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107TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 107–267

UTAH PUBLIC LANDS ARTIFACT PRESERVATION ACT OF

2001

NOVEMBER 5, 2001.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State

of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. HANSEN, from the Committee on Resources,

submitted the following

R E P O R T

[To accompany H.R. 1491]

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill

(H.R. 1491) to assist in the preservation of archaeological, paleontological, zoological, geological, and botanical artifacts through construction of a new facility for the University of Utah Museum of

Natural History, Salt Lake City, Utah, 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. 1491 is to assist in the preservation of archaeological, paleontological, zoological, geological, and botanical

artifacts through construction of a new facility for the University

of Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, Utah.

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

The Utah Museum of Natural History is located at the University of Utah and has been designated by the Utah State Legislature as the State museum of natural history. The archeology, paleontology, biology and geology of the Intermountain West are documented in the more than one million objects and specimens stored

in the Museum. While the Museum holds large collections of objects and specimens recovered from State and private lands, the

vast majority of the collection has come from federal lands in Utah

and surrounding States. More than 75 percent of the Museum’s collection contain artifacts from lands managed by the Bureau of

Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park

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Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Museum is currently housed in the George Thomas Building

at the University of Utah, which poses serious environmental

threats to the collections, lacks good public access and contains

very small and outdated exhibits. In 1994, the University and the

Museum developed a master plan that recommended that the Museum build a new building and move to a new site located adjacent

to the University, but with vast improved public access. The University’s Board of Trustees in 1996 reserved 14 acres for the new

museum in Research Park, immediately south of and adjacent to

the Red Butte Garden and Arboretum and north of the Place State

Park and Hogle Zoo. The State of Utah has committed $800,000 for

annual operating funds for the new museum and has collected $11

million in cash and pledges from eight foundations and individuals.

However, the key to the public-private partnership is obtaining the

commitment from the federal government, which would represent

25 percent of the overall cost of the new facility.

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 1491 was introduced on April 4, 2001, by Congressman Jim

Matheson (D–UT). The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands. On June 7, 2001, the

Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On June 26, 2001, the

Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the Full Committee by voice vote. On October 17, 2001, the Full Resources Committee met to consider the bill. No amendments were offered and

the bill was then ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice vote.

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 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

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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 is to assist in the preservation of archaeological, paleontological, zoological, geological, and botanical artifacts through construction of a new facility for the university of Utah Museum of

Natural History, Salt Lake City, Utah.

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:

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, October 29, 2001.

Hon. JAMES V. HANSEN,

Chairman, Committee on Resources,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1491, the Utah Public

Lands Artifact Preservation Act of 2001.

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

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.

Sincerely,

BARRY B. ANDERSON

(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).

Enclosure.

H.R. 1491—Utah Public Lands Artifact Preservation Act of 2001

H.R. 1491 would direct the Department of the Interior to make

a grant to the University of Utah to fund a portion of the costs of

building a new museum facility. For this purpose, the bill would

authorize the appropriation of $15 million.

Assuming appropriation of the authorized amount, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1491 would cost the federal government $15 million in fiscal year 2002. The bill would not affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures

would not apply.

H.R. 1491 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandated Reform Act. Enactment of this legislation would benefit the University of Utah, a

public institution. Any costs incurred by the university or the state

of Utah to provide the required matching funds or meet other grant

conditions would be voluntary. The bill would not affect the budgets of other state, local, or tribal governments.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4

This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

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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.

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