[Senate Report 105-68]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 150
105th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 105-68
_______________________________________________________________________
MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS WILDERNESS AND ERNEST F. COE VISITOR CENTER
DESIGNATION ACT
_______
September 2, 1997.--Ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
Mr. Murkowski, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 931]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 931) to designate the Marjory Stoneman
Douglas Wilderness and the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon without
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
Purpose of the Measure
The purpose of S. 931 is to designate the ``Marjory
Stoneman Douglas'' Wilderness and the ``Ernest F. Coe'' Visitor
Center in Everglades National Park.
Background and Need
This measure would designate wilderness that currently
exists in Everglades National Park as the Marjory Stoneman
Douglas Wilderness and would name a visitor center in
Everglades City after Mrs. Douglas as well as name a new
visitor center at the Everglades headquarters, the Ernest F.
Coe Visitor Center.
Everglades National Park was dedicated in 1947 after
President Franklin Roosevelt signed legislation in 1934,
authorizing the Secretary of the Interior permission to select
an area for the site of the park. Everglades National Park
consists of 1.5 million acres. The park is known for its
diverse wildlife and the unusual wetland habitat that sustains
the various wildlife populations. The park is populated by
crocodiles, alligators, rare manatees, eagles and a variety of
fish species. It provides habitat for 13 species of endangered
birds. Much of this habitat is the result of the park's 1.3
million acres of wilderness, including prairies, salt marshes,
mangroves and bays. Everglades' wilderness is the largest
subtropical wilderness in the continental United States.
The two individuals commemorated in this measure figured
importantly in the events leading up to the establishment of
the park. In the years following creation of the park, Mrs.
Douglas and Mr. Coe continued to contribute significantly to
the protection of the Everglades.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas was born April 7, 1890 in
Minnesota and graduated with honors from Wellesley College. She
relocated to southern Florida and started working for her
father'snewspaper, the Miami Herald, in 1915. During her tenure
with the paper, she became a writer of note and a social activist.
In 1947, Douglas published her book, The Everglades: River
of Grass which increased notoriety for the Everglades and
resulted in marshaling citizen support for the park. In the
1950's as the Corps of Engineers began building a system of
canals, levees, dams and pump systems, Douglas recognized that
the health of the Everglades was linked to the flow of water
from Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimee River, which feeds the
lake. She went on to make the public, politicians and
government agencies aware that without provision for the
naturally recurring flooding, the health of the Everglades
would remain at risk. In 1970, at 80 years of age, she
organized the Friends of the Everglades to increase political
potency on behalf of the Everglades.
Mrs. Douglas, who is 107 years old this year, received the
Medal of Freedom (America's highest civilian honor) in 1992 in
recognition of her career-long commitment to the cause of
Everglades preservation. A revised edition of Everglades: River
of Grass was published in 1987 to continue to draw attention to
the preservation needs of the Everglades resource.
This measure would name the park's wilderness after Mrs.
Douglas to commemorate her contribution over several decades to
the creation and welfare of the park.
Ernset F. Coe, a landscape architect, moved to Miami in
1925, about the time Senator Trammel of Florida was introducing
legislation calling for a study of the Everglades to determine
if a portion would qualify as a national park. According to
historians, Coe was overwhelmed with the beauty of the south
Florida environment and became interested in finding a way to
protect the wildlife, bird rookeries and hammocks from
development or destruction.
In 1928 Coe organized the Tropical Everglades National Park
Association, an organization dedicated entirely to the creation
of a south Florida national park and became its first executive
secretary. Congress authorized the investigation of a specific
area for the park in 1929--in 1930 a Park service study team
visited the area. Their report went to Congress in 1930 and in
1934 the Congress approved boundaries for the new national
park, containing approximately 2 million acres of land. Coe
continued to work for over two decades, making speeches,
locating supporters, raised funding and contacted local and
natural organizations to support the park. His original
proposal for protection includes lands now within Everglades
National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve and the Florida
Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Coe died in 1951, known as the ``Father of the
Everglades''.
S. 931 directs that upon completion of the main park
visitor center at Everglades headquarters, the Secretary of the
Interior shall designate the facility, the ``Ernest F. Coe
Visitor Center.''
Legislative History
S. 931 was introduced by Senators Graham and Mack on June
17, 1997 and was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation held a hearing on S. 931 on June
26, 1997.
