HOUSE HEARING, 107TH CONGRESS - H.R. 1712 and H.R. 2937

H.R. 1712 and H.R.
2937
LEGISLATIVE HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, RECREATION,

AND PUBLIC LANDS
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
February 14, 2002
Serial No. 107-86
Printed for the use of the Committee on Resources
(
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/house
or
Committee address: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

77-681 PS WASHINGTON : 2002
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 5121800; DC area (202) 5121800
Fax: (202) 5122250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 204020001
VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:51 Sep 18, 2002 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 77681.TXT HRESOUR1 PsN: HRESOUR1
COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES
JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah, Chairman
NICK J. RAHALL II, West Virginia, Ranking Democrat Member
Don Young, Alaska, George Miller, California
Vice Chairman Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts
W.J. Billy Tauzin, Louisiana Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
Jim Saxton, New Jersey Peter A. DeFazio, Oregon
Elton Gallegly, California Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa
John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii
Joel Hefley, Colorado Solomon P. Ortiz, Texas
Wayne T. Gilchrest, Maryland Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey
Ken Calvert, California Calvin M. Dooley, California
Scott McInnis, Colorado Robert A. Underwood, Guam
Richard W. Pombo, California Adam Smith, Washington
Barbara Cubin, Wyoming Donna M. Christensen, Virgin Islands
George Radanovich, California Ron Kind, Wisconsin
Walter B. Jones, Jr., North Carolina Jay Inslee, Washington
Mac Thornberry, Texas Grace F. Napolitano, California
Chris Cannon, Utah Tom Udall, New Mexico
John E. Peterson, Pennsylvania Mark Udall, Colorado
Bob Schaffer, Colorado Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Jim Gibbons, Nevada James P. McGovern, Massachusetts
Mark E. Souder, Indiana Anibal Acevedo-Vila, Puerto Rico
Greg Walden, Oregon Hilda L. Solis, California
Michael K. Simpson, Idaho Brad Carson, Oklahoma
Thomas G. Tancredo, Colorado Betty McCollum, Minnesota
J.D. Hayworth, Arizona
C.L. Butch Otter, Idaho
Tom Osborne, Nebraska
Jeff Flake, Arizona
Dennis R. Rehberg, Montana
Tim Stewart, Chief of Staff

Lisa Pittman, Chief Counsel/Deputy Chief of Staff
Steven T. Petersen, Deputy Chief Counsel
Michael S. Twinchek, Chief Clerk
James H. Zoia, Democrat Staff Director
Jeffrey P. Petrich, Democrat Chief Counsel
(II)
SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, RECREATION,
AND PUBLIC LANDS
GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California, Chairman
DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN, Virgin Islands Ranking Democrat Member
Elton Gallegly, California Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa
Joel Hefley, Colorado Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey
Wayne T. Gilchrest, Maryland Tom Udall, New Mexico
Walter B. Jones, Jr., North Carolina, Mark Udall, Colorado
Vice Chairman Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Mac Thornberry, Texas James P. McGovern, Massachusetts
Chris Cannon, Utah Anibal Acevedo-Vila, Puerto Rico
Bob Schaffer, Colorado Hilda L. Solis, California
Jim Gibbons, Nevada Betty McCollum, Minnesota
Mark E. Souder, Indiana
Michael K. Simpson, Idaho
Thomas G. Tancredo, Colorado
(III)
C O N T E N T S
Page
Hearing held on February 14, 2002 ....................................................................... 1
Statement of Members:
Christensen, Hon. Donna M., a Delegate in Congress from the
Virgin Islands ............................................................................................... 2
Faleomavaega, Hon. Eni F.H., a Delegate in Congress from
American Samoa .......................................................................................... 7
Prepared statement on H.R. 1712 ........................................................... 8
Letters and background paper submitted for the record ....................... 10
Gibbons, Hon. Jim, a Representative in Congress from the State of
Nevada ........................................................................................................... 3
Radanovich, Hon. George P., a Representative in Congress from the State
of California ................................................................................................... 1
Prepared statement on H.R. 1712 and H.R. 2937 ................................. 2
Reid, Hon. Harry, U.S. Senator, State of Nevada ......................................... 5
Statement of Witnesses:
Culp, Carson Pete, Assistant Director, Minerals, Realty and Resource
Protection, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the
Interior, Washington, D.C. ........................................................................... 22
Lee, Hon. John J., Nevada State Assemblyman, 3rd District, State of
Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada ........................................................................ 19
Reynolds, John J., Regional Director, Pacific West Region, National Park
Service, San Francisco, California ............................................................... 23
Additional materials supplied:
ODonnell, Brian, Associate Director, Wilderness Support Center, The
Wilderness Society, Statement submitted for the record on H.R. 2937 .. 29
(V)
LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON H.R. 1712, TO
AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE
INTERIOR TO MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS
TO THE BOUNDARY OF THE NATIONAL
PARK OF AMERICAN SAMOA TO INCLUDE
CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE ISLANDS OF
OFU AND OLOSEGA WITHIN THE PARK, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES; AND H.R. 2937, TO
PROVIDE FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF CER-
TAIN PUBLIC LAND IN CLARK COUNTY,
NEVADA, FOR USE AS A SHOOTING RANGE.
Thursday, February 14, 2002

U.S. House of Representatives
Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands
Committee on Resources
Washington, DC
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:12 p.m., in room

1334, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. George Radanovich
[Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding.
STATEMENT OF THE HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH, A
REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA
Mr. RADANOVICH. Good afternoon. The Subcommittee will come
to order. And this afternoon the Subcommittee on National Parks,
Recreation and Public Lands will hear testimony and two bills,
H.R. 1712 and H.R. 2937.
The first bill, H.R. 1712, introduced by our Subcommittee col-
league Eni Faleomavaegasee, I got the last name rightwould
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make minor boundary ad-
justments to the National Park of American Samoa to include addi-
tional areas of land and coral reef on the islands of Ofu and
Olosega.
Currentlyhow was that?
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Excellent.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Currently the National Park of American
Samoa includes the only paleotropical rain forest in the United
(1)
2
States. It is my understanding that there is broad support among

the local villages for boundary expansion.
Our other bill, H.R. 2937, introduced by another Subcommittee
colleague, Congressman Jim Gibbons, would provide for the convey-
ance of approximately 2,880 acres of public land to Clark County,
Nevada, for use as a regional public shooting range. For the past
20 years, the number of public and private shooting ranges
throughout the Las Vegas valley have been closed due to unprece-
dented residential growth. It is my understanding that the admin-
istration supports this legislation.
Once again, I appreciate the witnesses being here to testify
today. And now I turn my time over to our ranking member. Before
I say that, I have got a sick wife and child that I need to take to
the doctor, probably about 2:30. So Mr. Gibbons has agreed to take
the meeting on from there. So I will be ducking out after a little
bit.
But, Donna, I turn it over to you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Radanovich follows:]
Statement of The Honorable George P. Radanovich, a Representative in
Congress from the State of California
Good afternoon and welcome to the hearing today. The Subcommittee will come
to order. This afternoon, the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Pub-
lic Lands will hear testimony on two bills, H.R. 1712 and H.R. 2937.
The first bill, H.R. 1712, introduced by our Subcommittee colleague, Eni
Faleomavaega, would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make minor bound-
ary adjustments to the National Park of American Samoa to include additional
areas of land and coral reef on the islands of OFOO and OLOWSEGA (Ofu and
Olosega). Currently, the National Park of American Samoa includes the only
paleotropical rainforest in the United States. It is my understanding there is broad
support among the local villages for the boundary expansion.
Our other bill, H.R. 2937, introduced by another Subcommittee colleague, Con-
gressman James Gibbons, would provide for the conveyance of approximately 2,880
acres of public land to Clark County, Nevada, for use as a regional public shooting
range. For the past twenty years, a number of public and private shooting ranges
throughout Las Vegas valley have been closed due to the unprecedented residential
growth. It is my understanding the Administration supports the legislation.
Once again, I appreciate the witnesses being here to testify today and I now turn
the time over to the ranking member, Mrs. Christensen for an opening statement.
STATEMENT OF THE HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN, A

