park
Service, but managed by a consortium of partners. Although we
do not advocate a National Park Service presence in Calais, we
believe a partnership among Federal, state and local
organizations would be the most appropriate and cost-effective.
The National Park Service generally opposes the use of limited
funds for non-Federal facilities, but in this case the facility
can serve park purposes and therefore may be appropriate for
funding, subject to NPS ranking of priorities. This legislation
would authorize the necessary appropriations to fund very
limited Park Service operational costs in Calais.
S. 2485 encourages collaborative planning, construction and
operation of the center, but we believe an amendment would
better encourage all partners to participate. Along with State
and local agencies and nonprofit organizations, it is
anticipated that the Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service would be partners with the National Park
Service in this endeavor. We recommend that Section 4(b) be
amended to allow the Secretary to enter into cooperative
agreements with these two Federal agencies also.
We are very supportive of this legislation if modified in
accordance with the amendment attached to this testimony. This
concludes my prepared testimony. I would be happy to answer any
questions that you or members of the subcommittee may have.
Our proposed amendment is as follows:
On page 4, line 15, strike ``with State and local
agencies'' and insert ``with other Federal agencies, State and
local agencies''.
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. 2485, as
ordered reported.