I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4686 

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 

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. 

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: 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 4686 IH

1 (1) The island of Rota was the only major is2 land in the Mariana Islands to be spared the de3 struction and large scale land use changes brought 

4 about by World War II. 

5 (2) The island of Rota has been described by 

6 professional archeologists as having the most numer7 ous, most intact, and generally the most unique pre8 historic sites of any of the islands of the Mariana 

9 Archipelago. 

10 (3) The island of Rota contains remaining ex11 amples of what is known as the Latte Phase of the 

12 cultural tradition of the indigenous Chamorro people 

13 of the Mariana Islands. Latte stone houses are rem14 nants of the ancient Chamorro culture. 

15 (4) Four prehistoric sites are listed on the Na16 tional Register of Historic Places: Monchon Archeo17 logical District (also known locally as Monchon 

18 Latte Stone Village), Taga Latte Stone Quarry, the 

19 Dugi Archeological Site that contains, latte stone 

20 structures, and the Chugai Pictograph Cave that 

21 contains examples of ancient Chamorro rock art. 

22 Alaguan Bay Ancient Village is another latte stone 

23 prehistoric site that is surrounded by tall-canopy 

24 limestone forest. 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 4686 IH

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

2 Rota boasts historic sites remaining from the Japa3 nese period (1914–1945). Several of these sites are 

4 on the National Register of Historic Places: Nanyo 

5 Kohatsu Kabushiki Kaisha Sugar Mill, Japanese 

6 Coastal Defense Gun, and the Japanese Hospital. 

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

8 significant because of the extent and intact condition 

9 of its native limestone forest that provides habitat 

10 for several federally endangered listed species, the 

11 Mariana crow, and the Rota bridled white-eye birds, 

12 that are also native to the island of Rota. Three en13 dangered plant species are also found on Rota and 

14 two are endemic to the island. 

15 (7) Because of the significant cultural and nat16 ural resources listed above, on September 2005, the 

17 National Park Service, Pacific West Region, com18 pleted a preliminary resource assessment on the is19 land of Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mar20 iana Islands, which determined that the ‘‘establish21 ment of a unit of the national park system 

22 appear[ed] to be the best way to ensure the long 

23 term protection of Rota’s most important cultural 

24 resources and its best examples of its native lime25 stone forest.’’. 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 4686 IH

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

2 COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MAR3 IANA ISLANDS. 

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

5 (1) carry out a study regarding the suitability 

6 and feasibility of designating prehistoric, historic, 

7 and limestone forest sites on the island of Rota, 

8 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as 

9 a unit of the National Park System; and 

10 (2) consider management alternatives for the is11 land of Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mar12 iana Islands. 

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

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

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

16 conduct and completion of the study required by this sec17 tion. 

18 (c) SUBMISSION OF STUDY RESULTS.—Not later 

19 than 18 months after the date that funds are made avail20 able for this section, the Secretary shall submit to the 

21 Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep22 resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 

23 Resources of the Senate a report describing the results 

24 of the study. 

Æ 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS