Natural Resources Committee News

ICYMI: Looking To The Historic Leasing Program To Alleviate The Maintenance Backlog In National Parks

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT

By U.S. Reps. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) and Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.)

The Hill

America’s crown jewels are its national parks. Touted as America’s best idea, the National Park Service is responsible for managing hundreds of units nationwide, encompassing more than 85 million acres in each state and territory of the United States. The national parks are part of our nation’s ethos, and touch millions each year with their rugged beauty.

However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for our national parks to be kept in the condition that Americans expect. Our parks have been “loved to death,” as increasing visitation and aging infrastructure has put these sanctuaries in jeopardy. Across the entire parks system, nearly $12 billion in deferred maintenance projects continue to languish. In Yosemite National Park alone, there are nearly $1 billion in deferred maintenance.

Congress is currently considering options to address this maintenance backlog and put our national parks on the pathway to eliminating the backlog, restoring our public lands to the condition that the American people expect and deserve. As we explore these options, however, it is up to Congress to ensure that every tool in the toolbox is used to maximize each taxpayer dollar spent on our parks.

One of these tools is the National Park System’s historic leasing program. Currently, about 350 structures are under lease agreements across the National Park System. Under this program, unused or dilapidated buildings in the parks are leased to local businesses, which pay lease fees to the park service – providing needed revenue – while also removing the maintenance of buildings from the park service balance sheets. This impact is twofold: not only are taxpayers spared the expense of refurbishing historic structures, but local communities benefit from increased economic activity and more local jobs.

Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas is a perfect example of the historic leasing program providing both a service to a local community, while reducing the deferred maintenance and taxpayer obligation at the park. Of nine historic thermal bathhouses along Central Avenue – known locally as “Bathhouse Row” – Hot Springs National Park has leased eight of the structures to local investors. Businesses located in the historic bathhouses range from a boutique hotel to a craft brewery, with each lessee responsible for the rehabilitation costs and ongoing maintenance. One of the businesses, Quawpaw Baths and Spa, opened in its namesake building in 2008. The building was vacated in 1985 and required more than $3 million in renovations before reopening. While it may seem like a large investment, management reported profitability since its second year of operation. Further, the $3 million spent by the investors, and the yearly cost of upkeep they pay to lease the structure, are kept off the balance sheet for the park.

In addition to reducing the backlog at our national parks, the historic leasing program has proven to be beneficial to the local communities surrounding the park units employing the program. For the city of Hot Springs, which suffered a devastating fire in February 2014, the businesses established by the historic leasing program anchored a recovery from catastrophe that may have crippled other small towns. The leased bathhouses along Central Avenue not only kept tourists coming to the region, but they encouraged other entrepreneurs to locate their businesses in downtown Hot Springs. Despite the fire, tourism in Hot Springs National Park has increased by nearly 18 percent since 2013, while investment in downtown area surrounding the park has grown by $80 million since the fire. This investment has resulted in new jobs, and new economic prosperity for the community surrounding the park.

The historic preservation leasing program is just one of many tools to address the deferred maintenance backlog, and that is why the House Committee on Natural Resources will hold a hearing in Hot Springs National Park on Monday (Sept. 17). The field hearing will be an opportunity to listen to local leaders and learn lessons that can be shared across the National Park System through an expansion of the historic leasing program. As the example of Hot Springs National Park demonstrates, this program can be used not only to reduce the maintenance backlog but stimulate local investment at the same time.

Rob Bishop is chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee and Bruce Westerman is chairman of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight.

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Committee Advances National Park Maintenance Backlog Bill

Thu, 13 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed H.R. 6510 (U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah), the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act.

“As America’s beloved national parks buckle under the weight of broken pipes, crumbling roads, and other incomplete projects, additional funding is crucial to keeping parks safe and accessible for the public. This bill addresses that need. I thank Secretary Zinke, Ranking Member Grijalva, Rep. Mike Simpson, and all those on both sides of the aisle who have supported this legislation. Maintaining our national parks knows no party lines,” Chairman Bishop said.

