**STATEMENT OF KAREN TAYLOR-GOODRICH, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, VISITOR AND
RESOURCE PROTECTION, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE
INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS AND PUBLIC
LANDS OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, CONCERNING H.R. 1545,
TO DIRECT THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO CONDUCT A BOUNDARY STUDY TO
EVALUATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FORT SAN GERONIMO AND OTHER RELATED
RESOURCES IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO AND THE SUITABILITY AND
FEASIBILITY OF THEIR INCLUSION IN THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM AS PART OF
THE SAN JUAN NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.**

# OCTOBER 30, 2007

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to provide the Department of
the Interior's views on H.R. 1545, a bill to authorize the Secretary of
the Interior to conduct a boundary study to evaluate the significance of
Fort San Geronimo and other related resources in the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico and the suitability and feasibility of their inclusion in
the National Park System as part of the San Juan National Historic Site,
and for other purposes.

The Department supports H.R. 1545, with an amendment as stated in this
testimony. However, the Department feels that priority should be given
to the 35 previously authorized studies for potential units of the
National Park System, potential new National Heritage Areas, and
potential additions to the National Trails System and National Wild and
Scenic River System that have not yet been transmitted to the Congress.

Studies of this type typically take approximately three years to
complete after funds are made available. We estimate the cost for this
study to be approximately \$250,000.

H.R. 1545 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), in
coordination with the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, local governments,
and other interested parties, to conduct a boundary study to evaluate
the significance of Fort San Geronimo, as well as the suitability and
feasibility of including the fort and related resources within the
National Park System as a part of San Juan National Historic Site. The
study would be required to be completed within one year after funds are
made available.

San Juan National Historic Site includes forts San Cristóbal, San Felipe
del Morro, and San Juan de la Cruz also called El Cañuelo, plus
bastions, powder houses, and three fourths of the city wall. These
historic forts were built by Spanish troops beginning in 1539 and they
surround the old, colonial portion of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Several sections of the original Spanish fortification system were not
included in San Juan National Historic Site. These sections include the
South Wall, Fort San Gerónimo, the Escambrón Battery, the remains of the
First Line of Defense, and the Tajamar Battery. Also, a section of the
El Morro grounds, referred to as Parcel B, was transferred to the
Commonwealth and the park currently manages it, but does not own it.

Fort San Gerónimo is not part of the San Juan National Historic Site and
it is the only one of the four forts in the original fortification
system that is not included. The U.S. Army transferred title of Fort San
Gerónimo and adjacent land to the Navy Department in 1921 and the Navy
transferred the Fort to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1957. The
fort is located adjacent to the Caribe Hilton Hotel and it has been used
as the site of special functions and events. The Institute of Puerto
Rican Culture is the agency with primary jurisdiction over the fort.

We recommend that the bill be amended to direct the Secretary to
complete the study within three years after funds are made available.
This would make the bill consistent with other, similar study bills.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my testimony. I would be pleased to answer
any questions you or the other members of the subcommittee may have.