I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 3708

To reform the operation, maintenance, and development of the Steamtown

National Historic Site, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOVEMBER 22, 1993

Mr. VENTO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee

on Natural Resources

A BILL

To reform the operation, maintenance, and development of

the Steamtown National Historic Site, and for other

purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 TITLE I—STEAMTOWN NATIONAL

4 HISTORIC SITE

5 SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT.

6 (a) In order to preserve and interpret certain ele7 ments of railroading, especially steam-operated railroads

8 during the period of 1850 to 1950, there is hereby estab9 lished the Steamtown National Historic Site (hereinafter

10 in this title referred to as the ‘‘historic site’’). The pur-
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1 poses of the historic site shall include interpretation of the

2 evolution of railroads and their impact on the development

3 of this nation, including technological, economic, social,

4 and political effects and the relationship of railroads to

5 industrialization.

6 (b) The historic site shall consist of the lands and

7 interests in lands within the area generally depicted on

8 the map entitled ‘‘Boundary Map, Steamtown National

9 Historic Site’’, numbered STTO–80,000A, and dated No10 vember 1991. The map shall be on file and available for

11 public inspection in the offices of the National Park Serv12 ice, Department of the Interior. No revisions may be made

13 in the boundary of the historic site, except by Act of

14 Congress.

15 (c) Sections 1 through 5 of the Steamtown National

16 Historic Site Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–591; 100 Stat.

17 3341–248–249) are hereby repealed.

18 SEC. 102. ADMINISTRATION.

19 The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter in this title

20 referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall administer the his21 toric site in accordance with this title and with the provi22 sions of law generally applicable to units of the national

23 park system, including the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to estab24 lish a National Park Service, and for other purposes’’, ap25 proved August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1, 2,
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1 3, and 4). On or before September 30, 1993, the Secretary

2 shall prepare and submit to the Interior and Insular Af3 fairs of the United States House of Representatives and

4 to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of

5 the United States Senate a new comprehensive general

6 management plan for the historic site. The plan shall be

7 consistent with this title, with section 12 of the Act of

8 August 18, 1970 (16 U.S.C. 1a–1 through 1a–7) and with

9 other applicable provisions of law.

10 SEC. 103. ACQUISITION OF LAND.

11 (a) The Secretary may acquire lands or interests in

12 land within the boundaries of the historic site only by do13 nation or by purchase with donated funds.

14 (b) The Secretary may not acquire any lands or inter15 ests in lands for purposes of the historic site unless such

16 lands are not contaminated with hazardous substances

17 which will require removal or remedial action at the ex18 pense of the United States. Any funds of the National

19 Park Service expended, prior to the date of the enactment

20 of this Act, on removal or remedial action with respect

21 to any contamination of lands within the boundaries of

22 historic site shall be fully reimbursed before the Secretary

23 may accept title to any lands for purposes of the historic

24 site. Any such reimbursement shall be credited to mis25 cellaneous receipts in the Treasury. After the full amount
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1 of such reimbursement has been credited to miscellaneous

2 receipts, funds expended prior to the date of enactment

3 of this Act by the National Park Service for which such

4 reimbursement was made shall not be treated as amounts

5 expended by the National Park Service for development

6 for purposes of applying the limitation on appropriations

7 for development set forth in section 106.

8 SEC. 104. PARK SERVICE ACTIVITIES.

9 (a) The Secretary shall take such actions as nec10 essary and appropriate to administer the historic site, to

11 maintain and preserve the facilities at the historic site,

12 to interpret the resources of the site and their history to

13 the public, and to provide essential services to the public

14 at the historic site.

15 (b) The Secretary shall preserve the collection of rail16 road equipment, including locomotives and rolling stock,

17 which is present at the historic site as of the date of enact18 ment of this Act. The Secretary may also preserve such

19 equipment and essential machinery as is necessary for the

20 maintenance of the locomotives and rolling stock. A maxi21 mum of 3 steam locomotives and one diesel locomotive

22 may be restored, but only 2 steam locomotives and one

23 diesel locomotive may be operational at any time. The Sec24 retary may not reconstruct or construct new yard equip25 ment or other historic structures or objects. No Federal
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1 funds may be expended to provide access between the his2 toric site and any structure that is privately owned and

3 operated for profit. The Secretary may exchange or pur4 chase appropriate examples of locomotives and rolling

5 stock to enhance the site’s collection if the total number

6 of such equipment does not increase and if all such actions

7 are consistent with the general management plan for the

8 historic site. The Secretary shall, to the extent practicable,

9 seek donations and assistance from volunteers and other

10 cost-sharing methods to restore the locomotives and roll11 ing stock.