H.R. 6510 establishes, funds, and provides for the use of amounts in a National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund to address the maintenance backlog of the National Park Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Indian Education.

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Bishop, Grijalva Pass Deal on LWCF Reauthorization

Thu, 13 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop and Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva announced and passed a deal on the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), offered and adopted in Committee as an amendment to H.R. 502. The Committee also passed H.R. 6771, the Domestic Offshore Energy Reinvestment Act of 2018, authored by U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.).

“Creating outdoor opportunities for people was the reason Congress created the LWCF. My reservations about the program have never been about the goals of LWCF, rather I’ve been frustrated that the implementation of the program fell short of the law’s intended purpose. Despite the statute’s successes and recognition of the benefit of using public land development to fund recreation and conservation investments, reform is needed to ensure LWCF benefits local priorities to the fullest extent possible. This bill, along with additional action we took today, ensures that Congress adequately funds the lands it already owns and realigns the Fund back to its original goal of ensuring that hunters, fishermen, and families have access to recreational activities. I thank Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva for his work to find common ground, and look forward to engagement with all stakeholders and the Senate on a final agreement.” – Chairman Rob Bishop

“This is a taste of what’s possible when people work together in good faith. Days like these are far too rare in Congress, and if we keep this up we might just restore public trust in Congress’ ability to get things done. Thanks to a lot of hard work on both sides, the days of LWCF being a political football could end very soon and our national parks can start getting the maintenance funding they sorely need. I’d like to thank Chairman Bishop for the chance to work together on this. I hope we get to do it again.” – Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.)

H.R. 502 permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

H.R. 6771, the Domestic Offshore Energy Reinvestment Act of 2018, amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006.

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What They Are Saying: Support Builds for the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Bill

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Tomorrow, the Committee on Natural Resources will markup the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act (U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah), which currently has more than 150 bipartisan cosponsors.

H.R. 6510 provides mandatory funding to address the deferred maintenance backlog of the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Indian Education.

“The National Park Service is suffering from nearly $12 billion in deferred maintenance needs including run-down trails; crumbling roads and bridges; deteriorating historic buildings, memorials and monuments; and outdated and unsafe water, sewer and electrical systems. This challenge is largely due to both aging infrastructure that in many cases has outlived its life-cycle and inadequate federal funding over decades. Dedicating funding to repair our parks supports both the preservation of our heritage and the tourism economy that relies on accessible and functional park facilities.” – Kristen Brengel, vice president of government affairs, National Parks Conservation Association.

“OIA applauds this bipartisan effort to solve the National Park Service backlog issue and appreciates the dedication of Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva to this effort. The backlog impacts the recreation economy and Americans’ ability to explore and enjoy their public lands. As we know, and support for bills like the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund shows, the health and vitality of America’s public lands system is a bipartisan issue that unites us. We look forward to continued progress and appreciate the House bill sponsors’ focus on the critical infrastructure that supports the growing $887 billion outdoor recreation economy.” – Amy Roberts, executive director, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.

“Ducks Unlimited is the world’s leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. Founded in 1937, by a small group of concerned sportsmen and conservationists, our mission is to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. The National Wildlife Refuge System stands alone as the only federal land and water conservation system with a mission that prioritizes wildlife and habitat conservation alongside wildlife-dependent recreation for the benefit of the American people. Given our alignment of priorities with that of the National Wildlife Refuge System, we support an increase in funding that would be allocated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the National Wildlife Refuge System through this bill.” – Dale Hall, CEO, Ducks Unlimited.

“National parks are also a critical economic driver for communities adjacent to these sites. In 2017, over 331 million park visits translated to $18.2 billion in direct spending to hotels, restaurants, outfitters, and other amenities in these gateway communities, supporting over 306,000 jobs and generating $35.8 billion in total economic output.

Dedicated funding for our parks would be a much-needed investment into these critical economic engines and will go a long way to address the $11.6 billion deferred maintenance backlog. Thank you again for your commitment to fixing our parks.” – Marcia Argust, director, Restore America’s Parks, The Pew Charitable Trusts.

