79–006

106TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 106–749

CASTLE ROCK RANCH ACQUISITION ACT OF 2000

JULY 17, 2000.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of

the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources,

submitted the following

R E P O R T

[To accompany S. 1705]

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill (S.

1705) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to enter into land exchanges to acquire from the private owner and to convey to the

State of Idaho approximately 1,240 acres of land near the City of

Rocks National Reserve, Idaho, 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 S. 1705 is to direct the Secretary of the Interior

to enter into land exchanges to acquire from the private owner and

convey to the State of Idaho approximately 1,240 acres of land near

the City of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho, and for other purposes.

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

S. 1705 directs the Secretary of the Interior to acquire land,

known as the Castle Rock Ranch, outside the boundary of the City

of Rocks National Reserve. The Secretary would then convey the

acquired land (Castle Rocks Ranch) to the State of Idaho in exchange for State land located within the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. Upon completion of this land exchange, the State

of Idaho may then exchange, with the consent of the private landowners, portions of the Castle Rock Ranch for private land within

the boundaries of the City of Rocks National Reserve. As a condition of the exchange the State of Idaho shall administer the private

land acquired in accordance with Title II of the Arizona-Idaho Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 460yy et seq.).
2

The Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument was created in

1988, and consists of approximately 4,280 acres. Hagerman contains the largest known concentration of Hagerman horse fossils in

North America. These fossils have international significance because they are the largest deposits of fossils from the Pliocene time

period, nearly 3.5 million years ago. The proposed land to be exchanged inside the Monument is the actual location of the Horse

Fossil Quarry, which is the home of the Hagerman Horse Fossil.

The exchange authorized by this bill would consolidate all of the

inholdings in the Monument.

The City of Rocks National Reserve, also created in 1988, is

made up of roughly 14,300 acres. Named for the rock pinnacles

(60–70 stories high) which resemble a skyline, this national monument is now a favorite for rock climbers, and outdoor enthusiasts.

Because it is a National Reserve, the land is jointly managed by

the State of Idaho and the National Park Service. Nearly 7,300

acres are publicly owned, while the other 7,000 acres belong to private landowners.

The Castle Rock Ranch is comprised of approximately 1,240

acres. This unique piece of private land, now owned by the Conservation Fund, has been used for grazing and ranching, and also

contains many of the same rock formations as the City of Rocks

National Reserve, the largest being in the shape of a castle.

The House companion measure to S. 1705 is H.R. 3693, authored

by Congressman Michael Simpson (R–ID).

For additional information on S. 1705, please see Senate Report

106–262.

COMMITTEE ACTION

S. 1705 was introduced on October 7, 1999, by Senator Larry

Craig (R–ID). In the House of Representatives, the bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee

to the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands. On June

28, 2000 the Resources Committee met to consider S. 1705. The

Subcommittee was discharged from further consideration by unanimous consent. No amendments were offered and the bill was 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 and Article IV, section 3 of the Constitution

of the United States grant 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
3

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. Government Reform Oversight Findings. Under clause 3(c)(4)

of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee has received no report of oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on Government Reform on this

bill.

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.

U.S. CONGRESS,

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE,

Washington, DC, July 6, 2000.

Hon. DON YOUNG,

Chairman, Committee on Resources,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1705, the Castle Rock

Ranch Acquisition Act of 2000.

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

to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Deborah Reis (for federal costs) and Victoria Heid Hall (for the state and local impact).

Sincerely,

BARRY B. ANDERSON

(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).

Enclosure.

S. 1705—Castle Rock Ranch Acquisition Act of 2000

S. 1705 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to acquire by donation or purchase the Castle Rock Ranch in Idaho.

Once acquired, the ranch would be conveyed to the state of Idaho

in exchange for about 490 acres of land located within the boundary of the Hagerman National Monument.

Based on information provided by the NPS, CBO estimates that

it would cost less than $1 million to acquire Castle Rock Ranch. We

further estimate that additional costs to execute the exchange of

lands with Idaho and to manage the newly acquired acreage would

not be significant. S. 1705 would not affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.

S. 1705 contains no private-sector or intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would

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

Acquiring the Castle Rock Ranch from the federal government and

participating in subsequent exchanges with private owners of land
4

within the City of Rocks National Reserve would be voluntary on

the part of the state of Idaho.

On April 11, 2000, CBO prepared a cost estimate for S. 1705, the

Castle Rock Ranch Acquisition Act of 1999, as ordered reported by

the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on April

5, 2000. The two versions of the legislation are identical, as are the

cost estimates.

The CBO contacts are Deborah Reis (for federal costs) and Victoria Heid Hall (for the state and local impact). This 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.

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW

This bill is not intended to preempt State, local, or tribal law.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing law.

Æ