IB
Union Calendar No. 503
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4521
[Report No. 106–848]
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to authorize and provide funding
for rehabilitation of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park,
to authorize funds for maintenance of utilities related to the Park,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 23, 2000
Mr. HILL of Montana (for himself, Mr. KASICH, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr.
HANSEN, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. CANNON, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr.
GILCHREST, Mr. COOKSEY, Ms. DUNN, Mr. PITTS, Mr. THUNE, Mr.
WATKINS, Mr. COOK, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr.
DOOLITTLE, Mr. NETHERCUTT, Mr. RILEY, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. POM-
EROY, Mr. HUTCHINSON, Mr. LUCAS of Kentucky, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. GIB-
BONS, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. POMBO,
Mr. SUNUNU, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. SHIMKUS, and Mr.
SIMPSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Resources
SEPTEMBER 14, 2000
Reported with an amendment, 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 May 23, 2000]
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to authorize and
provide funding for rehabilitation of the Going-to-the-
Sun Road in Glacier National Park, to authorize funds
for maintenance of utilities related to the Park, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The historic significance of the 52-mile
Going-to-the-Sun Road is recognized by its listing on
the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, des-
ignation as a National Historic Engineering Land-
mark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in
1985, and designation as a National Historic Land-
mark in 1997.
(2) A contracted engineering study and Federal
Highway Administration recommendations in 1997
of the Going-to-the-Sun Road verified significant
structural damage to the road that has occurred since
it opened in 1932.
(3) Infrastructure at most of the developed areas
is inadequate for cold-season (fall, winter, and
spring) operation, and maintenance backlog needs
exist for normal summer operation.
(4) The Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald
Lodge are on the National Register of Historic Places
and are National Historic Landmarks. Other accom-
modations 
operated 
by 
the 
concessioner 
with
possessory interest and listed on the National Register
of Historic Places are the Rising Sun Motor Inn and
Swiftcurrent Motel.
(5) The historic hotels in Glacier National Park,
operated under concession agreements with the Na-
tional Park Service, are essential for public use and
enjoyment of the Park.
(6) Public consumers deserve safe hotels in Gla-
cier National Park that can meet their basic needs
and expectations.
(7) The historic hotels in Glacier National Park
are significantly deteriorated and need substantial re-
pair.
(8) Repairs of the hotels in Glacier National
Park have been deferred for so long that, absent any
changes to Federal law and the availability of historic
tax credits, the remodeling costs for the hotels may ex-
ceed the capacity of an investor to finance them solely
out of hotel revenues.
(9) The current season of operation for hotels is
approximately 4 months because the developed areas
lack water, sewer, and fire protection systems that
can operate in freezing conditions, lack building insu-
lation, and lack heating systems.
(10) The National Park Service Concessions
Management Improvement Act of 1998 is based upon
sound principles and is achieving its basic purposes,
but there appear to be selected instances where the
National Park Service may need additional authority
to conduct demonstration projects.
(11) A demonstration project is needed for the
repair of the historic hotels in Glacier National Park.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The term ‘‘Advisory
Committee’’ means the Going-to-the-Sun Road Citi-
zens Advisory Committee.
(2) PARK.—The term ‘‘Park’’ means Glacier Na-
tional Park.
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
SEC. 3. GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD STUDY.
(a) FEASIBILITY STUDY.—Not later than December 31,
2001, the Secretary, in consultation with Advisory Com-
mittee, shall complete a feasibility study for rehabilitation
of Going-to-the-Sun Road located in the Park. The study
shall include—
(1) alternatives for rehabilitation of Going-to-
the-Sun Road and a ranking of the feasibility of each
alternative;
(2) an estimate of the length of time necessary to
complete each alternative;
(3) a description of what mitigation efforts
would be used to preserve resources and minimize ad-
verse economic effects of each alternative;
(4) an analysis of the costs and benefits of each
alternative;
(5) an estimate of the cost of each alternative;
(6) an analysis of the economic impact of each
alternative;
(7) an analysis of long-term maintenance needs,
standards, and schedules for the road, alternatives to
accomplish the rehabilitation, maintenance staff
needs, and associated cost estimates;
(8) a draft of the environmental impact state-
ment required under section 102(2)(C) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4332(2)(C)); and
(9) an analysis of improvements to any trans-
portation system relating to the Park that are needed
inside or outside the Park.