“We are grateful for this realistic approach to dealing with the backlog of maintenance and infrastructure in National Parks, Refuges and on public lands, as well as providing for the Indian Education Service. We are in full support of H.R. 6510 and have been urging our Representatives to co-sponsor this legislation.” – David Brown, America Outdoors Association.

“This important bill addresses one of the most critical issues facing our national parks: the park system’s deferred maintenance backlog. Roads, bridges, trails, visitor centers,

drinking water systems and more are decaying due to age and a lack of needed capital

investments over the decades. Our national parks and other public lands can provide a place of respite for our military transitioning back to civilian life from participating in outdoor recreation activities to contributing in volunteer opportunities.” – Laura L’Esperance, senior vice president of external affairs, The Mission Continues.

“Creation doesn’t belong to any one person or group to exploit, plunder, or be used selfishly. It’s a trust, given by God, for the benefit of humanity and the glory of God.

However, we are failing to tend God’s creation and the wonder of our National Parks with the $12.5 Billion Deferred Maintenance Backlog. God’s majestic wonders are literally falling apart as restrooms, roads, trails, watermains, etc. are literally crumbling before us. It’s past time to come together as a Nation and as a Congress to care and tend these God given wonders. We urge you to support H.R.6510 - Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act and the Manager’s Amendment to move this Legislation out of Committee and support its passage in the House of Representatives.” – Mitch Hescox, president and CEO, Evangelical Environmental Network.

“Trails are more than just an economic engine. Since our nation’s founding, the outdoors has been a distinctive part of our American heritage, and trails are integral to that. Whether it’s a family out for a hike on a nearby trail, a returning veteran walking off the war, or hunters and anglers accessing their sites, Americans continue to seek places for outdoor recreation, a connection to nature, and healthy exercise. By addressing long overdue improvements to trails and the surrounding infrastructure, Congress can ensure that outdoor recreation remains open and accessible.” – Tyler Ray, director of policy and advocacy, American Hiking Society.

“Given that government oil and gas revenues are currently dumped right into the U.S. Treasury along with most other revenue, it makes sense to dedicate the money produced by the capital we call public lands to the many and varied projects needed for their maintenance. Bishop and Grijalva have done a good thing in coming together across party lines to solve a serious long-term problem, and we encourage members of the House to move forward and make it a reality.” – Editorial Board, The Washington Examiner.

“At a time when the $50 billion RV industry is growing at record levels, RV overnight stays at National Park Service campgrounds have declined from 4.5 million in the 1980s to 2.5 million in 2017,” said RV Industry Association President, Frank Hugelmeyer. “Inadequate campgrounds limit access to outdoor recreation opportunities and negatively impact the RV camping experience. Outdoor recreation is the number one driver of economic activity on federal lands and this bipartisan legislation offers a practical solution to restoring these iconic public places to the standards the American people deserve.” – Frank Hugelmeyer, President, RV Industry Association

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Bishop Statement on House Passage of Bills Fostering Public Land Exchanges, Conservation

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Today, the House passed H.R. 660 (U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.), H.R. 4689 (U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Ne.), H.R. 6287 (U.S. Rep. Thomas MacArthur, R-N.J.), H.R. 2606 (U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.), H.R. 3764 (U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont.), H.R. 2591 (U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.), H.R. 5317 (U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash.), H.R. 5923 (U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark.), H.R. 3186 (U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass.), H.R. 6040 (U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif.), and H.R. 5532 (U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.). Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) issued the following statement:

“These bills promote good governance, local community engagement, and conservation of important historical sites across the country. I applaud all those who worked to bring these bills to the House floor for passage, and now look to the Senate to move them through legislative process.”

H.R. 660, the Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act, requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage its infrastructure assets.

H.R. 4689 authorizes early repayment of obligations to the Bureau of Reclamation within the Northport Irrigation District in the State of Nebraska.

