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Union Calendar No. 532 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4202 

[Report No. 114–688] 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource 

study of Fort Ontario in the State of New York. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 9, 2015 

Mr. KATKO (for himself and Mr. HANNA) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

JULY 14, 2016 

Additional sponsor: Ms. SLAUGHTER

JULY 14, 2016 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 

and ordered to be printed 

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A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 

special resource study of Fort Ontario in the State of 

New York. 

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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fort Ontario Study 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) From 1755 until 1814, Fort Ontario and 

9 three previous fortifications built on the site of the 

10 Fort in Oswego, New York, on the shore of Lake 

11 Ontario were used as military installations during 

12 the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, 

13 and the War of 1812. 

14 (2) The original fort, erected by the British in 

15 1755, was destroyed by French forces in 1756. The 

16 fort was rebuilt and subsequently destroyed during 

17 both the American Revolution and the War of 1812. 

18 The star-shaped fort was constructed on the site of 

19 the original fortifications in the 1840s, with im20 provements made from 1863 through 1872. 

21 (3) The United States Armed Forces began ex22 panding Fort Ontario in the early 20th century and 

23 by 1941, approximately 125 buildings stood at the 

24 fort. 

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1 (4) On June 9, 1944, President Franklin D. 

2 Roosevelt announced that Fort Ontario would serve 

3 as the Nation’s only Emergency Refugee Camp dur4 ing World War II. From August of 1944 until Feb5 ruary 1946, nearly 1,000 refugees were sheltered at 

6 Fort Ontario. 

7 (5) Fort Ontario was conveyed from the Fed8 eral Government to the State of New York in 1946; 

9 it was used to house World War II veterans and 

10 their families and then converted to a State historic 

11 site in 1953. 

12 (6) A post cemetery containing the graves of 77 

13 officers, soldiers, women, and children who served at 

14 Fort Ontario in war and peace is situated on the 

15 grounds of the fort. 

16 (7) In 1970, Fort Ontario was placed on the 

17 National Register of Historic Places. 

18 SEC. 3. FORT ONTARIO SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. 

19 (a) STUDY.—The Secretary of the Interior (referred 

20 to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall conduct a spe21 cial resource study of Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York. 

22 (b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under sub23 section (a), the Secretary shall— 

24 (1) evaluate the national significance of the 

25 site; 

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1 (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 

2 designating the site as a unit of the National Park 

3 System; 

4 (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 

5 protection, and interpretation of the lands by Fed6 eral, State, or local governmental entities, or private 

7 and nonprofit organizations; 

8 (4) consult with interested Federal, State, or 

9 local governmental entities, private and nonprofit or10 ganizations or any other interested individuals; 

11 (5) determine the effect of the designation of 

12 the site as a unit of the National Park System on 

13 existing commercial and recreational uses and the 

14 effect on State and local governments to manage 

15 those activities; 

16 (6) identify any authorities, including con17 demnation, that may compel or allow the Secretary 

18 to influence or participate in local land use decisions 

19 (such as zoning) or place restrictions on non-Federal 

20 land if the site is designated a unit of the National 

21 Park System; and 

22 (7) identify cost estimates for any Federal ac23 quisition, development, interpretation, operation, and 

24 maintenance associated with the alternatives. 

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1 (c) APPLICABLE LAW.—The study authorized under 

2 subsection (a) shall be conducted in accordance with sec3 tion 100507 of title 54, United States Code. 

4 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 

5 on which funds are first made available for the study 

6 under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the 

7 Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep8 resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 

9 Resources of the Senate a report that describes— 

10 (1) the findings of the study; and 

11 (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the 

12 Secretary. 

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Union Calendar No. 532 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4202 

[Report No. 114–688] 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conthe State of New York. duct a special resource study of Fort Ontario in 

JULY 14, 2016 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS