Committee Reports
104th Congress (1995-1996)
House Report 104-290
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Committee Reports for the 104th Congress | |
| House Report 104-290 | 1 of 1 | |
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29-006
1st Session
104-290
RENAMING OF SAN FRANCISCO BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AS DON EDWARDS SAN FRANCISCO BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
| OCTOBER 24, 1995- Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed | |
| Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following | |
| REPORT | |
| [To accompany H.R. 1253] | |
| [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] |
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 1253) to rename the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge as the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 1253 is to rename the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge as the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
In 1972, Congressman Don Edwards (D-CA) sponsored legislation to establish the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This measure, Public Law 92-330, authorized the Federal Government to acquire 20,000 acres around the Bay to protect the area's ecologically sensitive environment. In the years that followed, Congressman Edwards was successful in securing Federal funds to acquire land for the Refuge and convincing Congress to approve a second piece of legislation in 1988, which significantly expanded the boundaries of the Refuge unit (Public Law 100-556).
Today, 23,000-plus acre San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is home to numerous plants and wildlife species, and provides habitat for five endangered species, including the California Clapper Rail and the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse. San Francisco Bay, which is approximately 55 miles long and 3 to 12 miles wide, is a key wintering area for diving ducks along the Pacific flyway and the South Bay supports hundreds of thousands of shorebirds.
The Refuge is comprised of valuable wetlands located around the Bay and it has become an important education and recreation center. In fact, the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is now the largest urban refuge in the United States.
The Refuge is surrounded by an urban population of five million people and is heavily visited, with over 250,000 people enjoying its facilities each year.
While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has, in the past, resisted efforts to name or rename units of the Wildlife Refuge system after living Americans, it is clear that the tireless efforts of Congressman Edwards, who retired in 1994, were largely responsible for the creation of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 1253 was introduced on March 15, 1995, by Congressman Norman Mineta. The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans.
On May 25, 1995, the Subcommittee held a hearing on H.R. 1253 and other issues. Congressman Mineta submitted a statement in support of his legislation. In his statement, Congressman Mineta noted that `throughout his time in Congress, Don Edwards maintained a close working relationship with local community and environmental groups in the Bay area. I can think of no more fitting tribute to Don's work than to rename the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in his honor.'
On June 27, 1995, the Subcommittee considered H.R. 1253 in markup session and ordered it reported favorably, without amendment, to the Full Committee on Resources by voice vote.
On September 27, 1995, the Full Resources Committee met to consider H.R. 1253. There were no amendments and the Committee then ordered the bill favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice vote.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge renamed as Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Subsection (a) renames the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge as `The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge'.
Subsection (b) provides that any reference in any statute, rule, regulation, or other document of the United States will reflect this name change.
Subsection (c) amends Public Law 92-330 to reflect the new designation of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
With respect to the requirements of clause 2(l)(3) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
INFLATIONARY IMPACT STATEMENT
Pursuant to clause 2(l)(4) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee estimates that the enactment of H.R. 1253 will have no significant inflationary impact on prices and costs in the operation of the national economy.
COST OF THE LEGISLATION
Clause 7(a) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out H.R. 1253. However, clause 7(d) of that Rule provides that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XI
1. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(B) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, H.R. 1253 does not contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures.
2. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(D) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee has received no report of oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight on the subject of H.R. 1253.
3. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(C) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for H.R. 1253 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
Hon. DON YOUNG,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has reviewed H.R. 1253, a bill to rename the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge as the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Resources on September 27, 1995. We estimate that enacting this bill would result in no significant costs to the federal government and no costs to state or local governments. H.R. 1253 would not affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
JUNE E. O'NEILL, DIRECTOR.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
The Committee has received no departmental reports on H.R. 1253.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
In compliance with clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman):
ACT OF JUNE 30, 1972
AN ACT To provide for the establishment of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, for the preservation and enhancement of highly significant wildlife habitat in the area known as south San Francisco Bay in the State of California, for the protection of migratory waterfowl and other wildlife, including species known to be threatened with extinction, and to provide an opportunity for wildlife-oriented recreation and nature study within the open space so preserved, the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the `Secretary') is authorized and directed to establish, as herein provided, a national wildlife refuge to be known as the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge (hereinafter referred to as the `refuge').
SEC. 2. There shall be included within the boundaries of the refuge the following:
- (1) Those lands, marshes, tidal flats, salt ponds, submerged lands, and open waters in the south San Francisco Bay area generally depicted on the map entitled `Boundary Map, Proposed Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge', dated July 1971, and which comprise approximately twenty-one thousand six hundred and sixty-two acres within four distinct units to be known as Fremont (five thousand five hundred and twenty acres), Mowry Slough (seven thousand one hundred and seventy-five acres), Alviso (three thousand and eighty acres), and Greco Island (five thousand eight hundred and eighty seven acres). Said boundary map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.
- (2) Up to 20,000 acres in the vicinity of the areas described in paragraph (1), and similar to the areas described in paragraph (1), which the Secretary determines are necessary to protect fish and wildlife resources.
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