U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

29–010 

" ! SENATE 

112TH CONGRESS

2d Session 

REPORT

2012

112–239 

Calendar No. 547 

A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF 

COMMERCE TO CONVEY REAL PROPERTY, 

INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS, OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION IN KETCHIKAN, ALASKA, 

AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

R E P O R T 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND 

TRANSPORTATION 

ON

S. 1307 

NOVEMBER 14, 2012.—Ordered to be printed 


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(II) 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION 

ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia, Chairman 

DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii 

JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts 

BARBARA BOXER, California 

BILL NELSON, Florida 

MARIA CANTWELL, Washington 

FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, New Jersey 

MARK PRYOR, Arkansas 

CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Missouri 

AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota 

TOM UDALL, New Mexico 

MARK WARNER, Virginia 

MARK BEGICH, Alaska 

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas 

OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine 

JIM DEMINT, South Carolina 

JOHN THUNE, South Dakota 

ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi 

JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia 

ROY BLUNT, Missouri 

JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas 

PATRICK J. TOOMEY, Pennsylvania 

MARCO RUBIO, Florida 

KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire 

DEAN HELLER, Nevada 

ELLEN DONESKI, Staff Director 

JAMES REID, Deputy Staff Director 

JOHN WILLIAMS, General Counsel 

RICHARD RUSSELL, Republican Staff Director 

DAVID QUINALTY, Republican Deputy Staff Director 

REBECCA SEIDEL, Republican General Counsel 

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Calendar No. 547 

112TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 112–239 

A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE 

TO CONVEY REAL PROPERTY, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS, OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION IN KETCHIKAN, ALASKA, AND 

FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

NOVEMBER 14, 2012.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. ROCKEFELLER, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 1307] 

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 

which was referred the bill (S. 1307) to authorize the Secretary of 

Commerce (Secretary) to convey real property, including improvements, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA) in Ketchikan, Alaska, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment 

and recommends that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of S. 1307 is to authorize NOAA to sell the agency’s 

existing, but condemned and unsafe, homeport facility in Ketchikan, Alaska, and to apply the proceeds from the sale, should it 

occur, towards a new homeport facility in Ketchikan. The intent of 

the bill is to help encourage cost-effective collaboration between the 

State and Federal Government in developing a new port facility 

which can support both State agency and NOAA needs. The bill 

does not authorize any additional Federal funds. 

BACKGROUND AND NEEDS

The NOAA Ship Fairweather, a hydrographic survey ship, serves 

as NOAA’s only multi-role Arctic survey platform. By statute, the 

vessel is homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska. The current port facilmstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with HEARINGS

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ity consists of a pier for the ship, a small-boat dock, a warehouse, 

an office, and parking. The ship’s pier is over 50 years old, and in 

2008 the pier was condemned as structurally unsound. As a result, 

the Fairweather now must transit to NOAA’s Marine Operations 

Center-Pacific (MOC–P; in Newport, Oregon) for the winter. Because the Fairweather is usually funded for 130–210 days-at-sea 

per year, the five to ten days spent traveling to Oregon and back 

reduces the ship time that can be spent on the Fairweather’s central mission of nautical charting. Authorizing NOAA to sell the existing dock and use the funds to contribute towards a suitable replacement facility to homeport the vessel would enable greater continuity of service in the Arctic. 

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS

S. 1307 would allow NOAA to retain any proceeds obtained from 

the conveyance of its current property and to apply those funds to 

a new facility in Ketchikan. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 1307 was introduced on June 30, 2011, by Senator Begich, and 

is cosponsored by Senator Murkowski. On November 2, 2011, the 

Committee met in open Executive Session and by voice vote ordered that the bill be reported favorably without amendment. 

ESTIMATED COSTS

In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the Congressional Budget 

Act of 1974, the Committee provides the following cost estimate, 

prepared by the Congressional Budget Office: 

S. 1307—A bill to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to convey 

real property, including improvements, of the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration in Ketchikan, Alaska, and for 

other purposes 

S. 1307 would authorize the Secretary of Commerce to sell a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) port facility in Ketchikan, Alaska. The bill also would authorize the Secretary to acquire a new facility to serve as the homeport for the 

NOAA Ship Fairweather. CBO estimates that implementing the 

legislation would cost $3 million over the 2012–2016 period, subject 

to the availability of appropriated funds. In addition, we estimate 

that S. 1307 would increase offsetting receipts (a credit against direct spending) by $1 million; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures 

apply. Enacting the bill would not affect revenues. 

S. 1307 would authorize the appropriation of funds to establish 

a new homeport in Ketchikan. Because it is generally cheaper for 

the federal government to own property than to lease it, CBO expects that, under the bill, NOAA would purchase an existing port 

facility for its use. Based on information provided by individuals 

with knowledge of the real estate market in Ketchikan, CBO estimates that acquiring the new facility and making the necessary 

improvements would cost about $3 million over the 2012–2016 period, assuming appropriation of the amount necessary to purchase 

a new port facility. 

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Under the bill, the Secretary would be authorized to sell a condemned NOAA port facility in Ketchikan, Alaska. Proceeds from 

the sale would be deposited in the U.S. Treasury as offsetting receipts. Based on information provided by the agency and individuals familiar with real estate values in Ketchikan, CBO estimates 

that enacting the legislation would increase offsetting receipts by 

about $1 million in the year the facility is sold, sometime over the 

next several years. 

S. 1307 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 Jeff LaFave. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director 

for Budget Analysis. 

REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the legislation, as reported: 

NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED

S. 1307 does not authorize any new regulations and therefore 

would not subject any individuals or businesses to regulation. 

ECONOMIC IMPACT

The legislation is not expected to have an impact on the Nation’s 

economy. 

PRIVACY

S. 1307 would not have a negative impact on the personal privacy of individuals. 

PAPERWORK

The reported bill would not increase paperwork requirements for 

private individuals, businesses, or the Federal Government. 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no provisions 

contained in the bill, as reported, meet the definition of congressionally directed spending items under the rule. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Conveyance Certain Property of the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration in Ketchikan, Alaska. 

This section would authorize the Secretary to convey property 

currently under the administrative jurisdiction of NOAA to a nonFederal entity, if the Secretary determines the conveyance is in the 

best interest of NOAA and the Federal Government. Subsection (b) 

would require that in return for the property, the United States receive fair market value of the property in the form of any combination of the following: (1) property; (2) cash or cash equivalents; and/ 

or (3) in-kind consideration. Subsection (b)(3) would require the 

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Secretary to determine fair market value of the property based on 

a highest- and best-use appraisal consistent with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Professional Appraisal Practice. Subsection 

(c) would authorize the Secretary to, subject to appropriation, use 

proceeds from the conveyance of the NOAA property to lease or 

purchase property at a new port facility in the Ketchikan Gateway 

Borough, Alaska. Subsection (d) would require the Secretary to conduct and pay for an adequate survey of the NOAA property to be 

transferred. The remaining subsections of the legislation would authorize the Secretary to: exchange the property; acquire temporary 

facilities during the transition to the new port facility; and require 

additional terms and conditions as necessary. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the bill as reported 

would make no change to existing law. 

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