Committee Recommendations and Tabulation of Votes
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open
business session on July 30, 1997, by a unanimous vote of a
quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 931 without
amendment.
The roll call vote on reporting the measure was 20 yeas, 0
nays, as follows:
YEAS NAYS
Mr. Murkowski
Mr. Domenici
Mr. Nickles
Mr. Craig
Mr. Campbell*
Mr. Thomas
Mr. Kyl
Mr. Grams
Mr. Smith
Mr. Gorton
Mr. Burns*
Mr. Bumpers
Mr. Ford
Mr. Bingaman*
Mr. Akaka
Mr. Dorgan
Mr. Graham
Mr. Wyden
Mr. Johnson
Ms. Landrieu*
* Indicates voted by proxy.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1 entitles the bill, the ``Marjory Stoneman Douglas
Wilderness and Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center Designation Act.''
Section 2 contains several Congressional findings and
states that the purpose of the Act is to commemorate the
vision, leadership and contributions made by Mrs. Douglas and
Mr. Coe in the protection of the Everglades and establishment
of Everglades National Park.
Section 3(a) amends section 401(3) of Public Law 95-625 to
rename the Everglades Wilderness to the new designation,
Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness.
Section (b) directs the Secretary of the Interior to
provide notice of the redesignation established in Section 3(a)
on appropriate signs, materials, maps, markers, interpretive
programs and by other means.
Section (c) directs that any reference in law, regulation,
document, record, mao or other paper of the United States to
the Everglades Wilderness shall be legally deemed a reference
to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness.
Section 4 amends section 103 of the Everglades National
Park Protection and Expansion Act of 1989 (the 1989 Act) by
adding a new subsection, which provides that upon completion of
a new headquarters visitor center at Everglades National Park,
the Secretary of the Interior shall designate that facility as
the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center.
Section 5 amends section of the 1989 Act to make technical
and clarifying corrections.
Cost and Budgetary Considerations
The following estimate of costs of this measure has been
provided by the Congressional Budget Office.
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, August 5, 1997.
Hon. Frank H. Murkowski,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States
Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 931, the Marjory
Stoneman Douglas Wilderness and Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
Designation Act.
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.
Enclosure.
S. 931--Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness and Ernest F. Coe Visitor
Center Designation Act
S. 931 would redesignate the Everglades Wilderness in
Florida as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness. The
Secretary of the Interior would be required to notify the
public of the change by creating or modifying signs, maps, and
other materials. The bill also would name the new visitor
facility at the Everglades National Park the Ernest F. Coe
Visitor Center.
CBO estimates that the cost to the federal government of
implementing S. 931--primarily by revising existing signs and
other materials--would be negligible. The bill would not affect
direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go
procedures would not apply. S. 931 contains no private-sector
or intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 and would not affect the budgets of
state, local, or tribal governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis,
who can be reached at 226-2860. The estimate was approved by
Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget
Analysis.
Regulatory Impact Evaluation
In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of Rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following
evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in
carrying out S. 931. The bill is not a regulatory measure in
the sense of imposing Government-established standards or
significant economic responsibilities on private individuals
and businesses.
No personal information would be collected in administering
the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal
privacy.
Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the
enactment of S. 931, as ordered reported.
Executive Communications
On August 1, 1997, the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources requested legislative reports from the Department of
the Interior and the Office of Management and Budget setting
forth Executive agency recommendations on S. 931. These reports
had not been received at the time the report on S. 931 was
filed. When these reports become available, the Chairman will
request that they be printed in the Congressional Record for
the advice of the Senate. The testimony of the Department of
the Interior at the Subcommittee hearing follows:
Statement of Katherine H. Stevenson, Associate Director for Cultural
Resources, Stewardship and Partnerships, National Park Service,
Department of the Interior
Thank you for the opportunity to offer the Department of
the Interior's views on S. 931, a bill to amend the National
Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 to designate the Marjory
Stoneman Douglas Wilderness and to amend the Everglades
National Park Protection and Expansion Act of 1989 to designate
the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center.
We support this effort by Congress to recognize the two
mightiest protagonists of South Florida's river of grass. Ms.
Douglas and Mr. Coe led the charge to establish Everglades
National Park and raise public awareness to restore its
vitality.