DELEGATE TO CONGRESS FROM THE TERRITORY OF THE
VIRGIN ISLANDS
Ms. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As you said, we
are going to receive testimony on two unrelated bills today. I would
like to welcome Senator Reid and, of course, our Subcommittee col-
league here who is the sponsor of the first measure, H.R. 1712,
which would provide for the addition of certain lands and waters
to the National Park of American Samoa.
As my colleague from American Samoa can attest, this is a
unique national park that helps protect an important tropical eco-
system. It is my understanding that the lands and the waters
added to be park would preserve significant natural and culture re-
sources, as well as enhance the protection of existing park re-
sources.
The second measure before the Subcommittee today, H.R. 2937,
sponsored by another of our colleagues on the Subcommittee, Mr.
3
Gibbons, would convey about 4.5 square miles of Federal land in

Clark County, Nevada, to the county government. The acreage in
question is currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management
as part of the Quail Springs Wilderness Study Area, and the legis-
lation releases the land from the WSA status.
Apparently, the purpose of the legislation is to provide a central-
ized firearms training facility and shooting range in the Las Vegas
valley, the benefits of which are obvious. However, this transaction
raises several concerns, not the least of which is the overall size of
the transfer and the lack of consideration paid for the land. In ad-
dition, disposal of a part of a wilderness study area is always a
cause for some concern.
Finally, the legislation provides that should any of the parcels
conveyed by the bill cease to be used as a shooting range, they will
revert to Federal ownership; it is unclear what the BLM might do
with the land that has been used in such a manner, though.
We would thank all the witnesses for their effort and time and
look forward to learning about these issues this afternoon.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Thank you, Mrs. Christensen.
I want to welcome Mr. Faleomavaega, who is welcome to join us
on the dais. Of course, you are on the Committee.
And also, Senator Reid, welcome to the Committee.
And right now, I turn my time over to Mr. Gibbons to explain
his bill. And then we will go to the
STATEMENT OF THE HON. JAMES A. GIBBONS, A REPRESENTA-
TIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEVADA
Mr. GIBBONS. Thank you very much. And I ask unanimous con-
sent that a written copy of my testimony be entered into the
record. I will try to summarize what I want to say here very quick-
ly so I can turn the mike over to Senator Reid, who would also like
to make comments. I know his time schedule is very, very critical
in all of this today.
I want to thank you for the opportunity to have us provide this
legislation before the Committee today.
H.R. 2937 is a conveyance of certain public lands in Clark Coun-
ty for a shooting range, as you have been told. Companion legisla-
tion by Senator Reid and Senator Ensign in the Senate have intro-
duced a similar bill, S. 1451. We hope that both bodies can approve
our legislation expeditiously.
For 15 years Nevada has had the fastest growing population of
any State in the Union, and for 20 years Clark County has been
the fastest county with the majority of that growth taking place in
the Second Congressional District.
Accommodating our growth and meeting its challenges is some-
thing that I often discuss in this Committee. Many of us know that
with this growth come increasing population demands. With 87
percent of Nevada being owned by the Federal Government, and
that percentage is growing, the conflict between needs of recreation
and demands of growth make it very difficult for Nevadans to find
opportunities to recreate.
This piece of legislation before us today will accommodate an-
other long-term recreational favorite in Nevada, which is target
shooting. It is 2,800 acres in the North Las Vegas area to be used
4
as a permanent shooting range. Half of the 2,800 acres, or 1,400

acres, will serve simply as a buffer zone for public safety. And that
is the reason why the acreage is as large as it is.
This facility will not only provide the public with a safe place to
shoot, it will serve as a training facility for our law enforcement
personnel in southern Nevada, a very important issue following
September the 11th as well. Two thousand eight hundred acres are
currently designated as wilderness study area by the BLM, and the
release language includes that it declares that the land conveyed
has been adequately studied for wilderness designation under the
Land Policy Act and has been found suitable for conveyance over
to the county.
Mr. Chairman, this legislation represents a simple land convey-
ance and makes good sense. If the county fails to use the land for
the designated purpose it will revert back to it. There will be reme-
dial, I am sure, actions to clean up any activities that remain if the
county decides not to use the land; but it will revert back to the
government.
With that, I yield back the balance of my time and want to thank
you. And I also want to make one important statement, that I fully
support my good friend from American Samoa and his bill as well.
So with that said, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Gibbons follows:]
Statement of The Honorable Jim Gibbons, a Representative in Congress
from the State of Nevada, on H.R. 2937
Mr. Chairman. Thank you for providing the opportunity to have this legislation
heard before our committee today. H.R. 2937 is a bill to provide for the conveyance
of certain public lands in Clark County, Nevada, for use as a public shooting range.
The original author of this legislation is my Senate colleaguewho joins us today
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada. As demonstrated by Senator Reids presence, this
legislation enjoys strong bipartisan and bicameral support from our Nevada delega-
tion.
For fifteen consecutive years, Nevada has had the fastest growing population of
any other state. For twenty years, Clark County, Nevada, has been the fastest grow-
ing county, with the majority of that growth taking place in the Second District of
Nevada. Accommodating our growth and meeting its challenges is something I often
discuss before this very committee.
Mr. Chairman, we take great pride in the outdoor recreational opportunities Ne-
vada has to offer. As many of you know, Nevada is currently 87 percent public
landswhich means that most of the recreation takes place on our public lands. I
must say, it was quite discouraging for me to read recent press accounts taken from
a speech delivered by our BLM Director in Nevadawhere he stated that the 87
percent figure I just noted is actually increasing!
Regardless, protecting multiple-use of our lands in Nevada is important to our
citizens. Whether it is hiking at Red Rock Canyon, boating at Lake Mead or
Kayaking the Colorado Riverwe provide a wealth of out-door activities. The legis-
lation before us today helps accommodate another long-time, recreational favorite in
Nevada- target shooting.
H.R. 2937 will designate approximately 2,800 acres of public land in North Las
Vegas to be used as a permanent shooting range. About half of the 2,800 acres will
actually contain the shooting range, with the other 1,400 acres serving as a required
buffer zone to ensure public safety. This new shooting facility will not only provide
the public with a safe place to shoot, it will serve as a training facility for our law
enforcement personnel in southern Nevada. As Senator Reid can attest to, signifi-
cant work has gone into this legislationincluding reversion language should Clark
County cease to use the land as prescribed in this bill.
Further, because the 2,800 acres is currently designated Wilderness Study Area
by the BLM, release language is included that declares the land conveyed has been
adequately studied for wilderness designation under the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act (FLPMA). Once the land is conveyed to Clark County, it will no
5
longer be subject to FLPMA requirements. Mr. Chairman, this legislation represents
a simple land conveyance and it makes good sense. H.R. 2937 is supported by Ne-
vadas congressional delegation, our law enforcement personnel, Clark County and
the public at-large.
Again, I want to thank you for this opportunity and I hope we can move this bill
in the very near future. I will be happy to answer any questions you or this com-
mittee may have
Thank you.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Thank you very much, Mr. Gibbons.

While we are on the same bill, Senator Reid, welcome to the
Committee. And please feel free to talk about this legislation.
STATEMENT OF THE HON. HARRY REID, A UNITED STATES
SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEVADA
Senator REID. I appreciate the courtesy of my friend, allowing me
to go forward. Really, he showed me this Park Service visual aid
of American Samoa. It reminds me of Nevada.
Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. I do hope your daughter
and wife are well. There is a real plague going around in the form
of a flu and very bad bronchitis and sinusitis and those kinds of
things. Lucky you have a doctor on the Subcommittee here to take
care of things.
I am happy to be here, especially being able to seewe lived in
the same town a good part of our lives, but we never had the op-
portunity to visit with each other very much, Jim Gibbons and I.
I am very happy to be here with Jim, who does such a great job
for the State. I am sure all of you know this, but if you dont, let
me remind you his wife also does a great job for the State. She is
a member of the Nevada State legislature.
Mr. GIBBONS. I thank you for reminding me, Senator, that my
life is run by Alfred Hitchcock.
Senator REID. She has a greatI guess the Gibbonses have a
great political history. When he was called into active duty because
of the Gulf War, he had to give up his position in the Nevada State
legislature, and his wife was chosen to replace him; and she did
such a great job. And thereafter Jim was relocated. We like them
both a lot.
Mr. Chairman, also today we have another fine specimen from
Nevada, Assemblyman John Lee, who is going to testify about this
legislation. We are grateful that you have allowed him the oppor-
tunity to testify.
Let me just say this: I ask unanimous consent that my statement
be made part of the record. I want to condense it. I know how busy
everyone is.
Clark County is growing very, very rapidly. And for those of us
who used to go out shooting, you cant do that any more because
you wind up shooting someone. Las Vegas is the fastest growing
area in the entire country, and contrary to a popular belief, Las
Vegas is one of the most densely populated areas. There is not a
lot of wide, open spaces in Las Vegas, and that is because 87 per-
cent of the land in the State of Nevada is owned by the Federal
Government. We are land starved.
As a result of this, the dozensand I should say hundreds and
hundreds of people who used to have little places they would go
6
shoot, they cant do that anymore. So now what is happening, there

are makeshift shooting ranges scattered in and around Las Vegas,
and they are dangerous, to say the least. And it creates a real law
enforcement problem.
This legislation that has been introduced by Congressman Gib-
bons paves the way for a world-class shooting range, sports park,
firearms training facility. The reason we need a lot of landre-
member, we dont have much. The reason we need a lot of land,
I say to Mrs. Christensen, is the fact that this is going to be an
area where people can be shooting. We want a lot of space.
We have a lot of space in southern Nevada, but it is all owned
by the Federal Government. And while 3,000 acres sounds like a
lot of land, Nevada has about 75 million acres, and it is just a tiny
speck of land. Remember, 87 percent of the 75 million is owned by
the Federal Government.
We believe that we need safe places to shoot. Even law enforce-
ment is having difficulty finding places for their police officers to
qualify and to maintain their ability to be police officers.
This facility will benefit the public by establishing this facility in
Las Vegas valley. It will enhance public safety, provide economic
incentives to Las Vegas valley in the form of jobs and, of course,
support services. That is why this has a literalor I shouldnt say
literal, the support of wide-ranging organizations and people
Clark County Board of County Commissioners; Clark County Parks
and Recreation; Clark County Parks and Recreation Advisory
Boards; city of Henderson, now the second largest city in Nevada;
Nevada State Majority Leader, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police De-
partment; National Bench West Shooters Association; International
Bench West Shooters; Las Vegas Convention Visitors Bureau; USA
Shooting, which is the national governing body for the Olympic
shooting sports; Las Vegas Trap Shooting Park.
This is my favorite, the International Handgun Metallic Sil-
houette Association; the Single Action Shooting SocietyI could go
on and on. There are numerous organizations who spend their
spare time shooting and they simply havent had the opportunity
to do that.
We have numerous letters of support. One I received was from
a Boy Scout. He writes, quote, My troop and I are looking forward
to using the new shooting range. The range would provide our
troop and other Boy Scouts with a safe area in which to earn our
Scouting shooting merit badges. Thank you for sponsoring this bill
and good luck in getting it passed. .
So I say to the members of this Subcommittee, with your help
today, I hope we can get the shooting range established, help this
Boy Scout, his troop, and many others.
[The prepared statement of Senator Reid follows:
Statement of The Honorable Harry Reid, a U.S. Senator from the State of
Nevada
Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell you about
a bill thats important to the people of Nevada and to me. This bill would transfer
about 2,900 acres of public land to Clark County for use as a firearms training facil-
ity and recreational shooting range.
As you may be aware, Clark County has grown rapidly over the last few decades:
in just the last 12 years, for example, the countys population has almost doubled,
from 770,000 to over 1.4 million. As more and more people have moved into the Las
7
Vegas Valley, land that was once considered the back of beyond is now practically
in peoples backyards. This population growth, in turn, has stressed the land by in-
creasing the demand for traditional public-land uses like hunting, fishing, and rec-
reational target shooting.
There are dozensmaybe hundredsof makeshift shooting ranges scattered in
and around the Las Vegas Valley. Shooting posed little risk when the ranges were
located far from town, but as the Valleys population has continued to surge, activity
in these places now endangers nearby homes and increasingly busy roads.
My bill paves the way for a world-class shooting range, sports park, and firearms
training facility by conveying 2,880 acres of public land to Clark County. This facil-
ity will provide the public with opportunities for education and recreation and pro-
vide a location for competitive events and firearms training. Development has also
encroached upon facilities operated by the Metropolitan Police Department and
North Las Vegas Police Department. The proposed new facility could also accommo-
date law enforcement training for firearms qualification and certification.
Given the growing demand for safe places to shoot, its important that the area
be large enough to provide for public safety, not to mention the safety of the shoot-
ers themselves. I feel that this parcel is sufficient to make sure that shooting can
take place without endangering the surrounding communities or the participants.
The most important way to ensure a high degree of safety is to provide a significant
buffer on all sides of the range.
I strongly believe that a facility of this kind will provide significant public benefit.
By establishing a world-class shooting range in the Las Vegas Valley, this bill will
enhance public safety and provide economic incentives to the Las Vegas Valley in
the form of jobs and support services. For these and other reasons, the following
organizations and entities support my bill:
Clark County Board of Commissioners
Clark County Parks and Recreation Department
Clark County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
City of Henderson City Council
Nevada State Senate Majority Leader
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
The National Bench Rest Shooters Association
International Benchrest Shooters
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
USA Shooting: National Governing Body for the Olympic Shooting Sports
Las Vegas Trap Shooting Park
The International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association
Single Action Shooting Society
As the above list shows, Ive received many letters of support. One that I received
from a Boy Scout is particularly compelling. He writes, My troop and I are looking
forward to using the new shooting range. The range would provide our Troop and
other Boy Scouts of America Troops with a safe area in which to earn our Shooting
Merit Badges. Thank you for sponsoring this bill and good luck getting it passed.
With your help today, I hope that we can get this shooting range established to help
this Boy Scout and the many other people in Las Vegas Valley who will benefit from
it.
Once again, I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, and the members of this Com-
mittee for holding a hearing on this important bill.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Thank very much, Senator.

Eni was planning, or thinking, that in my job as Chairman of
this Committee, I needed to travel out to American Samoa to see
this proposal here; but since I can just go to Nevada, I think I will
probably
Senator REID. What I would suggest is that when we, you and
I, travel to American Samoa, we will stop in Las Vegas on the way.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Eni, welcome. Please begin your testimony.
STATEMENT OF THE HON. ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, A
DELEGATE TO CONGRESS FROM THE TERRITORY OF
AMERICAN SAMOA
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And certainly I
would like toit is such an honor for our Subcommittee to have
8
the presence of our distinguished majority whip, Senator Reid, here

with us testifying in our Subcommittee. I also would like to offer
my cosponsorship and support of my good friends bill that is now
being considered by our Subcommittee this afternoon, Congress-
man Gibbons.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask, also, unanimous consent to
have my statement be made part of the record.
In essence, this is a culmination of some 4 years of study and
preparation in the expanse of our humble and little national park
there in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Mr. Chairman, the very unique feature of our national park sys-
tem in American Samoa is that it is the only tropical rain forest
that we have in the United States. There are also some 3- to 4,000
years of history and culture that go with this proposed expansion
effort of the park. A lot of historical sites have not even been sur-
veyed, and hopefully, this will be part of this proposal for expan-
sion of the national park in American Samoa.
I am also delighted to hearand, hopefully, this will be a con-
firmedI am told that our able and very good National Park Serv-
ice is supportive of this proposal. That certainly makes my work a
lot easier, even though I still have to depend a lot, tremendously,
on you, Mr. Chairman, and our ranking member and members of
our distinguished Subcommittee for your support and assistance in
getting this legislation through.
With that, in essence, I would welcome any questions that mem-
bers of our Subcommittee might have on this bill.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Faleomavaega follows:]
Statement of The Honorable Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, a Delegate in
Congress from American Samoa, on H.R. 1712
Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Hansen and Mr. Rahall, our full com-
mittee leaders, and Chairman Radanovich and Ms. Christensen with the Parks Sub-
committee for their support in bringing this bill before the Committee today.
H.R. 1712 will make adjustments to the boundary of the National Park of American
Samoa.
The U.S. territory of American Samoa is located approximately 2,400 miles south-
west of Hawaii, and the National Park of American Samoa is located on three sepa-
rate islands: Tutuila, Ofu and Tau. The Islands of Ofu and Olosega, portions of
which would be added to the park under this legislation, are small islands which
lie adjacent to each other, and are connected by a short bridge.
In 1998, I received requests from village chiefs from the Villages of Sili and
Olosega, on the Island of Olosega, to include portions of their village lands within
the National Park. The chiefs noted the important role the Park plays in preserving
the natural and cultural resources of the territory, and indicated that the village
councils believe there are significant cultural resources on village lands which war-
rant consideration for addition to the park.
I asked the National Park Service to conduct a study to determine if there were
in fact resources on the island which warranted inclusion in the park. The Park
Service completed reconnaissance surveys of the Island of Olosega and of a portion
of the Island of Ofu, and reported on both. The Service concluded in part:
The archaeological significance of [Olosega Island] cannot be understated. Sites
on the ridgeline and terraces may offer an important opportunity for the study and
interpretation of ancient Samoa. The number and density of star mounds (31), the
great number of modified terraces (46) and home sites (14), the subsistence system,
and the artifacts available are all important findings. This is particularly significant
in that they were recorded in only 3 days of visual surveys on only a portion of the
island.
The National Park of American Samoa is continuing to develop. Established in
1988 by Public Law 100571, the Park took several years to become operational.
Today, however, tourists are visiting and school teachers are using the Park as an
9
educational resource to help the students learn more about Samoan history and cul-
ture, the environment, and ecological conservation. The Park is preserving the area
within its boundaries, but as the population growsthere was a 22% increase from
1990 to 2000considerable pressure is being placed on those undeveloped areas.
The additions proposed by this legislation will preserve important sections of the
remaining natural and cultural resources. Due to the historical significance and ex-
pedient nature of this matter, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation.
[Attachments to Mr. Faleomavaegas statement follow:]
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Mr. RADANOVICH. Thank you, sir.

The only question I might have on the islands, is therecan you
gauge the support for the expansion of the Park Service? Is it over-
whelming? Is it 50-50?
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. The island, as you see on this chart, Mr.
Chairman, is about 60 miles from the main island. We dont have
towns and cities as you would in Las Vegas or Los Angeles; we
have villages. And in essence what we have in terms of the support
that has been brought forth, at least to my attention, some 4 years
ago, are the chiefs of the villages, the two basic villages that are
here are very supportive of the national park. I believe you have
them there, the letters that have been signed by the traditional
leaders, as well as the members of the villages.
If I would also like to add that I would really welcome you, Mr.
Chairman and Donna and members of our Subcommittee. We
would love to have you come and visit our little national park. We
havehopefully, if the bird-watchers of America will ever catch the
word, we have a flying fox, or a bat that flies during the day. You
know, you see most pictures of bats in caves and they only come
out at night. We have a bat that flies during the day. I thought
maybe this is something that bird-watchers of America would come
and love to see. It is there on our little island.
I dont know how I could explain it further, Mr. Chairman. I real-
ize we are isolated being out in the middle of the Pacific. Our isola-
tion also could be a blessing in a way, Mr. Chairman, where we
dont have too many tourists coming to visit. But more than any-
thing the essence of this bill is preserving the archaeological histor-
ical sites that are found in these ancient places. They have just
now discovered many artifacts and ancient ruins in the villages
that were there hundreds of years ago. This is one reason why we
are putting this bill forwardto preserve a lot of these historical
sites.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Well, looking at the pictures of the island, I
wouldnt be going out there to see bats. The beaches and the moun-
tains look just incredible, just gorgeous.
Donna, did you have any questions?
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I would want to just follow up on the same
questions you asked at first, because as we are doing some expan-
sion to our parks, through monuments, we have a lot of concerns
in our fishing community with that, an area that is usually fished.
Would your fishermen be in that area and will they now be re-
stricted from fishing? Has there been any concern raised about
that?
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. There has been no concern on any of the
fishing activities, mainly because our fishing activity within the
surroundings is really for subsistence. It is not for commercial pur-
poses, even though, ironically, I do have the largest tuna canning
facility in the world. But they dont fish around these areas; they
fish in the central and eastern waters, deep water fishing.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. In the Virgin Islands, it doesnt make any
difference whether it was commercial or recreational, subsistence,
any fishing, we still had a large outcry from our fishing commu-
nity. But that is not the case with this one?
18
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. No, because I think your tourism industry

is probably a hundred times bigger than ours. That is the advan-
tage when you have visitors; this is where a lot of the recreational
fishing comes into play. We dont have that as much, not at all.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I am interested not in the tourists, but how
about from the native Samoan community?
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Like I said, the natives fish a lot, but it is
not for trying to make a $150 million industry out of it. It is basi-
cally for subsistence living.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. They have no problem with the expansion of
the park?
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. No, not at all.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you.
Mr. GIBBONS. [Presiding.] Thank you. I want to tell you that I
have been to Pago Pago and American Samoa. If this were in Ne-
vada, the whole thing would be a park; it is that beautiful. You live
in a very pretty part of the world. I fully understand your enthu-
siasm for the project that you have brought before us.
I have no questions, I just want to thank you for telling us a lit-
tle more about it and having the opportunity to work with you on
this bill. And we certainly think that it is a very worthwhile project
to do.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Even though this is an unrelated issue, I
am dead serious about the situation about the Yucca Mountain. I
would more than happy to sign any petition, any resolution, any-
thing.
Mr. GIBBONS. Believe me, as we go down the road, there will be
plenty for you to do on that.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I say this with sensitivity, Jim, because you
know my region has experienced more the situation of our govern-
ment detonating 66 nuclear bombs in the Marshall Islands, not too
far from where we are and where we exploded the Bravo shot.
I dont knowmany American dont realize it; this is where we
exploded the hydrogen bomb that was 1,000 times more lethal than
the bombs we dropped in Nagasaki and literally blew an island out
of existence.
And then many Americans dont know that the French Govern-
ment also exploded over 200 nuclear bombs in the South Pacific.
So the sensitivity about nuclear waste and nuclear anything comes
very, very high, in my opinion, in terms of the experiences that we
have had to go through. With respect to some 3 million people liv-
ing in the State of Nevada, why should you have to be the recipient
of nuclear waste of our other fellowsister states.
It seems to me the common logic would say, why not establish
regional centers that if you want to use nuclear energy as part of
your resource, then you should take care of it. But why should Ne-
vada be the dumping ground?
One issue that I am really curious about is how the administra-
tion as well as the Congress are going to grapple with whose towns
are going to be the sacrificial lambs when these things are going
to be transported? What cities? What rural areas are going to be
the ones that are going to be the sacrificial lambs if anything goes
wrong with the transportation of this contaminated nuclear waste?
19
It is something that I am very curious about how the Energy De-

partment is going to come up with a solution to that.
But anyway, I know this is unrelated, but I want to let you know
that I offer to assist the Nevada delegation in fighting this. I think
it is a most unfair policy to heap upon one State to benefit of the
rest. It is not right.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. GIBBONS. Thank you. Sometimes science overtakes politics
and politics overtake science. This is one of those cases. But I ap-
preciate your eloquence and your insight into the issue, and your
friendship on that as well.
I would like to call up our next panel, which is going to be com-
posed of Mr. John Reynolds, regional director of the Pacific West
Region, National Park Service; Mr. Carson Pete Culp, who is the
Assistant Director of Minerals, Realty, and Resource Protection,
Bureau of Land Management, and the great Honorable John Lee,
Assemblyman from the State of Nevada.
Mr. GIBBONS. John, welcome. John is one of the more articulate
public servants that we have from the Las Vegas area, District 3
in the State of Nevada. He very ably represents his area, and he
will be able to talk to us about this legislation as well.
In fact, what I will do, John, just because of your position in the
legislature, I will turn to you and let you make your opening re-
marks first. I want to welcome you to the Committee. If you will
try to summarize your remarks within a 5-minute timeframe, we
will answer questions and go to the other gentlemen as well.
STATEMENT OF THE HON. JOHN J. LEE, ASSEMBLYMAN,
NEVADA STATE LEGISLATURE
Mr. LEE. Thank you. My talk starts out Chairman Radanovich,
but I am much more excited to call it Vice Chairman Gibbons
today. It is nice to see another Nevadan serving so well here.
Vice Chairman Gibbons and members of the Committee, I am
John J. Lee. I represent Clark County, Assembly District 3, which
is the metropolitan area of Las Vegas. I am appearing today on be-
half of the State legislature to speak in favor of H.R. 3937. During
its last session, the Nevada legislature unanimously approved As-
sembly Joint Resolution 6 that called upon Congress to support the
release of property in Clark County, controlled by the Bureau of
Land Management, for the development of a regional shooting
park.
In Nevada, as in many other parts of the Western United States,
firearms enthusiasts use public lands as places to practice their
hobby. Shooters go out in the desert with a few paper targets or
a stack of tin cans to sight in their rifles or hone their shooting
skills.
In recent years, the BLM or local governments have restricted
shooting in many areas, forcing hobbyists to travel to more remote
locations. Unfortunately, some ignore these restrictions and con-
tinue to shoot near settled areas.
As you may know, Las Vegas is the fastest growing metropolitan
area in the Nation. Las Vegas is located on open desert, sur-
rounded by Federal lands. Unlike most other cities, it does not
have a surrounding buffer of farms or other private property. In-
20
stead, outlying housing developments are immediately adjacent to

public lands where sports shooters have practiced for years and
which they feel entitled to continue to use. This situation poses a
serious hazard to the public.
Two years ago a stray bullet killed a Las Vegas police officer. In
November 1999, an errant round struck a vehicle in the local camp-
ground, and an accidental shooting killed a local man. Residents of
the outlying subdivisions are beginning to voice complaints about
near misses and the dangers indiscriminate shooting poses to their
lives and property.
The need for a shooting park is evident. The citizens of southern
Nevada own an estimated 400,000 registered handguns and an un-
told number of hunting rifles and shotguns. About 13,000 citizens
hold concealed weapons permits. These persons must periodically
demonstrate their firearms proficiency. In addition, there are 3,000
police officers, several thousand private security guards and a large
number of law enforcement personnel employed by the Nevada
Highway Patrol, the FBI, the Secret Service and other State or
Federal agencies that need a safe, accessible area in which to train.
The proposed park would accommodate shooters of all kinds.
This facility would address recreational needs, gun safety training
classes, courses required for hunting licenses, and local and na-
tional competitive events. It would include facilities for archery,
pistol practice, rifle shooting and shotguns. It would incorporate a
variety of safety features, including buffer areas, backdrops and
safety berms. It would include access roads, parking areas, rest
rooms and other facilities to make the area safe, comfortable and
convenient.
The proposed shooting park which has been described to you
today would have several benefits. First, it would reduce the
amount of indiscriminate shooting that occurs on the fringes of our
city. This shooting poses a serious hazard. Shooters must share
public lands with hikers, bicyclists, motorcyclists, off-road vehicle
enthusiasts, horseback riders and campers. In recent years, this
competition among these various users of public lands has become
more intense. In some cases, the BLM has closed part of the public
lands to shooters, leaving them with few areas in which they can
pursue their sport.
In addition, because the BLM does not have the staff to super-
vise these activities, the danger of indiscriminate shooting has in-
creased, even in areas where shooting has been banned.
Second, the unsupervised shooting on public lands poses environ-
mental problems. In many areas, shooters leave behind garbage
and debris, harm wildlife, cut dusty trails and roads or vandalize
natural wilderness areas. Providing a suitable location for shooting
can reduce these problems.
Third, the shooting park would replace facilities in the Las Vegas
area that must be closed in the near future because of encroaching
development. These include a police firearms training facility oper-
ated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and an
archery range that must be relocated to make way for the develop-
ment of a wetlands park. In addition, several private shooting clubs
have been recently forced to close by nearby residential or commer-
cial developments.
21
Fourth, the regional shooting range would provide a venue for re-
gional and national shooting competitions, adding an important at-
traction to our areas tourist-based economy which has been se-
verely affected by the recent fall in tourist travel. This project has
the enthusiastic support of the legislature and the people of Ne-
vada. It has been endorsed by our law enforcement agencies, sports
shooting clubs, the Sierra Club, and other environmental groups.
In the entire time I have worked on this issue, I have yet to en-
counter anyone who is opposed to this project.
In conclusion, speaking on behalf of the Nevada legislature, and
my own constituents in southern Nevada, I urge the Subcommittee
to approve this measure that you have before you today.
Thank you, Congressman Gibbons, for your full support and con-
cern.
Mr. GIBBONS. Thank you very much.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Lee follows:]
Statement of The Honorable John J. Lee, Nevada State Assemblyman, on
H.R. 2937
Chairman Radanovich and members of the committee, I am Nevada State Assem-
blyman John J. Lee. I represent Clark County Assembly District No. 3, which is in
the metropolitan Las Vegas area. I am appearing today on behalf of the Nevada
State Legislature to speak in speak in favor of H.R. 2937.
During its last session, the Nevada Legislature unanimously approved Assembly
Joint Resolution No. 6 that calls upon Congress to support the release of property
in Clark County controlled by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the devel-
opment of a regional shooting park.
In Nevada, as in many other parts of the western United States, firearms enthu-
siasts use public lands as a place to practice their hobby. Shooters go out into the
desert with a few paper targets or a stack of tin cans to site in their rifles or hone
their shooting skills. In recent years, the BLM or local governments have restricted
shooting in many areas, forcing hobbyists to travel to more remote locations. Unfor-
tunately, some ignore these restrictions and continue to shoot near settled areas.
As you may know, Las Vegas is the fastest growing metropolitan area in the na-
tion. Las Vegas is located in an open desert surround by Federal lands. Unlike most
other cities, it does not have a surrounding buffer of farms and other private prop-
erty. Instead, outlying housing developments are immediately adjacent to public
lands where sports shooters have practiced for years and which they feel entitled
to continue to use.
This situation poses a serious hazard to the public. Two years ago, a stray bullet
killed a Las Vegas police officer. In November 1999, an errant round struck a vehi-
cle in a local campground, and an accidental shooting recently killed a local man.
Residents of outlying subdivisions are beginning to voice complaints about near
misses and the dangers indiscriminate shooting poses to their lives and property.
The need for a shooting park is evident. The citizens of southern Nevada own an
estimated 400,000 registered handguns and an untold number of hunting rifles and
shot guns. About 13,000 citizens hold concealed weapons permits. These persons
must periodically demonstrate their firearms proficiency. In addition, there are
3,000 police officers, several thousand private security guards, and a large number
of other law enforcement personnel employed by the Nevada Highway Patrol, the
FBI, the Secret Service and other state or Federal agencies that need a safe, acces-
sible area in which to train.
The proposed park would accommodate shooters of all kinds. This facility would
address recreational needs, gun safety training classes, courses required for hunting
licenses, and local and national competitive events. It would include facilities for
archery, pistol practice, rifle shooting, and shotguns. It would incorporate a variety
of safety features, including buffer areas, backdrops, and safety berms. It would in-
clude access roads, parking areas, restrooms, and other facilities to make the area
safe, comfortable, and convenient.
The proposed shooting park, which has been described to you today, would have
several benefits. First, it would reduce the amount of indiscriminate shooting that
occurs on the fringes of our city. This shooting poses a serious hazard. Shooters
must share public lands with hikers, bicyclists, motorcyclists, off-road vehicle
22
enthusiasts, horseback riders, and campers. In recent years, this competition among
these various users of public lands has become more intense. In some cases, the
BLM has closed parts of the public lands to shooters, leaving them with few areas
in which they can pursue their sport. In addition, because the BLM does not have
the staff to supervise these activities, the danger of indiscriminate shooting has in-
creased even in areas where shooting has been banned.
Second, unsupervised shooting on public lands poses environmental problems. In
many areas, shooters leave behind garbage and debris, harm wildlife, cut dusty
trails and roads, or vandalize natural wilderness areas. Providing a suitable location
for shooting can reduce these problems.
Third, the shooting park would replace facilities in the Las Vegas area that must
be closed in the near future because of encroaching development. These include a
police firearms training facility operated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police De-
partment and an archery range that must be relocated to make way for the develop-
ment of a wetlands park. In addition, several private shooting clubs have recently
been forced to close by nearby residential or commercial developments.
Fourth, the regional shooting range would provide a venue for regional and na-
tional shooting competitions, adding an important attraction to our areas tourist-
based economy, which has been severely effected by the recent fall in tourist travel.
This project has the enthusiastic support of the Legislature and the people of Ne-
vada. It has been endorsed by our law enforcement agencies, sports shooting clubs,
the Sierra Club, and other environmental groups. In the entire time I have worked
on this issue, I have yet to encounter anyone who is opposed to this project.
In conclusion, speaking on behalf of the Nevada Legislature and my own constitu-
ents in southern Nevada, I urge this subcommittee to approve the measure that you
have before you today.
Thank you.
Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Culp, the Assistant Director for Resource Pro-
tection, Bureau of Land Management.
Mr. Culp.
STATEMENT OF CARSON PETE CULP, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR,
MINERALS, REALTY AND RESOURCE PROTECTION, BUREAU
OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Mr. CULP. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the Com-
mittee. I appear before you today to give you the administrations
views on H.R. 2937, which isas you have indicated, is a bill to
provide for the conveyance of certain public lands in Clark County
for use as a shooting range. A hearing on H.R. 2937s companion
bill in the Senate, S. 1451, took place on November 27th, of last
year. Our position on H.R. 2937 remains unchanged; the Bureau
of Land Management supports the bill with suggested changes.
The bill would provide special disposal authority, as has been
noted, for 2,800 acres in Clark County to the county for a central-
ized shooting facility. It is worth noting that this kind of transfer
could occur under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act which
authorizes us to transfer lands for recreation purposes up to a total
of 6,400 acres; but because this land will be used both for recre-
ation and for other activities, as Mr. Lee and others have noted
for example, by local law enforcement for training purposesit
falls under the 640-acre limitation in the R&PP acts. So the reason
for the legislation is essentially a technical one to deal with that
acreage limitation which we believe would apply.
In terms of suggestions for technical changes to the bill, I will
just mention two very briefly. One is, enactment of the bill will re-
sult in certain administrative costs for BLM, particularly the cost
of a new survey to make certain that we have correctly delineated
the property boundaries. So one of the suggested amendments that
23
we have would be to include language in the bill that would pro-