12 (c) The Secretary shall preserve the artifact collection

13 and archival materials located at the site.

14 (d) To the extent that it furthers public understand15 ing, and provided that appropriate interpretation is pro16 vided, the Secretary may provide a regular excursion from

17 Scranton, Pennsylvania, to Moscow, Pennsylvania. For

18 purposes of such excursions, the Secretary may provide

19 essential visitor services at Moscow, Pennsylvania. The

20 Secretary may not expend funds of the National Park

21 Service for the restoration or maintenance of tracks,

22 bridges or tunnels located outside the historic site, except

23 that the Secretary may use funds appropriated prior to

24 November 15, 1991 for restoration of tracks and bridges

25 between the historic site and Moscow, Pennsylvania, pur-
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1 suant to a cooperative agreement to be entered into be2 tween the Secretary and the owner of such tracks and

3 bridges permitting the national park service to use such

4 tracks and bridges for excursions authorized under this

5 section. The Secretary may pay customary and appro6 priate track usage fees and may also provide 4 other ex7 cursions annually if no such excursion is longer than 50

8 miles one way.

9 (e) User fees charged for any rail excursion under10 taken shall be established at a level such that a minimum

11 of 75 percent of the costs of maintenance, personnel and

12 equipment for the excursion shall be covered by revenues

13 from the user permit.

14 (f) The Secretary may assist the owner of Bridge 60

15 and Bridge 60 Wye with track and switch rehabilitation

16 to facilitate activities associated with the historic site.

17 (g) The Secretary may enter into cooperative agree18 ments with appropriate authorities for law enforcement

19 and for purposes of controlling rail traffic through the his20 toric site.

21 SEC. 105. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

22 (a) There is hereby established the Steamtown Na23 tional Historic Site Advisory Committee (hereinafter in

24 this title referred to as the ‘‘advisory committee’’) to pro25 vide professional expertise in railroad management and
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1 history and advice to the Secretary in the development and

2 operations of the historic site. The advisory committee

3 shall be composed of 11 members appointed by the Sec4 retary to serve for terms of 3 years. The advisory commit5 tee shall include 2 experts in the operation of historic rail6 ways, 2 experts in the operation of commercial railways,

7 2 historians of technology, and 2 historians of social his8 tory, and 3 members of the general public. Any member

9 of the advisory committee appointed for a definite term

10 may serve after the expiration of his or her term until

11 his successor is appointed. The advisory committee shall

12 designate one of its members as Chairperson.

13 (b) The Secretary, or his or her designee, shall from

14 time to time, but at least semiannually, meet and consult

15 with the advisory committee on matters relating to the

16 management and development of the site.

17 (c) The advisory committee shall meet at least 3

18 times annually.

19 (d) Members of the advisory committee shall serve

20 without compensation as such, but the Secretary may pay

21 expenses reasonably incurred in carrying out their respon22 sibilities under this title on vouchers signed by the Chair23 person.
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1 (e) The provisions of section 14(b) of the Federal Ad2 visory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix; 86 Stat. 776),

3 are hereby waived with respect to this advisory committee.

4 (f) The advisory committee shall terminate on the

5 date 10 years after the enactment of this Act.

6 SEC. 106. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

7 Amounts appropriated for operation of the historic

8 site for each fiscal year after fiscal year 1994 may not

9 exceed the amount appropriated for operation of the his10 toric site for fiscal year 1994. No Federal funds may be

11 expended at the site for purposes other than those speci12 fied in section 104 and in section 105(d). No funds may

13 be appropriated after the enactment of this Act for any

14 construction, development, or related activities with re15 spect to the site without specific authorization by an Act

16 of Congress.

17 TITLE II—DELAWARE WATER

18 GAP NATIONAL RECREATION

19 AREA

20 SEC. 201. BOUNDARIES.

21 Section 2(a) of the Act of September 1, 1965 (79

22 Stat. 612; 16 U.S.C. 460o–1(a)) establishing the Dela23 ware Water Gap National Recreation Area is amended by

24 striking ‘‘as generally depicted on the drawing entitled

25 ‘Proposed Tocks Island National Recreation Area’ dated
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1 and numbered September 1962, NRA–TI–7100, which

2 drawing is on file’’ and inserting ‘‘as generally depicted

3 on the map entitled ‘Delaware Water Gap National Recre4 ation Area’ dated November 1991 and numbered

5 DWGNRA–620/80,900A’ which shall be on file’’.

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