IB 

Union Calendar No. 301 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4686 

[Report No. 111–528] 

To authorize the Secretary of Interior to study the suitability and feasibility 

of designating prehistoric, historic, and limestone forest sites on Rota, 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as a unit of the National Park System. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 24, 2010 

Mr. SABLAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Natural Resources 

JULY 13, 2010 

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 

on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 24, 2010] 


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A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Interior to study the suitability 

and feasibility of designating prehistoric, historic, and 

limestone forest sites on Rota, Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands, as a unit of the National 

Park System. 


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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Rota Cultural and Natural Resources Study Act’’. 

6 (b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds as follows: 

7 (1) The island of Rota was the only major island 

8 in the Mariana Islands to be spared the destruction 

9 and large scale land use changes brought about by 

10 World War II. 

11 (2) The island of Rota has been described by pro12 fessional archeologists as having the most numerous, 

13 most intact, and generally the most unique pre14 historic sites of any of the islands of the Mariana Ar15 chipelago. 

16 (3) The island of Rota contains remaining exam17 ples of what is known as the Latte Phase of the cul18 tural tradition of the indigenous Chamorro people of 

19 the Mariana Islands. Latte stone houses are remnants 

20 of the ancient Chamorro culture. 

21 (4) Four prehistoric sites are listed on the Na22 tional Register of Historic Places: Monchon Archeo23 logical District (also known locally as Monchon Latte 

24 Stone Village), Taga Latte Stone Quarry, the Dugi 

25 Archeological Site that contains, latte stone strucVerDate Mar 15 2010 22:00 Jul 13, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H4686.RH H4686

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1 tures, and the Chugai Pictograph Cave that contains 

2 examples of ancient Chamorro rock art. Alaguan Bay 

3 Ancient Village is another latte stone prehistoric site 

4 that is surrounded by tall-canopy limestone forest. 

5 (5) In addition to prehistoric sites, the island of 

6 Rota boasts historic sites remaining from the Japa7 nese period (1914–1945). Several of these sites are on 

8 the National Register of Historic Places: Nanyo 

9 Kohatsu Kabushiki Kaisha Sugar Mill, Japanese 

10 Coastal Defense Gun, and the Japanese Hospital. 

11 (6) The island of Rota’s natural resources are 

12 significant because of the extent and intact condition 

13 of its native limestone forest that provides habitat for 

14 several federally endangered listed species, the Mar15 iana crow, and the Rota bridled white-eye birds, that 

16 are also native to the island of Rota. Three endan17 gered plant species are also found on Rota and two 

18 are endemic to the island. 

19 (7) Because of the significant cultural and nat20 ural resources listed above, on September 2005, the 

21 National Park Service, Pacific West Region, com22 pleted a preliminary resource assessment on the is23 land of Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mar24 iana Islands, which determined that the ‘‘establish25 ment of a unit of the national park system 


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1 appear[ed] to be the best way to ensure the long term 

2 protection of Rota’s most important cultural resources 

3 and its best examples of its native limestone forest.’’. 

4 SEC. 2. NPS STUDY OF SITES ON THE ISLAND OF ROTA, 

5 COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MAR6 IANA ISLANDS. 

7 (a) STUDY.—The Secretary of the Interior shall— 

8 (1) carry out a study regarding the suitability 

9 and feasibility of designating prehistoric, historic, 

10 and limestone forest sites on the island of Rota, Com11 monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as a 

12 unit of the National Park System; and 

13 (2) consider management alternatives for the is14 land of Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mar15 iana Islands. 

16 (b) STUDY PROCESS AND COMPLETION.—Except as 

17 provided by subsection (c) of this section, section 8(c) of 

18 Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5(c)) shall apply to the 

19 conduct and completion of the study required by this sec20 tion. 

21 (c) SUBMISSION OF STUDY RESULTS.—Not later than 

22 3 years after the date that funds are made available for 

23 this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 

24 on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and 


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1 the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Sen2 ate a report describing the results of the study. 

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to authorize 

the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and 

feasibility of designating prehistoric, historic, and limestone forest sites on Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as a unit of the National Park System.’’. 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS

emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 301 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4686 

[Report No. 111–528] 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Interior to study the 

Islands, as a unit of the National Park System. Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana historic, historic, and limestone forest sites on suitability and feasibility of designating preJULY 13, 2010 

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 

dered to be printed of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and orVerDate Mar 15 2010 22:00 Jul 13, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H4686.RH H4686

emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS