79–006 

1 National Park Service. Ste. Genevieve Final Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment. 2016. 3. Accessed November 9, 2017. https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ 

documentsList.cfm?projectID=31496. 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 115–540 

STE. GENEVIEVE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK 

ESTABLISHMENT ACT 

FEBRUARY 2, 2018.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State 

of the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. BISHOP of Utah, from the Committee on Natural Resources, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 2888] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 2888) to establish the Ste. Genevieve National Historic 

Site in the State of Missouri, 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. 2888 is to establish the Ste. Genevieve National Historic Site in the State of Missouri. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Ste. Genevieve was founded circa 1750 by French Canadian settlers, most of whom came from earlier settlements just across the 

Mississippi in present-day Illinois. Though resources such as salt 

and lead attracted settlers to the west side of the Mississippi, the 

rich soil was the greatest draw. Ste. Genevieve was primarily an 

agricultural settlement, with free and enslaved residents working 

in the Grand Champ, or Common Field, a large area of privately 

held, long agricultural lots surrounded by one large fence.1

After a series of floods, the most severe of which occurred in 

1785, the town was moved inland approximately three miles, to 

where it exists today. Residents continued to work the Common 

2 

2 Ibid., 1. 

3 Ibid., i. 

Field, which, though smaller, is still cultivated today. Ste. Genevieve became a hub of trade, and following the Revolutionary War 

there was an influx of British Americans that intensified following 

the Louisiana Purchase, expanding the village. Ste. Genevieve retains many of its historic buildings, landscapes, and community 

characteristics.2

Ste. Genevieve is one of the oldest National Historic Landmark 

districts in the country. When a portion of the district was initially 

designated as such in 1960, it was recognized for the unique concentration of French vertical log architecture—the largest extant 

collection of this architecture in North America. The most notable 

feature of French vernacular log architecture is the use of logs 

vertically, rather than horizontally, as seen in buildings in the 

frontier settlements of people of other ethnic European extractions. 

With new research and an expanded understanding of French settlement in the mid-Mississippi ‘‘Illinois Country,’’ additional resources have been identified. The nationally significant district now 

encompasses much of the City of Ste. Genevieve, and agricultural 

landscapes and archeological sites in Ste. Genevieve County.3

In 2009, under Public Law 109–319, Congress authorized the 

Ste. Genevieve Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment. The study concluded that the Ste. Genevieve district is nationally significant and suitable, and that certain resources within 

the district are feasible and have a need for direct National Park 

Service (NPS) management. The proposed historic site includes a 

mix of privately and publicly-owned parcels. The State of Missouri 

owns many of those properties and could transfer them to NPS 

ownership by donation. Private properties may be acquired over 

time through donation or purchase from willing sellers as funding 

allows. 

The special resource study estimated the annual cost to operate 

the site would be $800,000 to $1.2 million per year, which is comparable to other national historic sites and parks. This operational 

budget would primarily fund a NPS staff of 6–12 Full Time Equivalents for interpretive and educational programs, and outreach. The 

additional facilities and properties will increase park operational 

and maintenance costs, but the amount will depend on the number 

of facilities acquired and their condition. Additional funds for maintenance, repairs and capital improvements would be awarded 

through the NPS competitive process, subject to service-wide priorities and the availability of appropriations. 

There is widespread support for the establishment of the Historical Park. Supporting organizations include: 

City of Ste. Genevieve 

County Commission of Ste. Genevieve 

Foundation for the Restoration of Ste. Genevieve 

Les Amis 

The Missouri Parks Association 

National Society Colonial Dames of America in the State of Missouri 

New Bourbon Regional Port Authority 

Sierra Club (Eastern Missouri Group) 

3 

State Historical Society of Missouri 

Ste. Genevieve Chamber of Commerce 

Ste. Genevieve Downtown Renewal Project 

Ste. Genevieve Museum 

Ste. Genevieve Tourism Tax Commission. 

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R–MO) has introduced a Senate companion bill, S. 1335. 

MAJOR PROVISIONS

• Establishes the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park as a 

unit of the National Park System. 

• Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire lands located within the boundary of the Historical Park or any nationally 

significant property identified in the special resource within the 

Historic District by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. 

• Requires the Secretary of the Interior to revise the boundaries 

of the Historical Park whenever properties within the Historic District are acquired. 

• Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide technical assistance and enter into cooperative agreements with the owner of 

a nationally significant property within the Historical Park or the 

Historic District, to identify, mark, interpret, improve, and restore 

the property. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 2888 was introduced on June 12, 2017, by Congressman 

Jason Smith (R–MO). The bill was referred to the Committee on 

Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee 

on Federal Lands. On November 15, 2017, the Subcommittee held 

a hearing on the legislation. On December 12, 2017, the Natural 

Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee 

was discharged by unanimous consent. No amendments were offered and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the House of 

Representatives by unanimous consent on December 13, 2017. 

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. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET

ACT

1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives and sections 308(a) and 

402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has 

received the following estimate for the bill from the Director of the 

Congressional Budget Office: 

4 

U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, December 15, 2017. 

Hon. ROB BISHOP, 

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2888, the Ste. Genevieve 

National Historical Park Establishment Act. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani Shankaran. 

Sincerely, 

KEITH HALL, 

Director. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 2888—Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park Establishment 

Act 

H.R. 2888 would establish the Ste. Genevieve National Historical 

Park as a unit of the National Park System in the state of Missouri. The bill would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to 

acquire approximately 13 acres of land, including historic houses, 

for inclusion in the park by donation, exchange, or purchase. 

Once the necessary parcels of land are acquired, the NPS would 

be authorized to establish the park and would incur costs to operate and maintain the park’s properties and facilities. The bill would 

require the agency to develop a management plan for the park and 

would authorize the agency to provide interpretive tours and educational programs within the park. Finally, H.R. 2888 would authorize the NPS to provide technical assistance and to enter into 

cooperative agreements with non-federal entities to preserve historically significant property related to the park. 

Using information from the NPS and from local officials in Ste. 

Genevieve, Missouri, about the properties in question, CBO estimates that acquiring the 13 acres of property would cost less than 

$500,000. CBO expects that the property owned by the state of 

Missouri would likely be donated to the NPS and property owned 

by private individuals would be purchased by the NPS with appropriated funds over the next five years. 

In addition, CBO estimates that the NPS would spend about $1 

million per year on maintenance and operating costs for the park 

once the properties are acquired. CBO estimates that implementing 

H.R. 2888 would cost $6 million over the 2018–2022 period; such 

spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. 

Enacting H.R. 2888 would not affect direct spending or revenues; 

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2888 would not increase net 

direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 

10-year periods beginning in 2028. 

H.R. 2888 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani Shankaran. 

The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

5 

2. 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 establish the Ste. Genevieve National Historic Site 

in the State of Missouri. 

EARMARK STATEMENT

This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined under clause 9(e), 

9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. 

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4

This bill contains no unfunded mandates. 

COMPLIANCE WITH H. RES. 5

Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any directed 

rule makings. 

Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not establish or 

reauthorize a program of the federal government known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was not included in 

any report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress 

pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111–139 or identified in the 

most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program Information Act (Public Law 95–220, 

as amended by Public Law 98–169) as relating to other programs. 

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 to existing law. 

Æ