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I think, perhaps, we have turned the corner on Federal support for the arts

[Page: S10843]  GPO's PDF

   FEDERAL MUSEUM COLLECTIONS AT THE UTAH MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

   Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I want to raise an issue that was recently brought to my attention in Utah. It is a long-term project that I intend to undertake and I hope that the committee will support me in this effort.

   The Utah Museum of Natural History contains collections of more than one million objects and specimens in the fields of geology, biology and anthropology. It ranks as one of the largest and most comprehensive collections for the western states. Overall, more than 75 percent of the museum's collections are federally owned; that is, recovered from federally managed public lands. Of the remaining 25 percent of the collections, a significant portion was collected on state lands under federally mandated permitting procedures. The museum is a repository for collections from BLM, Forest Service, Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation lands. Additional specimens have been collected from Department of Defense lands as well.

   There are numerous authorities defining the legal relationship between the federal agencies and museums and research universities such as the Smithsonian's Organic Act passed in 1879, the Antiquities Act of 1906, NEPA and most recently, the National Archaeological Graves Protection and Reburial Act of 1990. The large number of federal collections in the museum is the consequence of the high percentage of federally owned lands in Utah. Utah ranks second among all states in percentage of federal lands; thus, field research in the natural sciences in Utah largely takes place on federal lands.

   Unfortunately, the current facilities at the Utah Museum of Natural History used to house the federal collections are inadequate. Lack of space, materials, supplies and personnel have created a situation where the collections are in jeopardy of being permanently lost. This is not in anyway caused by the neglect of the museum staff, but it is simply a lack of space and funding to adequately store all of the collections properly.

   I became interested when this situation was brought to my attention a few months ago. Since that time, my staff have been looking into various options to help remedy the situation. In the meantime, the museum has done a tremendous job putting together a master plan, organizing partners and seeking private donations to relocate the museums. But they are limited in their ability to raise funds without some federal participation and commitment. And with that in mind, I want to seek the chairman's input on that question. Does the chairman believe that the federal agencies such as the BLM, Forest Service and the National Park Service have a legitimate role in helping remedy this situation?

   MR. GORTON. The Senator raises a good point. Obviously there is a federal interest in protecting these collections. While I cannot commit to providing funding for this project in the future, I will work closely with my colleague from Utah. Until that time, however, I think it would be quite appropriate for the various agencies to lend their resources and expertise by participating the partnership that has been created. I would encourage them to do so.

   MR. BENNETT. I thank the chairman and I look forward to working with him.

   INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES

   Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, will the Senator from Washington care to enter into a colloquy regarding museums funding?

   Mr. GORTON. I thank the Senator from Virginia and will be happy to engage in a colloquy.

   Mr. WARNER. I understand the need to adequately address arts funding and commend the Chairman's leadership in securing $500,000 above last year's appropriations for our nation's museums and libraries. However, this is still $500,000 short of the House funding level to continue the great work done by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

   As the Chairman knows, federal funds play an important role in assuring that Americans have access to excellent museum services. 8,000 museums and 120,000 libraries throughout the country have benefited from Congressional support of IMLS.

   IMLS programs affect a broad segment of Americans and not an elite few. It helps small, rural museums gain access to resources such as database technology development by the larger museums. IMLS improves public accessibility of museums, while allowing local communities to decide on the content and programs of their own museums.

   Additional funding will allow IMLS to provide technological improvements, making museum and library collections available online and accessible to learners of all ages.

   I ask you to urge the Senate conferees to recede to the House position on IMLS funding and support a relatively modest $500,000 increase in the IMLS budget so museums and libraries across the country will be able to extend their educational services, expand teacher training, preserve our cultural heritage for our posterity and increase access to valuable resources for America's children.

   Mr. GORTON. I thank the Senator from Virginia and I will be pleased to recommend that the conferees consider your thoughtful request to recede to the House proposal, which increases funding for the IMLS by an amount of $500,000 above the Senate level. I appreciate the Senator from Virginia's support for the work of the IMLS and hope that our final allocation is such that we are able to provide additional funding for museum programs of the IMLS.

   Mr. WARNER. I thank the Senator from Washington.

   FUNDING FOR MARK TWAIN HOUSE

   Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I rise to express my regret that the Interior Appropriations bill under consideration here includes no money for the Save America's Treasury Campaign. I would like to describe one of the many important projects that will go unrealized for lack of funding. This valuable project is the preservation of the Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut, and construction of a complementary education and visitor center near the house.

   Mark Twain wrote seven major books, including ``Tom Sawyer'' and the ``Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,'' while living with his family in the house, which he built in 1874. It is projected that the visitor's center would help double--to a total of 100,000--the annual number of visitors to Mark Twain House and contribute an estimated 12 million dollars every year to the Connecticut economy.

   If money does come available for the Save America's Treasures Campaign, would you agree that the Mark Twain House should be high on the priority list?

   Mr. GORTON. Yes. Mark Twain is a historical and cultural icon of great importance. Mark Twain's written works represent an American literature legacy and I know that this project is of great importance to Connecticut and to America.

   Mr. LIEBERMAN. I thank Senator GORTON. I appreciate his hard work on this important legislation.

   GLACIER BAY NP VISITOR FACILITIES FUNDING

   Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I wonder if the Subcommittee chairman would be willing to discuss with myself and the senior senator from Alaska, the Chairman of the full committee on Appropriations certain issues regarding the Glacier Bay National Park Visitor Facility.

   Mr. GORTON. Yes, I will join the Appropriations Chairman and the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

   Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I thank my good friend. Being a member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources the subcommittee chairman is well aware of Glacier Bay National Park. He is aware of it this year for some of the controversy that has been caused by the Park Service's attempts to prohibit commercial and subsistence fishing within the bounds of the park.

   However, there is an area that the local community, the Park Service, and the Alaska Congressional Delegation do want to work together on in the park--a new visitor facility. Glacier Bay National Park is one of Alaska's treasures. More than 350,000 visitors come to the park each year. Currently, there is no single place for them

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   Mr. GORTON. I am aware of these efforts and would encourage the National Park Service to work closely with the native corporation to further develop this proposal in light of the fact that they use private dollars to maximize public resources. Visitor centers are becoming a very expensive item in the Interior budget. This approach should set an example for future facilities of this type.

   Mr. MURKOWSKI. Currently there is not a specific line item appropriation in the bill before us, H.R. 2466, for this project. However, it would be my hope that in conference the senior senator from Alaska and the Subcommittee Chairman could work to find the dollars for design and construction needed to make this visitor center a reality.

   Mr. STEVENS. I say to my colleague from Alaska that I will work with him to try and find the funds needed for this project. It is a god project for the community and a worthwhile one for the government. I have been a Glacier Bay on numerous occasions and am supportive of increased visitor facilities. As I understand it no authorization is needed for this as the Secretary has existing authority under section 1307 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

   Mr. MURKOWSKI. The Senator is correct. Authorization does exist to do this.

   Mr. GORTON. I will be pleased to continue to work with my colleagues on this project. I note that the Subcommittee has made a significant effort in this bill to provide for visitor facilities in Alaska, but agree that additional facilities at Glacier Bay National Park are needed.

   UTAH SPECIFIC ISSUES

   Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I would like to briefly raise four issues with the Chairman for clarification. Utah is in the process of creating a GIS database on public lands. Is it the Chairman's understanding that the $300,000 of federal funds appropriated through the BLM Realty and Ownership management will be combined with the funds appropriated by the State of Utah and then distributed to the rural counties by the special committee created by the State Legislature?

   Mr. GORTON. The Senator is correct. However, the rural counties should also seek the expertise of Utah State University and the State of Utah and rely on their personnel to complete this mapping project.

   Mr. BENNETT. I thank the Chairman. With regards to the Olympic Tree program funded under the Community and Urban Forestry account, given the nature of Olympic partners and the reliance upon in-kind donations, is it the Committee's position that the local match may also include in-kind donations such as land, labor and materials?

   Mr. GORTON. The Senator is correct.

   Mr. BENNETT. With regards to the proposed final management plan for the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, is it the Chairman's understanding that the State of Utah's authority over wildlife management and wildlife damage prevention within the monument shall remain unchanged?

   Mr. GORTON. The Senator is correct. The Committee would be concerned should the language of the final management plan diminish the ability of the State of Utah to manage wildlife damage prevention within the Monument. If this is the case, I would hope BLM would consult with the State of Utah during the Governor's Consistency Review to amend that language to prevent any potential conflict that might occur.

   Mr. BENNETT. Again, I thank the Chairman. I have one final question regarding the Desert Tortoise Recovery program. There is a proposal by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a new position of a tortoise recovery coordinator that reports out of the Reno Nevada office. This is of concern to me. As the Chairman knows, Washington County has made tremendous progress toward completing a Habitat Conservation Plan and recovery program. They have put together an effective, balanced team and compared to other recovery units, Washington County and its key partners including the State of Utah, BLM and State Parks have accomplished a great deal over the last five years. All of this was accomplished without a tortoise coordinator to oversee the project.