(b) CONTINUATION MAINTENANCE.—Nothing in this
section shall affect the duty of the Secretary to continue the
program in effect on the day before the date of the enactment
of this Act to preserve, maintain, and address safety con-
cerns related to Going-to-the-Sun Road.
(c) IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN.—As soon as prac-
ticable after completing the study required by subsection
(a), the Secretary shall—
(1) consider the recommendations of the Advisory
Committee;
(2) choose an alternative for rehabilitation of the
Going-to-the-Sun Road from the alternatives included
in the study based upon the final environmental im-
pact statement required under section 102(2)(C) of
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)); and
(3) begin implementation of a plan based on
that choice.
Implementation actions that are authorized include reha-
bilitation of Going-to-the-Sun Road and expenditure of
funds inside or outside the Park for transportation system
improvements related to the Park and impact mitigation
if recommended by the study and the Advisory Committee.
The Secretary shall also seek funding for the long-term
maintenance needs that the study identifies.
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after completion
of the study required under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall submit a copy of the study to—
(1) the Committee on Resources and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Representa-
tives; and
(2) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources and the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate.
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are
authorized to be appropriated $200,000,000 to the Secretary
to carry out this section, including—
(1) implementation of the plan under subsection
(c); and
(2) the cost of any necessary environmental or
cultural documentation and monitoring, including
the draft environmental impact statement required
under subsection (a)(8).
SEC. 4. MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADE OF UTILITY SYSTEMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after funds
are made available under this section, the Secretary shall
begin the upgrade and continue the maintenance of utility
systems which service the Park and facilities related to the
Park.
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out
this section, $20,000,000.
SEC. 5. VISITOR FACILITIES PLAN.
(a) PLAN FOR VISITOR FACILITIES.—Not later than
December 31, 2001, the Secretary shall complete a com-
prehensive plan for visitor facilities in the Park. The com-
prehensive plan shall include the following:
(1) A completed commercial services plan, as
called for in the Park General Management Plan.
(2) A plan for private financing of rehabilitation
of lodging facilities and associated property that are
listed on the National Register of Historic Places or
are part of a district listed on the National Register
of Historic Places, which may include historic tax
credits, hotel revenue, and other financing alter-
natives as deemed appropriate by the Secretary, and
which may include options such as extending the
Park’s visitor season, additional visitor facilities, and
other options as deemed appropriate by the Secretary
in order to recover the rehabilitation costs.
(3) A financial analysis of the plan under para-
graph (2).
(4) A plan by the Secretary to provide necessary
assistance to appropriate interested entities for the
restoration or comparable replacement of tour buses
for use in the Park.
(5) A plan for a new visitors center at the west
side of the Park, including an appropriate location
and design for the center and suitable housing and
display facilities for museum objects of the Park as
set forth in the Park General Management Plan, in-
cluding any studies required to be carried out under
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and other applicable laws.
(6) A parkwide natural and cultural resources
assessment, in accordance with sections 203 and 204
of the National Parks Omnibus Management Act of
1998 (Public Law 105–391; 112 Stat. 3497), includ-
ing a comprehensive inventory of resources of the
Park.
(7) A description of any additional authority re-
quested by the Secretary to implement the comprehen-
sive plan.
(b) SUBMISSION OF PLAN.—The Secretary shall sub-
mit copies of the comprehensive plan to the Committee on
Resources of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.
(c) IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN.—As soon as prac-
ticable after completion of the comprehensive plan, the Sec-
retary shall implement the comprehensive plan, including
construct the visitors center pursuant to the plan required
by subsection (a)(5).
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $1,000,000
to complete the comprehensive plan.
Union Calendar No. 503
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4521
[Report No. 106–848]
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to authorize
and provide funding for rehabilitation of the
Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park,
to authorize funds for maintenance of utilities re-
lated to the Park, and for other purposes.
SEPTEMBER 14, 2000
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union,
and ordered to be printed