99–010 

Calendar No. 573

107TH CONGRESS REPORT " SENATE ! 2d Session 107–256

COLTSVILLE STUDY ACT OF 2002

SEPTEMBER 9, 2002.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. BINGAMAN, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 2519] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 2519) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to 

conduct a study of Coltsville in the State of Connecticut for potential inclusion in the National Park System, having considered the 

same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do pass. 

The amendment is as follows: 

On page 4, line 8, strike ‘‘1 year’’ and insert ‘‘three years’’. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of S. 2519 is to direct the Secretary of the Interior 

to conduct a suitability and feasibility study of Coltsville, a community in the State of Connecticut, for potential inclusion in the National Park System. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

Located in central Connecticut near Hartford, the community of 

Coltsville has a rich industrial history and played a major role in 

the Industrial Revolution. The community was inspired by Samuel 

Colt, founder of the Colt Manufacturing Company, and his wife, 

Elizabeth Colt. In addition to manufacturing the famous Colt sixshooter, the Colt Manufacturing Company was a center of industrial innovation and development of technology that changed the 

way of life in the United States and flourished during the Industrial Revolution. Some of the company’s major innovations included 

the development of telegraph technology and advancements in jet 

engine technology. 

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In 1998, the National Park Service conducted a special resource 

reconnaissance study of the Connecticut River Valley to evaluate 

the significance of historic manufacturing sites. The conclusions of 

the study were that the Coltsville region contains an unequaled 

concentration of historic resources relating to precision manufacturing, and further study of the area is warranted for potential designation as a unit of the National Park System. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 2519 was introduced by Senators Dodd and Lieberman on May 

15, 2002, The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on 

S. 2519 on June 20, 2002. At the business meeting on July 31, 

2002, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 

2519, as amended, favorably reported. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on July 31, 2002, by a voice vote of a quorum present, 

recommends that the Senate pass S. 2519, if amended as described 

herein. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT

During the consideration of S. 2519, the Committee adopted an 

amendment which would increase the time period for the completion of the study from one to three years after the date funds are 

made available, which is more consistent with the time generally 

allowed for similar studies. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 describes the short title as the ‘‘Coltsville Study Act of 

2002.’’

Section 2 contains congressional findings. 

Section 3 (a) directs the Secretary of the Interior to complete a 

study of the Coltsville site in the State of Connecticut to evaluate 

its national significance and the suitability and feasibility of designating the site as a unit of the National Park System. 

Subsection (b) requires that the study be conducted in accordance 

with Public Law 91–383. Section 8 of that Act includes requirements for studies of potential additions to the National Park System. 

Section 4 requires the Secretary to submit a report to the Senate 

Energy and Natural Resources and House Resources Committees 

within 30 days after the study is completed. The report is to describe the study findings and any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary. 

Section 5 authorizes the appropriation of such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of the cost of this measure has been provided by the Congressional Budget Office:

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U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, August 12, 2002. 

Hon. JEFF BINGAMAN, 

Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2519, the Coltsville Study 

Act of 2002. 

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

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

Sincerely, 

ROBERT A. SUNSHINE

(For Dan L. Crippen, Director). 

Enclosure. 

S. 2519—Coltsville Study Act of 2002

S. 2519 would direct the Department of the Interior to conduct 

a study of the area of Connecticut known as Coltsville to evaluate 

the area’s national significance. The study would also assess the 

feasibility and suitability of designating Coltsville a unit of the National Park System. The bill would authorize the appropriation of 

whatever amounts are necessary for the study and would require 

the department to report on its findings and recommendations 

within three years of receiving funds. 

Assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO estimates 

that it would cost about $250,000 over the next three years to complete the required study and report. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures 

would not apply. 

S. 2519 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.

REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

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

Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following evaluation 

of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in carrying out 

S. 2519. The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing Government-established standards or significant economic responsibilities on private individuals and businesses. 

No personal information would be collected in administering the 

program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal privacy. 

Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the enactment of S. 2519, as ordered reported. 

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The pertinent legislative report received by the Committee from 

the Department of the Interior setting forth Executive agency recommendations relating to S. 2519 is set forth below:

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, DC, July 1, 2002. 

Hon. JEFF BINGAMAN, 

Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you for the opportunity to present 

the views of the Department of the Interior on S. 2519, the 

Coltsville Study Act of 2002. 

The Department supports this study. However, we did not request additional funding for this study in fiscal year 2003. We believe that any funding requested should be directed towards completing previously authorized studies. There are 37 studies pending 

currently, of which we hope to transmit at least seven to Congress 

by the end of 2002. To meet the President’s Initiative to eliminate 

the deferred maintenance backlog, we must continue to focus our 

resources on caring for existing areas in the National Park System. 