H.R. 6287, the 9/11 Memorial Act, provides competitive grants for the operation, security, and maintenance of certain memorials to victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

H.R. 2606, the Stigler Act Amendments of 2017, amends the Act of August 4, 1947 (commonly known as the Stigler Act), with respect to restrictions applicable to Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma.

H.R. 3764, the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians Restoration Act of 2018, extends the Federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana.

H.R. 2591, amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to modernize the funding of wildlife conservation.

H.R. 5317, repeals section 2141 of the Revised Statutes to remove the prohibition on certain alcohol manufacturing on Indian lands.

H.R. 5923, the Walnut Grove Land Exchange Act, directs the Secretary of Agriculture to exchange certain public lands in Ouachita National Forest.

H.R. 3186, the Every Kid Outdoors Act, directs the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, and the Army to establish the Every Kids Outdoors program to provide fourth graders free access to federal lands and waters to which the public has access.

H.R. 6040, the Contra Costa Canal Transfer Act, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land and facilities of the Central Valley Project.

H.R. 5532, the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park Act, redesignates the Reconstruction Era National Monument as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park.

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ICYMI: Congressional Panel to See Hot Springs’ Rebirth, Booming Bathhouse Row

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT

By: Frank Lockwood

Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Fifteen years after hitting rock bottom, Hot Springs' Bathhouse Row is booming again.

Later this month, members of the House Natural Resources Committee will travel to the city and hear about its recent renaissance.

Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman said he wants his colleagues to witness a successful public-private partnership that has revitalized his hometown.

Committee Chairman Rob Bishop, R-Utah, will convene the field hearing Sept. 17 at Hot Springs City Hall. Westerman, who serves on the committee, is inviting other lawmakers to join them.

The list of witnesses is still being finalized.

Hot Springs was, until recently, the nation's smallest national park. It's also one of the oldest.

In 1832, President Andrew Jackson signed a law designed to protect the springs and the land surrounding it. Originally known as the Hot Springs Reservation, it became Hot Springs National Park in 1921.

For decades, Hot Springs was the state's premier resort destination. The sick came to soak in its geothermal waters. Hollywood celebrities, sports stars and gangsters also flocked to the site.

But over the years, the town lost its luster and the federal properties deteriorated.

Eventually, nearly all the bathhouses were shuttered.

In 2003, the National Trust for Historic Preservation placed Bathhouse Row on its annual list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

For a while, portions of Central Avenue were pretty grim, according to Cole McCaskill, vice president of economic development with the Hot Springs Metro Partnership.

"Folks around here can remember that time when the federal side of the street was dark and closed up," he said.

That changed after the National Park Service began partnering with businesses, McCaskill added.

"It's been a very successful program, a way that the public and the private sector can work together," he said. "Six of the eight bathhouses along Bathhouse Row have been leased and several of those businesses are doing some really world-class things and getting a lot of national attention."

There's Bathhouse Brewery, for one.

"It's the only brewery that makes thermal beer in the world with thermal water. They've been featured nationally and internationally," McCaskill said.

Then there's Hotel Hale, a bathhouse that is being transformed into a boutique lodging facility.

Other businesses are also thriving, officials said.

Bathhouse Row is no longer on the endangered list.

The number of visitors to Hot Springs National Park is also climbing, from 1,325,719 in 2013 to 1,561,616 in 2017.

Westerman said the public-private efforts have been great for the Hot Springs economy.

"You can't really put a value on how much additional revenue that's brought into the city through tourism by having those bathhouses functioning," he said.

The arrangement is also good for the government. Instead of being a burden, the buildings can be a revenue generator, he said.

It's money the National Park Service could use, Westerman said.

The agency has deferred maintenance projects in Hot Springs totaling $12.4 million. Nationwide, there is $12 billion in deferred maintenance, Westerman's office said.