   There are a couple of issues I believe should be addressed prior to the creation of proposed coordinator position. Issues such as determining which office would make section 7 evaluations regarding tortoises in Washington County--Salt Lake City or Reno? I would also like to know how the creation of such a position will impact funding and how do we insure that state and local communities are not adversely impacted. In order to preserve the good working relationship among the parties in Utah, I would hope the Chairman would support me in this position until these questions are answered.

   Mr. GORTON. The Senator raises a good point. I am aware of the progress which has been made to date and I congratulate the Advisory Board on their efforts. I share the Senator's concerns about the creation of such a position. It is unclear to me how a single coordinator position from outside the Region would specifically help Washington County and BLM administer the HCP and improve things on the ground.

   Mr. BENNETT. I thank the Chairman for his support.

   BIOCATALYTIC DESULFURIZATION TECHNOLOGIES

   Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I would like to clarify the intent of one provision within the bill. As we all are aware the Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to reduce the levels of sulfur in gasoline and diesel fuel. I note that the bill before us recognizes this new proposal and urges the Department of Energy to continue research on biocatalytic desulfurization technologies to assist the refining industry in meeting these new requirements. Was it the Committee's intent that the Department continue to support the ongoing gasoline biodesulfurization project in the Industries of the Future program in an effort to ensure that the technology is available to the refining industry to meet the new EPA rules?

   Mr. GORTON. That was the intent of the Committee. This research is very promising and I thank you for bringing this point to our attention.

   ARCHIE CARR NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

   Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I ask the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee if he would consent to discuss with Senator MACK and me one of Florida's national wildlife refuges, the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Brevard County, Florida.

   Mr. GORTON. I am pleased to join my colleague from Florida in a colloquy.

   Mr. GRAHAM. The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge is located in Brevard County, Florida, home of Florida's ``Space Coast.'' The 900-acre refuge extends along the coast from Melbourne Beach to Wabasso Beach, and it is home to the most important nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles in the western hemisphere and the second most important nesting beach in the world. Twenty-five percent of all loggerhead sea turtle and 35% of all green sea turtle nests in the United States occur in this twenty mile zone.

   Mr. MACK. The Refuge currently co-exists with Florida's Space Coast. However, sea turtle nesting at this site is sensitive to impacts from development and human activity. To mitigate these impacts, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service coordinates with the local and state governments regarding joint management of beaches, index nesting beach surveys, public education programs, and appropriate public use facilities.

   Mr. GRAHAM. It is my experience that in this type of situation, the best answer is land acquisition. Right now, approximately half of the 900-acres of the designated refuge is available for acquisition. Four key parcels make up the core area of the potential acquisition.

   I recognize the extreme funding pressures that the subcommittee faced while determining its Land and Water Conservation Fund priorities. We feel that the Archie Carr Refuge is a key priority for Florida given its criticality to the loggerhead sea turtle population.

   We request your consideration of this project during the conference with the House on the Interior Appropriations bill.

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   Mr. GORTON. I appreciate the Senators' comments. The Committee shares your view that the protection of the loggerhead sea turtle is critical, and we will consider the needs of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge during our conference with the House.

   SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION

   Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, will the distinguished Chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee yield for a question?

   Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I will gladly yield to a question from my good friend from Louisiana.

   Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Chairman. I commend the gentleman from Washington and the distinguished ranking member Mr. BYRD for the great leadership they have demonstrated in crafting the FY2000 Interior Appropriations bill. Of great personal interest to me is a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle project that is, in part, funded through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This project is a twenty-year-old on-going success story in the recovery of a high endangered species. Since 1978, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, USFWS, has spearheaded the sea turtle conservation work at Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. This collaborative conservation project with the Mexican government and the U.S. shrimp industry through the National Fisheries Institute protects Kemp's Ridley sea turtle nests an females from predation and other hazards, and ensures that young turtles make it into the sea. This project is the longest standing collaborative conservation project between the United States and Mexico without a formal treaty. This year, despite the demonstrable success of the project, the Fish and Wildlife Service did not dedicated funds to the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle project. I am extremely concerned and want to express my strong support for continued funding for this valuable conservation effort.

   Mr. GORTON. It is clear from my friend's statement that he knows much about the sea turtle conservation project, and I share his enthusiasm for these important efforts to protect the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle. While I am keenly aware of the fiscal constraints on the Fish and Wildlife Service, I encourage the Service to consider providing whatever support it can within these existing budget constraints.

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