69–006 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 110–798 

CAMP HALE STUDY ACT 

JULY 29, 2008.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. RAHALL, from the Committee on Natural Resources, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 3336] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 3336) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out 

a study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing 

a historic district to the Camp Hale on parcels of land in the State 

of Colorado, having considered the same, report favorably thereon 

with amendments and recommend that the bill as amended do 

pass. 

The amendments are as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Camp Hale Study Act’’. 

SEC. 2. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY OF THE SUITABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING 

CAMP HALE AS A UNIT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the 

National Park Service, (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall complete a 

special resource study of Camp Hale to determine— 

(1) the suitability and feasibility of designating Camp Hale as a separate unit 

of the National Park System; and 

(2) the methods and means for the protection and interpretation of Camp 

Hale by the National Park Service, other Federal, State, or local government 

entities or private or nonprofit organizations. 

(b) STUDY REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall conduct the study in accordance 

with section 8(c) of Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5). 

(c) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural 

Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report containing— 

(1) the results of the study; and 

(2) any recommendations of the Secretary. 


erowe on PRODPC61 with REPORTS
2 

SEC. 3. EFFECT OF STUDY. 

Nothing in this Act shall affect valid existing rights, including—

(1) all interstate water compacts in existence on the date of the enactment 

of this Act (including full development of any apportionment made in accordance with the compacts); 

(2) water rights decreed at the Camp Hale site or flowing within, below, or 

through the Camp Hale site; 

(3) water rights in the State of Colorado; 

(4) water rights held by the United States; and 

(5) the management and operation of any reservoir, including the storage, 

management, release, or transportation of water. 

Amend the title so as to read: 

A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a study to determine the 

suitability and feasibility of establishing Camp Hale as a unit of the National Park 

System. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H.R. 3336, as ordered reported, is to direct the 

Secretary of the Interior to carry out a study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing Camp Hale as a unit of the 

National Park System. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Camp Hale was established during World War II as a training 

venue for the Army’s 10th Mountain Division and other elements 

of the U.S. Armed Forces. The geography of the area is ideal for 

winter and high-altitude training, with steep mountains surrounding a level valley suitable for housing and other facilities. 

In addition to the 10th Mountain Division, the 38th Regimental 

Combat Team, 99th Infantry Battalion, and soldiers from Fort Carson were trained at Camp Hale from 1942 to 1965. Throughout this 

time, the Army tested a variety of weapons and equipment at 

Camp Hale. 

Between 1956 and 1965, the camp was also used by the Central 

Intelligence Agency as a secret center for training Tibetan refugees 

in guerilla warfare to resist the Chinese occupation of their mountainous country. 

In July 1965, Camp Hale was deactivated and control of the 

lands was returned to the Forest Service in 1966. Today the camp 

is part of the White River and San Isabel National Forests. The 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working to clean up potentially 

hazardous munitions left over from weapons testing at the camp, 

particularly in the East Fork. 

Camp Hale was placed on the National Register of Historic 

Places in 1992. As introduced, H.R. 3336 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to study the feasibility and suitability of establishing Camp Hale, near Leadville, Colorado, as a national historic district. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 3336 was introduced August 2, 2007, by Rep. Doug 

Lamborn (R–CO). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 

National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. At a hearing on July 10, 

2008, before the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and 


erowe on PRODPC61 with REPORTS
3 

Public Lands, a representative of the National Park Service testified that the administration had no objection to the bill. 

On July 16, 2008, the Full Natural Resources Committee met to 

consider the bill. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 

and Public Lands was discharged from further consideration of the 

measure. Representative Lamborn offered an amendment in the 

nature of a substitute to direct the National Park Service to study 

the suitability and feasibility of designating Camp Hale as a unit 

of the National Park System. The amendment in the nature of a 

substitute also conforms the study instructions to standard special 

resource study language. 

The amendment was adopted by unanimous consent. The bill, as 

amended, was then ordered reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title 

Section 1 provides that the Act may be cited as the ‘‘Camp Hale 

Study Act.’’

Section 2. Special resource study of the suitability and feasibility of 

establishing Camp Hale as a unit of the National Park System 

Section 2 directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 

Director of the National Park Service, to complete a special resource study of Camp Hale to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating Camp Hale as a separate unit of the National 

Park System, and also to consider other federal, state, local, private 

or nonprofit means of protecting and interpreting the site. 

The committee expects that the study shall include an analysis 

of the following: 

(1) The significance of Camp Hale in relation to the defense of 

our Nation during World War II and the Cold War, including—

(A) use of Camp Hale for training of the 10th Mountain Division and other elements of the United States Armed Forces; 

and 

(B) use of Camp Hale for training by the Central Intelligence 

Agency of Tibetan refugees seeking to resist the Chinese occupation of Tibet. 

(2) Opportunities for public enjoyment of the site. 

(3) Any operational, management, and private property issues 

that need to be considered if Camp Hale were to be added to the 

National Park System. 

(4) The feasibility of administering Camp Hale as a unit of the 

National Park System considering its size, configuration, ownership, costs, and other factors. 

(5) The feasibility of designating a significantly smaller portion 

of the generally accepted boundaries of the full Camp Hale site as 

a unit of the National Park System, including—

(A) a recommendation on the size and features of a smaller 

designation more easily managed by the Secretary; and 

(B) recommendations as to the relevant buildings, training 

sites, and/or other locations representative of the history of the 

full site. 


erowe on PRODPC61 with REPORTS
4 

(6) The adequacy of other alternatives for management and resource protection of Camp Hale and for appropriately commemorating the role of Camp Hale in connection with training of United 

States troops and assistance to Tibetans opposed to the occupation 

of Tibet. 

Section 3. Effect of study 

Section 3 states that nothing in this Act affects valid existing 

rights, including water rights. 

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. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United States 

grants Congress the authority to enact this bill. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of 

the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that rule provides 

that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 

2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) of rule 

XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 

308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this bill does not 

contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. 

3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 

clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective 

of this bill, as ordered reported, is to direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing Camp Hale as a unit of the National Park 

System. 

4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 

3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 

section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for this bill from the 

Director of the Congressional Budget Office: 

H.R. 3336—Camp Hale Study Act 

H.R. 3336 would require the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct a study of Camp Hale, a former military training area in Colorado, to determine the feasibility and suitability of designating the 

site as a unit of the National Park System. Based on information 

provided by the NPS and assuming the availability of appropriations, CBO estimates that conducting the required study would cost 


erowe on PRODPC61 with REPORTS
5 

less than $500,000 over the next three years. Enacting H.R. 3336 

would not affect revenues or direct spending. 

H.R. 3336 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director 

for Budget Analysis. 

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4

This bill contains no unfunded mandates. 

EARMARK STATEMENT

H.R. 3336 does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited 

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

or 9(f) of rule XXI. 

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 in existing law. 

Æ 


erowe on PRODPC61 with REPORTS