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ICYMI: US Energy Dominance Can Fix Our National Parks

Sat, 08 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT

By: Washington Examiner Editorial Board

Washington Examiner

The House Natural Resources Committee will take up a bipartisan proposal this coming week with well over 100 cosponsors. Its purpose is to pay for the enormous $16 billion maintenance backlog at facilities controlled by the National Parks system, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act, which the Trump administration supports, has a simple premise, as House Natural Resources Chairman Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, put it in a recent interview with the Washington Examiner: "What we raise on federal lands will help us to maintain federal lands." For the next five years, it dedicates half of the profit that the government makes from energy leases (mostly oil and gas leases) on federal lands and in federal waters, and uses it to pay for the much-needed backlog of expenses involved in keeping up public lands.

"This is a creative way of actually funding a longstanding problem that has to be addressed," said Bishop, who added that his proposal will produce $1.3 billion per year for this purpose over the next five years. There are only two other ways he could think of to deal with the problem: "Raising taxes, or else getting rid of national parks."

An original version of this proposal, floated by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, was better in our opinion. It would have tied future oil and gas revenues to this much-needed outlay. But to bring Democrats on board, specifically to satisfy committee ranking member Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., it was agreed only to dedicate funds to this purpose from oil and gas leases already signed, so that there's no direct inducement to initiate new leases.

This odd-sounding concession is based on some left-wing Democrats’ opposition to any drilling for oil and gas on federal land. They can think whatever they want. We think this proposal is a rare positive and salutary example of hypothecation of revenue, with or without the sop to soothe green nerves. This bill will still set a welcome precedent by tying cash for a much-needed expenditure to the collection of energy revenues that represent not only a boon for Uncle Sam, but also for the entire economy.

This bill, about the future of which Bishop was optimistic, will further President Trump's goal of energy dominance — it has a much more invigorating ring to it than the old "energy independence" — at a time when oil prices are high and the export of liquid natural gas is just starting to take off.

Natural gas from fracking has done more than any environmental activism to cut greenhouse emissions. And America's exports to the rest of the world have increased more than twentyfold in just three years, with a new export terminal coming online this summer. The U.S. is also poised to become the world’s largest oil producer. These are both positive changes for humanity. Not only will the energy produced on federal lands warm homes, transport people, and mollify fears about the trade deficit, but they will also loosen the grip of the despotic Russian President Vladimir Putin on nations he menaces, and help defuse a major historic cause of tension and conflict in the Middle East.

Obviously, this topic's significance extends far beyond maintenance of the Memorial Bridge over the Potomac, or of welcome centers, campgrounds, hiking trails, and paved roads in national parks, to name just a few expenses that need to be covered.

Given that government oil and gas revenues are currently dumped right into the U.S. Treasury along with most other revenue, it makes sense to dedicate the money produced by the capital we call public lands to the many and varied projects needed for their maintenance. Bishop and Grijalva have done a good thing in coming together across party lines to solve a serious long-term problem, and we encourage members of the House to move forward and make it a reality.

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ICYMI: Congress, Require BLM To Respect The Rights Of Private Landowners

Fri, 07 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT

By: Jerry Simmons

The Hill

America’s oil and natural gas development has provided an incredible lift for our nation’s economy. For the past decade in particular, production in shale formations across the country has moved the nation from its reliance on foreign energy, allowed the United States to become a net exporter for the first time since the Eisenhower administration, and continues to bring prosperity to regions of the country that otherwise would still be in recession.

Development of private and state lands has been the driving force behind this energy resurgence. The economic windfall has been enormous for local communities, governments (state and local), schools and private landowners who receive royalty payments in addition to money earned during the land-leasing process.

The House Committee on Natural Resources has introduced a series of bills designed to encourage American onshore energy development and reduce bureaucratic entanglement in the permitting process, specifically in areas where environmental impacts have been identified and abated.

By passing this legislation, Congress would provide private landowners access to the prosperity gained by the leasing of their own land. This effectively removes the heavy hand of the bureaucracy stifling their rights. The Ending Duplicative Permitting Act (HR 6107), introduced by Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) clarifies that BLM shall not require permits for oil and gas activities conducted on non-federal surface estate to access subsurface mineral estate that is less than 50 percent federally owned, and for other purposes.

This is a vital protection for private landowners’ rights.