vide for compensation from Clark County for the administrative
costs of the transfer.
And then, Mr. Gibbons, you mentioned the reverter. We would
recommend a provision that, should it ever be necessary to exercise
the reverterand we hope that wouldnt be the casethe county
would be responsible for cleaning up any lead or other hazardous
materials that might exist as the result of the activity.
That concludes my statement, and I would be happy to answer
any questions.
Mr. GIBBONS. Thank you very much, Mr. Culp.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Culp follows:]
Statement of Carson Pete Culp, Assistant Director, Minerals, Realty and
Resource Protection, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of
the Interior, on H.R. 2937
Good afternoon Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee. I appear before
you today to give the Administrations views regarding H.R. 2937, a bill to provide
for the conveyance of certain public lands in Clark County, Nevada for use as a
shooting range. A hearing on H.R. 2937s companion bill, S. 1451, took place on No-
vember 27, 2001. Our position on H.R. 2937 remains unchanged. The Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) supports the bill with suggested changes.
H.R. 2937 provides the Secretary of the Interior with special disposal authority
to convey 2,880 acres of BLM administered lands in Clark County, Nevada, to the
County for the establishment of a centralized shooting facility in the Las Vegas val-
ley.
In the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (R&PP), Congress recognized the ben-
efit of conveying BLM-managed public lands to local governments without com-
pensation for recreation purposes. The R&PP Act limits conveyances for public pur-
poses other than recreation to 640 acres. Because this land will be used as a target
range both for recreational purposes and for training of local law enforcement offi-
cers, the 640 acre limitation appears to apply and this legislation is needed.
We would like to suggest a few changes to this legislation to improve the adminis-
tration of this bill if enacted and would be pleased to work with the committee to
address these concerns.
The conveyance of these lands by the BLM will result in certain administrative
costs. For example, a resurvey will likely be required since the area would have
common property boundaries with other land owners that could create use conflicts
without a specific defined property boundary. For this reason we suggest that the
bill be amended to include language providing compensation by Clark County to the
BLM for survey costs and other administrative costs related to the preparation of
patents and transfer of title.
Additionally, the United States must avoid the potential for hazardous waste li-
ability from any property reverted to the United States under Section 1 (e) (2) of
the bill. We suggest an amendment that Clark County be required to clean up any
hazardous waste contamination prior to reversion to the United States.
This concludes my statement. I would be happy to answer any questions.
Mr. GIBBONS. We will turn now for the testimony from Mr. John
Reynolds, Regional Director, Pacific West Region, National Park
Service.
Mr. Reynolds, welcome.
STATEMENT OF JOHN J. REYNOLDS, REGIONAL DIRECTOR,
PACIFIC WEST REGION, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Mr. REYNOLDS. Thank you very much. It is a pleasure to be here
with you all today. I thank you for the opportunity to present the
Department of Interiors views on H.R. 1712 to authorize adjust-
ments to the boundary of the National Park of American Samoa,
Ofu and Olosega. I am only going to present a portion of the
24
testimonythe rest is provided for the record, with your permis-

