105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 708
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study
concerning grazing use and open space within and adja-
cent to Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, and to
extend temporarily certain grazing privileges.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that—
(1) open space near Grand Teton National
Park continues to decline;
(2) as the population continues to grow in
Teton County, Wyoming, undeveloped land near the
Park becomes more scarce;
(3) the loss of open space around Teton Park
has negative impacts on wildlife migration routes in
the area and on visitors to the Park, and its reper-
cussions can be felt throughout the entire region;
(4) a few ranches make up Teton Valley’s re-
maining open space, and the ranches depend on
grazing in Grand Teton National Park for summer
range to maintain operations;
(5) the Act that created Grand Teton National
Park allowed several permittees to continue livestock
grazing in the Park for the life of a designated heir
in the family;
(6) some of the last remaining heirs have died,
and as a result the open space around the Park will
most likely be subdivided and developed;
(7) in order to develop the best solution to pro-
tect open space immediately adjacent to Grand
Teton National Park, the Park Service should con-
duct a study of open space in the region; and
(8) the study should develop workable solutions
that are fiscally responsible and acceptable to the
National Park Service, the public, local government,
and landowners in the area.
SEC. 2. STUDY OF GRAZING USE AND OPEN SPACE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior shall
conduct a study concerning grazing use and open space
in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, and associated
use of certain agricultural and ranch lands within and ad-
jacent to the Park, including—
(1) base land having appurtenant grazing privi-
leges within Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming,
remaining after January 1, 1990, under the Act en-
titled ‘‘An Act to establish a new Grand Teton Na-
tional Park in the State of Wyoming, and for other
purposes’’, approved September 14, 1950 (16 U.S.C.
406d–1 et seq.); and
(2) any ranch and agricultural land adjacent to
the Park, the use and disposition of which may af-
fect accomplishment of the purposes of the Act.
(b) PURPOSE.—The study shall—
(1) assess the significance of the ranching use
and pastoral character of the land (including open
vistas, wildlife habitat, and other public benefits);
(2) assess the significance of that use and char-
acter to the purposes for which the park was estab-
lished and identify any need for preservation of, and
practicable means of, preserving the land that is
necessary to protect that use and character;
(3) recommend a variety of economically fea-
sible and viable tools and techniques to retain the
pastoral qualities of the land; and
(4) estimate the costs of implementing any rec-
ommendations made for the preservation of the land.
(c) PARTICIPATION.—In conducting the study, the
Secretary of the Interior shall seek participation from the
Governor of the State of Wyoming, the Teton County
Commissioners, the Secretary of Agriculture, affected land
owners, and other interested members of the public.
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years from the date
funding is available for the purposes of this Act, the Sec-
retary of the Interior shall submit a report to Congress
that contains the findings of the study under subsection
(a) and makes recommendations to Congress regarding ac-
tion that may be taken with respect to the land described
in subsection (a).
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF GRAZING PRIVILEGES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), the Sec-
retary of the Interior shall reinstate and extend for the
duration of the study described in section 2(a) and until
such time as the recommendations of the study are imple-
mented, the grazing privileges described in section 2(a)(1),
under the same terms and conditions as were in effect
prior to the expiration of the privileges.
(b) EFFECT OF CHANGE IN LAND USE.—If, during
the period of the study or until such time as the rec-
ommendations of the study are implemented, any portion
of the land described in section 2(a)(1) is disposed of in
a manner that would result in the land no longer being
used for ranching or other agricultural purposes, the Sec-
retary of the Interior shall cancel the extension described
in subsection (a).
Passed the House of Representatives October 21,
1997.
Attest:
Clerk.