Everglades National Park, dedicated in 1947, preserves the
subtropical region at the southern tip of Florida. Everglades
National Park, consisting of 1.5 million acres, has been
nominated by the United States and accepted by the world
community as a World Heritage Site, a Wetland of International
Significance, and a Biosphere Reserve in recognition of its
international significance. It is the only site in the United
States that has received all three designations which, while
not supplanting United States jurisdiction or management, do
serve to underscore the superlative qualities of the park on a
global scale. The park is well-known for its diverse and unique
wildlife, including wading birds, eagles, manatees, turtles,
and various fish species. It is the only place in the world
where alligators and crocodiles exist side by side. The park
has 13 species of endangered birds. It has open prairies and
extensive saltwater areas with sawgrass marshes, mangroves, and
shallow bays. Its 1.3-million acres of wilderness make it the
largest subtropical wilderness in the continental United
States.
In 1926 and again in 1928, Senator Park Trammel of Florida
introduced legislation calling for an investigation of the
Everglades to determine if a portion could qualify as a
national park. The National Park Service had made some
preliminary inquiries into the matter when Ernest Francis Coe,
a landscape architect, came forward to champion the idea of
creating a national park in southern Florida. Coe came to
Coconut Grove from New England in 1925 and was overwhelmed with
the natural beauty and wildlife of the Cape Sable and Ten
Thousands Islands area. He wanted to find some way to protect
the bird rookeries and hammocks from hunters and developers,
and the establishment of a national park seemed like an ideal
solution.
On May 31, 1928, Doe met with Arno B. Cammerer, Assistant
Director of the National Park Service, to discuss his project.
Cammerer only agreed to have the National Park Service study
the area if Congress appropriated funds for such an
undertaking. Doe promised to contact Senator Trammel and said
he would prepare articles for submittal to popular magazines to
publicize the area.
In December 1928, Senator Fletcher of Florida introduced a
bill in Congress to designate the Tropic Everglades National
Park. Soon after, in Miami, Ernest Coe formed an organization
which later became known as the Tropic Everglades National Park
Association. Coe was elected Secretary and continued supporting
efforts to make the area a national park. President Roosevelt
signed legislation on May 30, 1934, that granted the Secretary
of the Interior permission to select an area for a national
park in certain counties of southern Florida.
On December 6, 1996, which marked the beginning of the 50th
year celebration of the park's establishment, the National Park
Service administratively dedicated the Ernest F. Coe Visitor
Center in recognition of his pivotal role as ``The Father of
Everglades National Park.''
The 1947 Marjory Stoneman Douglas published her landmark
book, The Everglades: River of Grass, which greatly increased
interest in and concern for the Everglades. Ms. Douglas, who
celebrated her 107th birthday on April 6, symbolizes the
struggle to save the Everglades. In 1994 President Clinton
awarded her the Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian
award.
Ms. Douglas has long, often, and publicly stated her wish
to have Coe's efforts suitably commemorated at the park. She
has expressed, through her associate Dr. Sharon T. Richardson,
her support for and delight with the idea of both designations.
Dr. Richardson has added her opinion that, ``Nothing could mark
her life more suitably than to give her name to this
resplendent wilderness.''
Mr. Chairman, we could only wish to echo this sentiment and
add that, in our view, nothing could be more appropriate during
this 50th anniversary year of Everglades National Park, than
the commemoration of these two legends as proposed in S. 931.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by
the bill S. 931, as ordered reported, are shown as follows
(existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black
brackets, new matter is printed in italic, existing law in
which no change is proposed is shown in roman):
TITLE IV--WILDERNESS
designation of areas
Sec. 401. The following lands are hereby designated as
wilderness in accordance with section 3(c) of the Wilderness
Act (78 Stat. 890; 16 U.S.C. 1132(c)), and shall be
administered by the Secretary in accordance with the applicable
provisions of the Wilderness Act:
(1) Buffalo National River, Arkansas, wilderness
comprising approximately ten thousand five hundred and
twenty-nine acres and potential wilderness additions
comprising approximately twenty-five thousand four
hundred and seventy-one acres depicted on a map
entitled ``Wilderness Plan, Buffalo National River,
Arkansas'', numbered 173-20,036-B and dated March 1975,
to be known as the Buffalo National River Wilderness.