sionand will do so now.
Mr. GIBBONS. Without objection.
Mr. REYNOLDS. The Department does not oppose H.R. 1712. We
do, however, suggest some amendments as outlined in my testi-
mony. The legislation will provide authority for the Secretary of the
Interior to adjust the boundary of the National Park of American
Samoa to include up to approximately 1,000 acres of land on the
island of Olosega, and up to approximately 450 acres on the island
of Ofu, and approximately 1,500 acres of ocean waters, offshore to
both islands.
The lands on the island of Olosega and the adjacent offshore wa-
ters will add important cultural, biological and marine resources to
the national park. The lands of the islands of Ofu will ensure the
long-term protection of important and fragile coral reef resources
presently within the national park, but obviously downstream from
the hillside.
The law that established the national park does not provide au-
thority for the National Park Service to acquire parklands, but in-
stead requires that lands must be leased from the Governor of
American Samoa. Lands within the authorized boundary expansion
would be added to the park incrementally, based on future discus-
sions with village landowners and modification of the existing
leases.
The parks enabling legislation places the responsibility for deter-
mining the value of the leases with the High Court of American
Samoa. As a point of reference, the park currently leases approxi-
mately 8,000 acres for $419,000 annually.
The offshore waters would be leased at no cost from the Govern-
ment of American Samoa. No development is contemplated within
the boundary adjustment areas, so no line item construction or sig-
nificant development costs are anticipated in connection with the
bill.
In March 1998, the Olosega village council noted in a letter to
Congressman Faleomavaega that the national park has contributed
much to the preservation of Samoan culture, the rain forest and
the coral reef. In addition, the council noted that the park has also
been a positive factor to the economic well-being of the territory
through tourism and lease payments to the villages. The village
council of Olosega expressed its wish for a part of this valuable
conservation effort of the national park, and I quote, We are
pleased that this has been a grass-roots effort by the community.
the letter was signed by the entire village council.
Also significant was the inclusion of the coral reefs around por-
tions of Olosega within the park, which would further the Gov-
ernors directive to local agencies to protect 20 percent of the terri-
torys coral reefs. At present, about 6 percent of the territorys reefs
are protected.
We recommend an amendment to the bill to eliminate the word
minor when referring to the boundary adjustments, the Land
and Water Conservation Fund Act provides the Secretary of the In-
terior with the authority to make minor boundary adjustments and
defines the conditions that are considered to be minor. Because
the boundary adjustments addressed by this bill would not meet
25
those criteria, we suggest that the term be deleted from the bill in
order to avoid confusion.
We also recommend an amendment to include a map reference
in the bill in order to clarify the lands to be included.
I would like to note that, having been over to both of these is-
lands and spent some time both on the island and in the water,
this is one of the most marvelous parks in the system. I say that
after just having spent 10 days on vacation in the Virgin Islands
park. It is pretty nice to be able to say that both of these, both of
these resources, are part of Americas most wonderful heritage.
The park in American Samoa, the upper land habitat in this
park, is absolutely unique in the world. It is a most amazing place.
The bird life is marvelous, it is unique, and it is unspoiled. And I
can assure you, if you dont have a lot of interest in bats and you
see one of these bats that the Congressman referred to, you will
never think of bats in the same way again. They are absolutely out
of the experience of any of us who have never seen them before.
The star mounds, the archaeological resources that are referred
to, are some of the most exciting and inspirational archaeological
resources that you can ever stand in front of in an entire lifetime.
The culture and all of these resources are part of the native culture
of the American Samoan, of the native Samoan. It is this tie be-
tween the culture and this particular nature of the national park
that is not repeated anywhere else in the national park system
that is so important for this addition.
Thank you for allowing me to testify today. I would be more than
happy to answer any questions that havent been addressed.
Mr. GIBBONS. Thank you very much, Mr. Reynolds.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Reynolds follows:]
Statement of John J. Reynolds, Regional Director, Pacific West Region,
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, on H.R. 1712,
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present the Department of the
Interiors views on H.R. 1712, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
make minor adjustments to the boundary of the National Park of American Samoa,
to include certain lands of the islands of Ofu and Olosega within the park, and for
other purposes.
The Department does not oppose H.R. 1712. We do, however, suggest amend-
ments as outlined in this testimony. This legislation will provide authority for the
Secretary of the Interior to adjust the boundary of the National Park of American
Samoa to include up to approximately 1,000 acres of land on the island of Olosega,
up to approximately 450 acres on the island of Ofu, and approximately 1,500 acres
of ocean waters offshore of Olosega and Ofu. The lands on the island of Olosega and
the adjacent offshore waters will add important cultural, biological and marine re-
sources to the national park. The lands on the island of Ofu will ensure the long-
term protection of important and fragile coral reef resources presently within the
national park.
Proposed additions on Ofu contain excellent wildlife and coral reef habitats. Cur-
rently, only a strip of sand beach and the associated coral reef are within the na-
tional park boundary on Ofu. This coastal area contains a world-class coral reef area
of remarkably high diversity and beauty. The proposed addition would protect the
upland watershed so that the coral reef would not be impaired by non-park develop-
ments. Coastal areas on the north side of Ofu are proposed because of the exception-
ally healthy and diverse coral communities found there, and because the north
shores of Ofu and Olosega are connected and constitute a single coral reef eco-
system.
The archeological resources found on Olosega between the 300 and 800-foot ele-
vations are not only important, but are unique in American Samoa. Unique to
Olosega are the number of star mounds and what appears to be a remnant agro-
forestry system. Archeological reconnaissance surveys carried out on Olosega in July
26
1999 by the National Park Service and the University of North Dakotas Depart-
ment of Anthropology identified 31 star mounds, 46 modified terraces, 14 house
platforms, an elevated grave site believed to be associated with the Tui Olosega
(King of Olosega), and numerous stone tools. Star mounds are massive rock plat-
forms with radiating arms built by the ancient Samomans for cultural and sporting
events. Up until 1999, star mounds were known to exist only on Upolo (in Samoa)
and Tutuila islands. Archeologists believe the agro-forestry system found on
Olosega, with further study, could prove to be an agricultural system that existed
in relative equilibrium with the native forest system. Most of the sites and artifacts
found on Olosega were well preserved.
Also in 1999, a survey of Olosegas biotic resources by the parks wildlife biologist
found that the unoccupied portions of the island provide excellent habitat for native
wildlife. Large tracts of land on Olosega remain relatively wild and the island is free
of many of the introduced species that compete with the native wildlife within the
park on Tutuila. In addition, Olosega includes the presence of the rarer bird species
that occur in American Samoa. Fiji shrikebill, uncommon on the other islands, were
consistently seen on Olosega during the 1999 survey. The Friendly ground dove and
the Blue-crowned lory are also present. The Friendly ground dove is a candidate for
listing as an endangered species. Biologists believe the shrikebill found on Olosega
may be a separate subspecies found only on the Manua Islands.
Although Olosega shares the same fauna found on the other islands of American
Samoa, the species composition of the forest trees is somewhat unique. The 1999
survey found a high concentration of Samoan medicinal plants. Many of these me-
dicinal plants are disappearing from the native forests of Samoa. The survey also
found that the area between the 200 and 800-foot elevation represented a tradi-
tional mixed agro-forestry system developed over decades of manipulation and cul-
tural use. The system appeared to be relatively stable and may have reached a sus-
tainable equilibrium.
Small populations of two species of flying foxes are believed to exist on Olosega.
Protection of these fruit-eating bats is included in the parks enabling legislation.
In addition, there are indications that a few individuals of the nearly extirpated
sheath-tailed bat are present on Olosega. This small insectivorous bat is a candidate
for listing as an endangered species and is not currently found within the existing
boundary of the park.
The coastal and marine areas of Olosega contain rich coral and fish communities
and would complement the Ofu reef currently included within the park boundary.
Surveys have found that Olosegas offshore waters are among the richest and most
densely populated with fish species in the entire Samoan archipelago. Both the en-
dangered Hawksbill and the threatened Green sea turtles are present in Olosegas
offshore waters. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fish-
eries Service believe that the Hawksbill turtle is a species rapidly approaching ex-
tinction, making its protection in Olosegas reefs and offshore waters of vital impor-
tance.
The law that established the National Park of American Samoa does not provide
the authority for the National Park Service to acquire park lands, but instead re-
quires that lands must be leased from the Governor of American Samoa. Lands
within the authorized boundary expansion would be added to the park incremen-
tally, based on future discussions with village landowners and modification of the
existing lease. The parks enabling legislation places the responsibility for deter-
mining the rental value of lands to be leased for the national park with the High
Court of American Samoa. As a point of reference, the park currently leases ap-
proximately 8,000 acres for $419,000 annually. The offshore waters would be leased
from the Government of American Samoa at no cost. No development is con-
templated within the boundary adjustment areas, so no line-item construction or
significant development costs are anticipated in connection with H.R. 1712.
In March 1998, the Olosenga Village Council noted in a letter to American Sa-
moas Congressional representative, Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, that the
national park has contributed much to the preservation of Samoan culture, the
rainforest and the coral reef. In addition, the council noted that the park has also
been a positive factor to the economic well-being of the territory through tourism
and lease payments to the villages in the park. The village council of Olosega ex-
pressed its support for expansion of the park boundaries, and we are pleased that
this has been a grassroots effort supported by the community.
Also significant would be inclusion of the coral reefs around portions of Olosega
within the national park, which would further the Governors directive to local agen-
cies to protect 20 percent of the territorys coral reefs. At present, only about six
percent of the territorys reefs are in protected areas.
27
We recommend an amendment to the bill to eliminate the word minor when re-
ferring to the boundary adjustment. The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act
(LWCF), as amended, provides the Secretary of the Interior with the authority to
make minor boundary adjustments, and defines the conditions that are considered
to be minor. Because the boundary adjustment addressed by H.R. 1712 would not
meet those criteria, we suggest that the term be deleted from the bill in order to
avoid confusion between its use in H.R. 1712 and the definition provided in the
LWCF.
We also recommend an amendment to include a map reference in the bill in order
to clarify the lands to be included in the boundary adjustment. Both of the sug-
gested amendments are attached to this testimony.
This concludes my testimony. I would be glad to answer any questions that you
or members of the subcommittee may have.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1712

In the title of the bill and on page 2, line 5 strike minor.
On page 2, line 7, after Olosega insert as depicted on the map entitled National
Park of American Samoa, Proposed Boundary Adjustment, numbered 82,035 and
dated Feb 2002.
Mr. GIBBONS. Mrs. Christensen.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you. I welcome the panelists today.
I wanted to ask a question to Mr. Culp on H.R. 2937. In your
written testimony and what you gave to us today, you noted that
the legislation was required because the authority to transfer land
for nonrecreational purposes under R&PP is limited at 640 acres.
But seeing that it leaves out another important reason why legisla-
tion might be needed, that doesntnot onlyR&PP does not cover
this transaction not only because of size, as I understand it, but
more importantly, because it only covers land identified for dis-
posal, which does not cover wilderness study areas. Isnt that cor-
rect?
Mr. CULP. That is correct, yes. And, actually there is another
reason.
Our land use planning requirements wouldwithout this legisla-
tion, would require a plan amendment to identify the lands for dis-
posal. So the legislation takes care of both the wilderness study
area release requirement and the land use planning requirement.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. OK. In my opening remarks, I askedI ques-
tioned the size of it. And I completely understand the need for safe-
ty, but it still seems a bit large. Are there associations that set
standards for the size of buffer areas, recommend standard sizes
for buffer areas? And anyone that might be able to answer this, ei-
ther you or the state assemblyman, I am trying to figure out
whether this 1,400 acres is a standard buffer area. It still seems
a bit large.
Mr. GIBBONS. Let me say that the National Association of Shoot-
ing Ranges establishes the boundaries in areas. It is based upon
the projected trajectory of a bullets travel, and all of that is taken
into consideration. They set the standards for areas like this.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Would fees be set for the use of the range?
Will there be any fees for the use of those?
Mr. GIBBONS. Yes. I believe there would be a fee set for the utili-
zation of the range by any person or a group.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. One other question: Did the BLM ever ap-
proach Clark County about paying fair market value for the land?
28
Mr. CULP. I dont believe that we did. As I indicated, this is very