We caution that our support of this legislation authorizing a study 

does not necessarily mean that the Department will support designations of this area as a unit of the National Park System. The 

study would be undertaken with the full involvement of representatives of the State of Connecticut, the City of Hartford, property 

owners in the study area, and other interested organizations and 

individuals in the region. 

The bill directs the National Park Service to study the site commonly known as ‘‘Coltsville,’’ and its surrounding area within the 

City of Hartford, to evaluate its national significance, suitability, 

and feasibility for designation as a unit of the National Park System. The bill also directs NPS to evaluate the importance of the 

site to the history of precision manufacturing. 

At the core of the Coltsville area, which is estimated as some 260 

acres is the 17-acre Coltsville Heritage Park. Owned by a non-profit subsidiary of the Goodrich Corporation, this site contains ten historic buildings, some of which are occupied by commercial, residential, and office tenants; a number of artists also live and work in 

the complex. Also within the study area, but in separate ownership, 

are examples of former Colt worker housing and other buildings associated with Colt history. The potential study area borders Interstate 91, which parallels the Connecticut River, and is close to the 

central business district where the State Capitol and Museum of 

Connecticut State History are located. The State Museum is a 

major repository of Colt-related artifacts and archives, as is the 

Wadsworth Atheneum, a renowned museum also in the city center.

Samuel Colt was born in Hartford in 1814 and died there in 

1862. He obtained his first patent in 1836 and went on to found 

a company that is still in operation today, although it moved from 

the historic armory to West Hartford, Connecticut and is no longer 

owned by the Colt family. The Colt name is known throughout the 

world. Colt firearms and other products have been used in every 

major conflict from the U.S.-Mexican War to the present. 

The Colt revolver was a revolutionary weapon that changed military tactics and eventually made the sword obsolete in combat. 

First produced in 1847, it maintained its reputation through the 

Civil War despite competition from other manufacturers. Colt’s 

salesmanship was legendary, and the company grew due to his 

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marketing, advertising, and public relations skills. He began construction of his first factory in Hartford in 1847. At the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition in London, Colt revolvers were displayed and 

their interchangeability demonstrated as a highlight of the ‘‘American System of Manufacturing.’’ Colt was so impressed with his reception in England that he would build a factory there, becoming 

the first American to set up a manufacturing plant overseas. 

The Hartford facility expanded in the mid-19th century. The 

armory’s distinctive blue onion dome, a Hartford landmark visible 

from I–91, was built in 1855. In order to attract laborers, Colt built 

a self-contained community surrounding the factory at Coltsville 

that included housing, gardens, beer halls, and a band. A library 

and school were established for the children of the workers, as well 

as a church and social hall. Many of these structures are still extant and are part of the Colt Industrial National Register District 

that was listed in 1976. The Colt family home, Armsmear, a National Historic Landmark, and its surrounding grounds are situated in Colt Park, abutting the armory site. The original factory 

burned in 1864, but was rebuilt soon after. 

Colt would continue to supply sidearms to the United States 

military until 1985. Colt weapons were carried not only by the 

American soldier on the frontier, but were the personal weapon of 

choice of cowboys, both famous and infamous. 

Colt history complements that of Springfield Armory National 

Historic Site, which is managed by the National Park Service in 

Springfield, Massachusetts, 25 miles north of Hartford along the 

Connecticut River. Originally Springfield Armory produced shoulder arms while Colt made handguns. Later they worked together 

to bring the rapid-fire gun and later the machine-gun into the inventories of the U.S. military. But in 1961 Colt challenged Springfield Armory’s M14 rifle while promoting its competing AR–15, now 

known as the M16 rifle. This ultimately resulted in the demise of 

Springfield Armory in 1968. 

The Colt story is also the story of Elizabeth Colt, who took over 

the factory after her husband’s death in 1862, and ran it successfully for another 39 years. The history of this remarkable woman 

is not well-known and should be included as part of the study. 

In our 1998 Connecticut River Valley Special Resource Reconnaissance Study, we said, ‘‘innovations stimulated by firearms 

manufacture, notably mass production and the concept of interchangeable parts, had far-reaching consequences throughout American industry.’’ As the skills developed in firearms manufacture 

were given broader application, the corridor between New Haven, 

Connecticut and Windsor, Vermont became known as the ‘‘Precision Valley.’’ Developments in arms making translated to other 

metal-working industries, such as sewing machines, typewriters, 

bicycles, railway equipment, and clocks. 

It is appropriate for the National Park Service to explore further 

this theme of American history. Only through further investigation 

will it be possible to determine if it is feasible and suitable for inclusion in the National Park System. 

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The Office of Management and Budget advises that there is no 

objection to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of 

the Administration’s program. 

Sincerely, 

CRAIG MANSON, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no changes in existing law are made by the bill S. 1519, as ordered reported.

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