(2) Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico,
wilderness comprising approximately thirty-three
thousand one hundred and twenty-five acres and
potential wilderness additions comprising approximately
three hundred and twenty acres, depicted on a map
entitled ``Wilderness Plan, Carlsbad Caverns National
Park, New Mexico,'' numbered 130-20,003-B and dated
January 1978, to be known as the Carlsbad Caverns
Wilderness. By January 1, 1980, the Secretary shall
review the remainder of the park and shall report to
the President, in accordance with section 3 (c) and (d)
of the Wilderness Act (78 Stat. 891; 16 U.S.C. 1132 (c)
and (d)), his recommendations as to the suitability or
nonsuitability of any additional areas within the park
for preservation as wilderness, and any designations of
such areas as wilderness shall be accomplished in
accordance with said subsections of the Wilderness Act.
(3) Everglades National Park, Florida, wilderness
comprising approximately one million two hundred and
ninety-six thousand five hundred acres and potential
wilderness additions comprising approximately eighty-
one thousand nine hundred acres, depicted on a map
entitled, ``Wilderness Plan, Everglades National Park,
Florida'', numbered 160-20,022 and dated June 1974, [to
be known as the Everglades Wilderness] to be known as
the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness, to commemorate
the vision and leadership shown by Mrs. Douglas in the
protection of the Everglades and the establishment of
the Everglades National Park.
----------
TITLE I--EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK EXPANSION
SEC. 101. FINDINGS, PURPOSES AND DEFINITION OF TERMS.
(a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Everglades National Park is a nationally and
* * *
* * * * * * *
SEC. 103. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the areas
within the addition in accordance with this Act and other
provisions of law applicable to the Everglades National Park,
and with the provisions of law generally applicable to units of
the national park system, including the Act entitled ``An Act
to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes'',
approved August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1-4). In
order to further preserve and protect Everglades National Park,
the Secretary shall utilize such other statutory authority as
may be available to him for the preservation of wildlife and
natural resources as he deems necessary to carry out the
purposes of this Act.
(b) Protection of Ecosystem.--The Secretary shall manage
the park in order to maintain the natural abundance, diversity,
and ecological integrity of native plants and animals, as well
as the behavior of native animals, as a part of their
ecosystem.
(c) Protection of Flora and Fauna.--The park shall be
closed to the operation of airboats--
(1) except as provided in subsection (d); and
(2) except that within a limited capacity and on
designated routes within the addition, owners of record
of registered airboats in use within the addition as of
January 1, 1989, shall be issued nontransferable,
nonrenewable permits, for their individual lifetimes,
to operate [personnally-owned] personally-owned
airboats for non-commercial use in accordance with
rules prescribed by the Secretary to determine
ownership and registration, establish uses, permit
conditions, and penalties, and to protect the
biological resources in the area.
TITLE I--EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK EXPANSION
SEC. 101. FINDINGS, PURPOSES AND DEFINITION OF TERMS.
(a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Everglades National Park is a nationally and
inter-
* * * * * * *
SEC. 103. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the areas
within the addition in accordance with this Act and other
provisions of law applicable to the Everglades National Park,
and with the provisions of law generally applicable to units of
the national park system, including the Act entitled ``An Act
to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes'',
approved August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1-4). In
order to further preserve and protect Everglades National Park,
the Secretary shall utilize such other statutory authority as
may be available to him for the preservation of wildlife and
natural resources as he deems necessary to carry out the
purposes of this Act.
(b) Protection of Ecosystem.--The Secretary shall manage
the park in order to maintain the natural abundance, diversity,
and ecological integrity of native plants and animals, as well
as the behavior of native animals, as part of their ecosystem.
(c) Protection of Flora and Fauna.--The park shall be
closed to the operation of airboats--
(1) except as provided in subsection (d); and
* * * * * * *
(e) [Visitor Center] Marjory Stoneman Doulgas Visitor
Center._
The Secretary is authorized and directed to expedite the
construction of the visitor center facility at Everglades City,
Florida, as described in the Development Concept Plan, Gulf
Coast, dated February 1989, and upon construction shall
designate the visitor center facility as ``The Marjory Stoneman
Douglas Visitor Center'' in commemoration of the vision and
leadership shown by Mrs. Douglas in the protection of the
Everglades and Everglades National Park.
(f) Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center.--On completion of
construction of the main visitor center facility at the
headquarters of Everglades National Park, the Secretary shall
designate the visitor center facility as the ``Ernest F. Coe
Visitor Center'', to commemorate the vision and leadership
shown by Mr. Coe in the establishment and protection of
Everglades National Park.