29–006 

108TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 108–640 

TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO STUDY THE SUITABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF DESIGNATING CASTLE NUGENT FARMS 

LOCATED ON ST. CROIX, VIRGIN ISLANDS, AS A UNIT OF THE NATIONAL 

PARK SYSTEM, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

SEPTEMBER 7, 2004.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State 

of the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. POMBO, from the Committee on Resources, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 2663] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 

(H.R. 2663) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the 

suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent Farms located on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park 

System, 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. 2663 is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating Castle 

Nugent Farms located on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, as a Unit 

of the National Park System. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Located on the island of St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands, 

Castle Nugent Farms is one of 264 cotton and sugar plantations 

that were formed on the island after 1733 when the Danish West 

Indies Company purchased the island from France. Historians believe Castle Nugent Farms, which includes a 17th century Danish 

estate house and a number of structures, is one of the oldest ongoing cattle ranches in the West Indies specializing in Senepol breed 

of cattle. Today, Castle Nugent, the largest parcel of privately-held 

land in the U.S. Virgin Islands, is a genetic bank for the Senepol 

breed. The shores of the farm also include large coral reefs and turtle and heron nesting sites. 

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The National Park Service study authorized by H.R. 2663 would 

determine the suitability, feasibility and national significance of establishing the Castle Nugent Farm Estate as a unit of the Park 

System. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 2663 was introduced on July 8, 2003, by Delegate Donna 

Christensen (D–VI). The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. On March 25, 2004, the 

Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On April 22, 2004, the 

Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was forwarded to the full Resources Committee 

by unanimous consent. On May 5, 2004, the full Resources Committee met to consider the bill. No amendments were offered and 

the bill was ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent. 

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 

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. This bill does not 

authorize funding and therefore, clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the 

Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply. 

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: 

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U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, May 12, 2004. 

Hon. RICHARD W. POMBO, 

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. 2663, a bill to authorize 

the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility 

of designating Castle Nugent Farms located on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park System. 

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

to provide them. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. 

Sincerely, 

ELIZABETH M. ROBINSON

(For Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director). 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 2663—A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study 

the suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent 

Farms located on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park System 

H.R. 2663 would direct the Department of the Interior to study 

the feasibility and suitability of designating the approximately 

1,400-acre site of Castle Nugent Farms on St. Croix as a unit of 

the National Park System. The department would be required to 

report its findings and recommendations within three years of receiving funds for the study. 

Assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO estimates 

that implementing H.R. 2663 would cost the federal government 

about $300,000 over the next three years to complete the required 

study and report. Enacting the legislation would not affect direct 

spending or revenues. 

H.R. 2663 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 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 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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