The National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO) and its Appalachian chapter recently met with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to discuss how passage of this bill would impact American property owners. In this case, the discussion revolved around a group of landowners who have been blocked from development of private minerals in what could be one of the best-producing shale fields in Ohio.

For seven years, landowners in areas adjacent to the Wayne National Forest have been prevented from making their own choices about whether to utilize their mineral rights for development. Ninety percent of the mineral rights in the region are owned by private landowners. Yet, despite multiple executive orders and permanent instruction from the Department of the Interior to move federal leasing and permitting forward and stop ongoing obstruction (a de-facto moratorium on the development of private minerals), BLM has refused to issue a single application for a permit to drill.

Notably, the proposed drilling units would have no surface disruption to the Wayne National Forest, since well pads would be constructed on adjacent private lands. After years of environmental review, and initial agreement from BLM, these minerals were leased and set to be developed. Unfortunately, at the whim of a nuisance lawsuit brought by an anti-fossil fuel group, BLM now is requiring additional environmental assessments on adjacent private lands — an action we believe to be gross federal overreach.

This type of obstruction from BLM is not limited to Ohio. A pervasive effort preventing private landowners from exercising their rights is taking place across the country.

Oil and natural gas operators developing on federal lands need regulatory and permitting certainty in order to commit the resources needed to access private minerals. State agencies can issue permits in a fraction of the more than 260-day average it takes for a federal permit. It is a costly, duplicative process that BLM is imposing in requiring additional National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental assessments. This new legislation would help to clarify when NEPA review is needed and when the rights of private landowners must be respected, which should be the default for government.

Private property, and the pursuit of prosperity gained from its utilization, has been an inherent right since our nation’s founding. Above all, this bill respects the rights of private landowners who ultimately will decide how best to utilize their land. This should be a bedrock principle in the relationship between the federal government and private owners.

Jerry Simmons is executive director of the National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO), which represents oil and gas royalty owners’ interests.

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Committee Advances Slate of Federal Lands, Water Bills

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed 12 bills, H.Res. 418 (U.S. Rep. Sean P. Duffy, R-Wis.), H.Res. 460 (U.S. Rep. Sean P. Duffy, R-Wis.), H.R. 5420 (U.S. Rep. John J. Faso, R-N.Y.), H.R. 5513 (U.S. Rep. Paul Cook, R-Calif.), H.R. 6013 (U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah), H.R. 6287 (U.S. Rep. Thomas MacArthur, R-N.J.), H.R. 6299 (U.S. Rep. Mark E Amodei, R-Nev.), H.R. 6599 (U.S. Rep. Stephen Knight, R-Calif.), H.R. 6665 (U.S. Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo, D-Guam.), H.R. 6678 (U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va.), H.R. 6687 (U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif.), and S. 2857 (U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.).

“These bills preserve the integrity of federal land, promote good governance, and honor sites of historical significance. Local communities will benefit as a result. I’m thankful for the hard work done on this legislation and look forward to moving these bills through Congress,” Chairman Bishop said.

H.Res. 418, urges the Secretary of the Interior to recognize the cultural significance of Rib Mountain by adding it to the National Register of Historic Places.

H.Res. 460, requests the Secretary of the Interior to recognize the rich history of the logging industry and the importance of lumberjack sports by adding the Lumberjack Bowl to the National Register of Historic Places.

H.R. 5420, the FDR Historic Preservation Act, authorizes the acquisition of land for addition to the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in the State of New York.

H.R. 5513, the Big Bear Land Exchange Act, provides for an exchange of lands with San Bernardino County, California, to enhance management of lands within the San Bernardino National Forest.

H.R. 6013, the Migratory Bird Framework and Hunting Opportunities for Veterans Act, amends the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of each year as the Federal closing date for duck hunting season and establishes special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and active military personnel.

