49–006 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 109–627 

PIEDRAS BLANCAS HISTORIC LIGHT STATION 

OUTSTANDING NATURAL AREA ACT OF 2005 

SEPTEMBER 6, 2006.—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. 3534] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 

(H.R. 3534) to designate the Piedras Blancas Light Station and the 

surrounding public land as an Outstanding Natural Area to be administered as a part of the National Landscape Conservation 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. 3534 is to designate the Piedras Blancas 

Light Station and the surrounding public land as an Outstanding 

Natural Area to be administered as a part of the National Landscape Conservation System, and for other purposes. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Federal, state, and local officials, along with private groups, have 

long sought a way to recognize the nationally important land in 

and around the publicly-owned Piedras Blancas Light Station in 

San Luis Obispo County, California. It is located halfway between 

Los Angeles and San Francisco, and is near the famous Hearst 

Castle. A proposal has been developed for a federal designation 

that protects the historical structures and habitat. H.R. 3534 will 

designate the Piedras Blancas Light Station and the surrounding 

public land, consisting of approximately 18 acres, as an Outstanding Natural Area to be administered as part of the National 


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Landscape Conservation System by the Bureau of Land Management. 

Specifically, the designation would still allow certain recreational 

and research activities to continue and would prohibit the possibility of future sale or partition of the land under federal mining 

laws. H.R. 3534 would also require a comprehensive management 

plan be completed by the Department of the Interior no later than 

three years after the date of enactment. The management plan 

would be developed in consultation with federal, State and local 

agencies with full public participation. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 3534 was introduced on July 28, 2005, by Congresswoman 

Lois Caps (D–CA). The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Forests 

and Forest Health. On April 5, 2006, the Subcommittee held a 

hearing on the bill. On July 19, 2006, the Full Resources Committee met to consider the bill. 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 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, clause 3 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, credit authority, or an increase 

or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. According to the Congressional Budget Office, enactment of H.R. 3534 could affect direct 

spending, but any such effects would be ‘‘negligible.’’

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 designate the Piedras Blancas Light Station and 

the surrounding public land as an Outstanding Natural Area to be 

administered as a part of the National Landscape Conservation 

System, and for other purposes. 


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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. 3534—Piedras Blancas Historic Light Station Outstanding 

Natural Area Act of 2005 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3534 would have no significant effect on the federal budget. The bill could affect direct spending, but we estimate that any such effects would be negligible. Enacting H.R. 3534 would not affect revenues. H.R. 3534 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. 

H.R. 3534 would establish the Piedras Blancas Historic Light 

Station Outstanding Natural Area on 18 acres of federal land in 

San Luis Obispo County, California. The light station is an active 

lighthouse that was built in 1875 and is located halfway between 

Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Bureau of Land Management 

(BLM) would continue to manage the land within the proposed natural area. The legislation would require BLM to create a comprehensive management plan within three years. Based on information from the agency, CBO estimates that the cost to develop a 

plan and manage the federal land would total less than $100,000 

annually over the 2007–2011 period, assuming the availability of 

appropriated funds. 

The bill also would withdraw the land from programs to develop 

natural resources. According to BLM, that land currently generates 

no significant receipts and is not expected to do so over the next 

10 years. Therefore, we estimate that the proposed withdrawal 

would have an insignificant effect on offsetting receipts (a credit 

against direct spending). 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. 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. 

Æ 


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