I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3884
To provide for the disposition of Governors Island, New York.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 14, 1998
Mr. NADLER (for himself, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. MANTON, Mr.
HINCHEY, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. LAFALCE, and Mr. SCHUMER) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government Re-
form and Oversight, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned
A BILL
To provide for the disposition of Governors Island, New
York.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Governors Island Pres-
ervation and Development Act of 1998’’.
SEC. 2. GOVERNORS ISLAND COMMISSION.
Title I of the Federal Property and Administrative
Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 751 et seq.) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
‘‘SEC. 113. GOVERNORS ISLAND COMMISSION.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com-
mission to be known as the ‘Governors Island Commission’
(referred to in this section as the ‘Commission’).
‘‘(b) MEMBERSHIP.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall be
composed of 11 members, of whom—
‘‘(A) 1 shall be the Administrator of Gen-
eral Services (or a designee);
‘‘(B) 1 shall be the Secretary of the Inte-
rior (or a designee);
‘‘(C) 1 shall be the Commandant of the
Coast Guard (or a designee); and
‘‘(D) 8 shall be individuals appointed by
the President not later than 60 days after the
date of enactment of this section, of whom—
‘‘(i) 2 shall be appointed from among
individuals recommended, not later than
30 days after the date of enactment of this
section, by the Governor of the State of
New York;
‘‘(ii) 2 shall be appointed from among
individuals recommended, not later than
30 days after the date of enactment of this
section, by the mayor of the city of New
York, New York;
‘‘(iii) 1 shall be appointed from among
individuals recommended, not later than
30 days after the date of enactment of this
section, by the speaker of the city council
of the city of New York, New York;
‘‘(iv) 1 shall be a representative of a
national historic preservation organization;
and
‘‘(v) 2 shall be other individuals that
meet the qualifications stated in paragraph
(3).
‘‘(2) FAILURE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.—
If the Governor of the State of New York, mayor of
the city of New York, New York, or speaker of the
city council of the city of New York, New York, fails
to submit recommendations under clause (i), (ii), or
(iii) of paragraph (1)(D) on or before the date that
is 30 days after the date of enactment of this sec-
tion, the President shall proceed expeditiously to ap-
point a member or members, as the case may be,
under that clause and may do so without regard to
any recommendation that may be made under that
clause after that date.
‘‘(3) QUALIFICATIONS TO BE CONSIDERED.—In
appointing members of the Commission under para-
graph (1), the President shall consider New York
State residents residing in the metropolitan New
York City area with expertise in economic develop-
ment, the real estate industry, the environment,
tourism, education, historic properties, and civic un-
dertakings.
‘‘(c) CHAIRPERSON.—The Administrator of General
Services shall serve as chairperson of the Commission.
‘‘(d) COMPENSATION; TRAVEL EXPENSES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), a
member of the Commission shall serve without com-
pensation.
‘‘(2) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—A member of the
Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, includ-
ing per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates author-
ized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while
away from the home or regular place of business of
the member in the performance of the duties of the
Commission.
‘‘(e) ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT
SERVICES.—The
Administrator of General Services and the heads of other
Federal, State, and local public agencies represented on
the Commission shall provide such administrative and
other support services and facilities as the Commission
may require to perform the duties of the Commission.
‘‘(f) DUTIES.—The Commission shall—
‘‘(1) conduct meetings and hold hearings in ac-
cordance with subsection (g);
‘‘(2) consider each plan for the disposition of
Governors Island, New York, that any person or en-
tity may submit to the Commission; and
‘‘(3) not later than 180 days after the date on
which all of the members of the Commission have
been appointed, submit to the President a rec-
ommendation for the disposition of Governors Is-
land, New York.
‘‘(g) MEETINGS; HEARINGS.—
‘‘(1) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall con-
duct its first meeting not later than the date that is
15 days after the date on which all of the members
of the Commission have been appointed and at such
other times as the chairperson shall direct.
‘‘(2) HEARINGS.—The Commission shall con-
duct at least 4 hearings at which members of the
public shall be entitled to present views on the ap-
propriate disposition of Governors Island.
‘‘(3) LOCATION.—All meetings and hearings
conducted by the Commission shall be conducted in
the city of New York, New York.
‘‘(h) RECOMMENDATION.—The recommendation of
the Commission for disposition of Governors Island shall
include specific proposals for—
‘‘(1) the retention of ownership, in whole or in
part, by the United States or the sale or transfer to
State, city, or local public or private entities of all
of or portions of the Island;
‘‘(2) the rehabilitation, maintenance, and man-
agement of structures of national historic signifi-
cance by the National Park Service or other public
or private entities;
‘‘(3) the use of portions of the Island for com-
mercial activities, recreational activities, or private
or public educational or residential purposes and
other uses;
‘‘(4) the appropriate proportions of Federal,
State, and local public and private transitional fund-
ing and other assistance that will be required to
make the recommended disposition economically fea-
sible;
SEC. 4. TRANSFER OF SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC STRUC-
TURES TO THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Administrative jurisdiction over
the structures described in subsection (b) and adjacent
grounds is transferred to the Secretary of the Interior,
acting through the Director of the National Park Service
(referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’).
(b) HISTORIC STRUCTURES.—The structures re-
ferred to in subsection (a) are the following structures on
Governors Island, New York:
(1) Castle Williams.
(2) Fort Jay.
(3) The Admiral’s Headquarters.
(4) The Governor’s House.
(5) The Block House.
(c) PLAN.—Not later than the date on which the Gov-
ernors Island Commission submits its recommendation to
the President under section 113(f)(2) of the Federal Prop-
erty and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as added
by section 2, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a plan
for inclusion of the structures described in subsection (b)
in the National Park System.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated, for mainte-
nance and preservation of Governors Island and its struc-
tures by the Coast Guard and the National Park Service—
(1) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 1999; and
(2) such sums as are necessary for fiscal year
2000 and each fiscal year thereafter.
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