H.R. 6287, the 9/11 Memorial Act, provides competitive grants for the operation, security, and maintenance of certain memorials to victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

H.R. 6299, the Nevada Lands Bill Technical Corrections Act of 2018, modifies the process of the Secretary of the Interior for examining certain mining claims on Federal lands in Storey County, Nevada, facilitates certain pinyon-juniper-related projects in Lincoln County, Nevada, modifies the boundaries of certain wilderness areas in the State of Nevada, and fully implements the White Pine County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act.

H.R. 6599, modifies the application of temporary limited appointment regulations to the National Park Service.

H.R. 6665, the Offshore Wind for Territories Act, amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to apply to territories of the United States, establishes offshore wind lease sale requirements, and provides dedicated funding for coral reef conservation.

H.R. 5532, the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park Act, redesignates the Reconstruction Era National Monument as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park.

H.R. 6599, modifies the application of temporary limited appointment regulations to the National Park Service.

H.R. 6678, the Claude Moore Farm Land Conveyance Act, directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain National Park Service land in Fairfax County, Virginia, to the Friends of the Claude Moore Farm.

H.R. 6687, directs the Secretary of Interior to manage the Point Reyes National Seashore in the State of California constituent with Congress’ longstanding intent to maintain working dairies and ranches on agricultural property as part of the seashore’s unique historic, cultural, scenic, and natural values.

S. 2857, the National Nordic Museum Act, designates the Nordic Museum in Seattle, Washington, as the "National Nordic Museum.”

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ICYMI: Restoring Our National Parks Would Be A Bipartisan Win For Congress

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT

By: Tom Wathen and Marcia Argust

The Hill

There comes a time when homeowners can no longer ignore the leaky roof, broken heating and A/C unit, outdated plumbing system, or sagging floorboards in their house.

Congress seems to be reaching this point with the much-needed repairs within national park units across the country — a list that has led to a backlog of deferred maintenance needs totaling nearly $12 billion — with the introduction of and strong bipartisan support for, legislation in the Senate and House of Representatives.

The Restore Our Parks Act in the Senate and the similar Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act in the House would begin to address the backlog in our National Park System by directing $6.5 billion in dedicated annual funding over five years to priority deferred maintenance needs. Each bill aims to preserve our nation’s history, provide continued safe access to recreation, create new jobs and protect local economies that depend on park visitation.

For decades, facilities have aged, visitation has increased in many parks and maintenance funding has been inadequate — a combination that has caused the backlog to accrue in many of the 400-plus sites that the National Park Service manages, including the Statue of Liberty National Monument; Gettysburg National Military Park; the Thomas Jefferson Memorial; Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Glacier national parks; and dozens of smaller but equally important park units.

Now, deteriorating historic buildings, eroding trails, outdated water and electrical systems, unsafe roads, disintegrating monuments and timeworn campgrounds, waterfronts and visitor centers need repairs. These problems affect visitor access and safety and could have a negative impact on locales that depend on the billions of dollars that hundreds of millions of visitors spend each year during their time in park sites.

There is a precedent for bold congressional action to protect the parks. Fifty years ago, public outrage at the state of our parks prompted Congress to invest nearly $1 billion to update park facilities through an initiative called Mission 66. Now Congress is again listening to the thousands of local, state and national organizations that are calling for consistent annual funding to ensure that our parks are preserved for generations to come.

The Restore Our Parks Act and Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act would be financed by royalties from energy development on federal lands that aren’t already obligated under law to other programs such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Historic Preservation Fund. The two bills, led by Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Angus King (I-Maine); and Reps. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) and Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), are an opportunity for this Congress to show it can reach common ground for the good of the public, the economy and national park resources. Based on the strong bipartisan leadership and support behind the bills, now is the time to move them forward in Congress and on to the president’s desk.

In a year of scant bipartisan victories, enactment of legislation to restore America’s national parks would stand as a reminder to voters that lawmakers can still work together. The historic, recreational and natural resources within the National Park System are part of our collective heritage. Congress should ensure that inheritance is not squandered through neglect.

Tom Wathen leads The Pew Charitable Trusts’ ocean and lands conservation projects in the United States and Marcia Argust directs Pew’s restore America’s parks campaign.

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