Title: Fort Ontario Study Act
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Fort Ontario Study Act
This bill directs the Department of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York, which was used as a military installation during the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812.
Interior shall: (1) evaluate the site's national significance, and (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of designating it as a unit of the National Park System.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 46 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 46

    To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 
        resource study of Fort Ontario in the State of New York.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2017

 Mr. Katko (for himself, Ms. Slaughter, and Ms. Tenney) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 
        resource study of Fort Ontario in the State of New York.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Fort Ontario Study Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) From 1755 until 1814, Fort Ontario and three previous 
        fortifications built on the site of the Fort in Oswego, New 
        York, on the shore of Lake Ontario were used as military 
        installations during the French and Indian War, the 
        Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812.
            (2) The original fort, erected by the British in 1755, was 
        destroyed by French forces in 1756. The fort was rebuilt and 
        subsequently destroyed during both the American Revolution and 
        the War of 1812. The star-shaped fort was constructed on the 
        site of the original fortifications in the 1840s, with 
        improvements made from 1863 through 1872.
            (3) The United States Armed Forces began expanding Fort 
        Ontario in the early 20th century and by 1941, approximately 
        125 buildings stood at the fort.
            (4) On June 9, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt 
        announced that Fort Ontario would serve as the Nation's only 
        Emergency Refugee Camp during World War II. From August of 1944 
        until February 1946, nearly 1,000 refugees were sheltered at 
        Fort Ontario.
            (5) Fort Ontario was conveyed from the Federal Government 
        to the State of New York in 1946; it was used to house World 
        War II veterans and their families and then converted to a 
        State historic site in 1953.
            (6) A post cemetery containing the graves of 77 officers, 
        soldiers, women, and children who served at Fort Ontario in war 
        and peace is situated on the grounds of the fort.
            (7) In 1970, Fort Ontario was placed on the National 
        Register of Historic Places.

SEC. 3. FORT ONTARIO SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this 
section as the ``Secretary'') shall conduct a special resource study of 
Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York.
    (b) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) evaluate the national significance of the site;
            (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 
        designating the site as a unit of the National Park System;
            (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 
        protection, and interpretation of the lands by Federal, State, 
        or local governmental entities, or private and nonprofit 
        organizations;
            (4) consult with interested Federal, State, or local 
        governmental entities, private and nonprofit organizations or 
        any other interested individuals;
            (5) determine the effect of the designation of the site as 
        a unit of the National Park System on existing commercial and 
        recreational uses and the effect on State and local governments 
        to manage those activities;
            (6) identify any authorities, including condemnation, that 
        may compel or allow the Secretary to influence or participate 
        in local land use decisions (such as zoning) or place 
        restrictions on non-Federal land if the site is designated a 
        unit of the National Park System; and
            (7) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, 
        development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance 
        associated with the alternatives.
    (c) Applicable Law.--The study authorized under subsection (a) 
shall be conducted in accordance with section 100507 of title 54, 
United States Code.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds 
are first made available for the study under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate a report that describes--
            (1) the findings of the study; and
            (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.
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