close to a Recreation and Public Purposes Act transaction. And that
law provides that we can do these transfers without compensation;
or certain kinds of transfers, there is a very minimum compensa-
tion of, like, $1.50 an acre.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I dont have any further questions.
Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Faleomavaega.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to
ask Mr. Culp a couple of questions.
Is this land situated somewhere with the mountain as a back-
ground, or is this flat desert out? Most target areas usually would
have kind of like a high wall, like a mountain that you can shoot
into. Is this the case? Can you give me an idea what the land situa-
tion looks like?
Mr. CULP. Actually, I have been close to there, but I havent been
there personally. It is immediately south of the Desert National
Wildlife Refuge.
My guess is that Mr. Lee could maybe help.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I just got a copy of the map. I have been,
what do you call it, given a tremendous orientation on where I am
at.
Mr. LEE. Yes, sir. It is on the skirt on the northern part of the
mountain. It aims to the north where the sun will never be in the
shooters eyes. In that area are the headwaters to Lake Mead. So
we havesome of that acreage is just total wash area, too, yes, sir.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. What are we looking at in anticipation of
community use for purposes of a target range? How many people
may be using this facility once it is open?
Mr. LEE. We believe there will be about 144,000 shooter days,
shooter-person days a year.
We also, if you know anything about Las Vegas
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I know a little bit about it. I have heard of
Henderson.
Mr. LEE. We are excited about the world-class things we do
there. We are going to build a world-class shooting arena so that
people who come visit can also participate. We are expecting about
a $4-a-day shooting day fee for someone to be able to use the facil-
ity, the residents of Clark County.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I would think that with all the tourists, it
would also be they would like to do recreational shooting as well.
Mr. LEE. There are many organizations, the cowboy shooters and
national organizations, that would love to come out. We have the
hotel rooms, the facilities close by. We are within 30 minutes of the
downtown metropolitan Las Vegas area. So we have a beautiful lo-
cation for it.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. You still have a lot of cowboys in Nevada?
Mr. LEE. I would tell you that Mr. Gibbons probably wears cow-
boy boots. There are quite a few people that have that heritage.
Very safe, friendly people, though.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I see. So they are real good country folk.
Where is thisI am here again pleading ignorance. Where is the
Yucca Mountain from Las Vegas?
Mr. LEE. We are probably in the northerly direction.
29
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. So Yucca is only about 90 miles north of Las

Vegas. I dont why I keep referring to Yucca Mountain; I must have
some obsession with it. I dont know what it is.
The conveyance, Mr. Culp, the administration does not object to
this proposal?
Mr. CULP. We do not. We support the proposal.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Reynolds, I would like to have you come
and testify on any park bill that I propose from now on. Thank you
so much for your testimony.
We have approximately, about, almost 60 species of birds that
are not found anywhere in the United States that are in our little
island, if you will.
And it might also be noted of some historical import, this little
group of islands, one of the islands, this is where Margaret Mead
came and conducted her so-called scientific study about the sex
habits of Samoans, which I deeply resent; nor do I actually accept
her scientific findings about the social behavior of Samoans in that
regard.
But I do really appreciate, Mr. Reynolds, your presence and your
testimony. And I sincerely appreciate also the recommendations
that you have offered in this legislation, so we can make improve-
ments on it.
I invite everybody in this room to come to my little islands, pay
your own way, but you are more than welcome to come and visit
my little islands, and we will be happy to take you fishing. I dont
know if we can do any squirrel hunting.
Do you do that in Nevada still, Mr. Chairman?
Mr. GIBBONS. If we had any squirrels, we would.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I dont have any more questions. Thank you,
Mr. Chairman. Thank you, members of the panel.
Mr. GIBBONS. Thank you. I would also invite to you Las Vegas.
We will strap you on a couple of six-shooters and take you out to
the shooting range.
Gentlemen, I want to thank you very much for your time, your
patience and your contribution to the process here today. It is a
pleasure to have your testimony before us.
With that, if there are no further questions, we will excuse the
panel. And with that, this hearing is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 3 p.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]
[A statement submitted for the record by Brian ODonnell,
Associate Director, Wilderness Support Center, The Wilderness
Society, on H.R. 2937 follows:]
Statement of Brian ODonnell, Associate Director, Wilderness Support
Center, The Wilderness Society, on behalf of the Nevada Wilderness
Coalition
On behalf of the Nevada Wilderness Coalition, thank you for the opportunity to
present written testimony on H.R. 2937, legislation to provide for the conveyance
of certain public land in Clark County, Nevada, for use as a shooting range.
First, the Nevada Wilderness Coalition would like to acknowledge the need for a
new shooting range in Clark County. Our members spend a great deal of time hik-
ing, camping and enjoying the public lands in Southern Nevada. All to often, when
hiking or recreating on our public lands, we have encountered large amounts of
trash left behind after being used as makeshift targets. These makeshift targets
range from appliances, to furniture, to metal sheets that are shot up and left be-
hind, scarring the beauty of the Mojave Desert region of Nevada. The Nevada
30
Wilderness Coalition believes that a new shooting range in Clark County will help
deal with this problem.
However, the proposed location for the shooting range under H.R. 2937 causes
concern. H.R. 2937 would convey public lands under the jurisdiction of the BLM
and managed as a Wilderness Study Area (WSA) for the shooting range. Specifi-
cally, a portion of the Quail Springs Wilderness Study Area would be released from
its Study Area status and no longer subject to interim protection.
Currently, there is only one area designated as Wilderness in all of Clark County,
the Mt. Charleston Wilderness. The Mt. Charleston Wilderness is a high elevation,
forested, area. The Mojave Desert Region of Nevada is home to an incredibly diverse
array of wildlife, and spectacular landscapes. Unfortunately, this landscape is cur-
rently not included in the National Wilderness Preservation System. Some of the
best wilderness quality lands in the Mojave Desert region of Nevada are currently
being managed as Wilderness Study Areas. It is unfortunate that H.R. 2937 looks
to one of these few areas in Clark County with interim protection for the location
of a shooting range.
Clark County is the fastest growing county in the country. The cities of Las Vegas
and North Las Vegas have grown at an incredible rate during the past dozen years.
With this growth comes increased pressures on the public lands in Southern Ne-
vada. Urban sprawl, habitat fragmentation, and unbridled off-highway vehicle use
all undermine the integrity of the valuable public asset that is the wild character
of our public lands. These wild lands urgently need Wilderness designation if they
are to be passed down to future generations. H.R. 2937 only exacerbates the pres-
sures on our remaining wild places in Southern Nevada.
The Nevada Wilderness Coalition has presented a Citizens Wilderness Proposal
for Nevadas Mojave Desert Region to members of the Nevada Congressional Delega-
tion and federal land management agencies. This proposal outlines a balanced plan
to protect the wilderness character of some of our public lands in southern Nevada.
This Wilderness Proposal should be debated and enacted by Congress.
H.R. 2937 should be considered in the context of the broader pressures on the
public lands in Clark County. Currently, H.R. 2937 offers no mitigation, or Wilder-
ness designation, and only further threatens the wilderness character of the public
lands in southern Nevada.
Fortunately, Senators Ensign and Reid are currently involved in a process to ad-
dress public lands in Clark County in a more holistic way. The Nevada Wilderness
Coalition has participated in Senator Ensign and Reids public lands process for
Clark County and is hopeful that it will lead to significant new Wilderness protec-
tions in Clark County. H.R.2937 should be considered in context of this more holistic
review of the public lands management needs in Clark County.
We look forward to working with Rep. Gibbons on the more holistic approach to
balancing development on our public lands with much needed Wilderness protec-
tions. We ask that the subcommittee not approve H.R. 2937 without assurances
that it will address the larger Wilderness protection needs for the public lands in
Clark County in the near term.

HOUSE HEARING, 107TH CONGRESS - H.R. 1712 and H.R. 2937

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

HOUSE HEARING, 107TH CONGRESS - H.R. 1712 and H.R. 2937

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

HOUSE HEARING, 107TH CONGRESS - H.R. 1712 and H.R. 2937

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

H.R. 1712 and H.R.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, RECREATION,

February 14, 2002

Serial No. 107-86

Printed for the use of the Committee on Resources

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

Tim Stewart, Chief of Staff

Thursday, February 14, 2002

The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:12 p.m., in room

States. It is my understanding that there is broad support among

STATEMENT OF THE HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN, A

Gibbons, would convey about 4.5 square miles of Federal land in

as a permanent shooting range. Half of the 2,800 acres, or 1,400

Mr. RADANOVICH. Thank you very much, Mr. Gibbons.

shoot, they cant do that anymore. So now what is happening, there

Mr. RADANOVICH. Thank very much, Senator.

the presence of our distinguished majority whip, Senator Reid, here

[Attachments to Mr. Faleomavaegas statement follow:]

Mr. RADANOVICH. Thank you, sir.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. No, because I think your tourism industry

It is something that I am very curious about how the Energy De-

stead, outlying housing developments are immediately adjacent to

we have would be to include language in the bill that would pro-

testimonythe rest is provided for the record, with your permis-

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1712

Mr. GIBBONS. Mrs. Christensen.

Mr. CULP. I dont believe that we did. As I indicated, this is very

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. So Yucca is only about 90 miles north of Las

You might also like