Commemorative and Land Bills: HR 4438

STATEMENT OF STEPHEN E. WHITESELL,

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, PARK PLANNING, FACILITIES, AND LANDS,

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE,

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,

BEFORE THE

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS AND PUBLIC LANDS,

OF THE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES,

CONCERNING H.R. 4438,

TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR

TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT TO LEASE SPACE

FROM A NONPROFIT GROUP OR OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITY

FOR A PARK HEADQUARTERS AT SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK,

TO EXPAND THE BOUNDARY OF THE PARK,

TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF POTENTIAL LAND ACQUISITIONS

AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

FEBRUARY 25, 2010

Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to present the Department of the Interior's views on H.R. 4438, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement to lease space from a nonprofit group or other government entity for a park headquarters at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, to expand the boundary of the Park, to conduct a study of potential land acquisitions, and for other purposes.

The Department supports H.R. 4438 with the amendments discussed in this testimony.

This bill would amend Section 201 of Public Law 95-629 to direct the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to conduct a study of lands in Bexar and Wilson Counties to identify lands that would be appropriate to include within the boundaries of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (Park).The Secretary is directed to report on the findings of the study three years after funds are made available.The Secretary would also be authorized to enter into a lease agreement with a non-profit organization, or State or local governmental agency, for office space outside the boundary of the park for a headquarters and operational support building and construction, management, or both, of a center for research and education.Finally, the boundary of the park would be expanded by approximately 151 acres.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park preserves a significant link to Mexico and Spain that has influenced the culture and history of the United States since before its inception. San Antonio is now the seventh largest and third fastest growing city in the
United States. The city grew 68 percent between 1980 and 2007 and now almost entirely surrounds the Park with urban development, threatening areas that contain significant Spanish colonial resources historically associated with the Park.

Park headquarters for San Antonio Missions are currently inadequate; do not meet fire, safety or security standards; and exist in an expired lease space not adjacent to the Park. The Park's maintenance operations are dispersed in three separate locations. The Park's curatorial collection, which contains almost one million Spanish Colonial period objects, is stored in four different locations, including two locations that do not meet National Park Service (NPS) Curatorial Storage Standards.

The City of San Antonio, Texas, has acquired lands adjacent to Mission San José and has proposed a partnership with the Park and one of its partners for the construction of a new public library and park headquarters. A leasing arrangement such as the one described in H.R. 4438 would provide the NPS with the option to enter into a lease agreement with an entity, such as Los Compadres de San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (Los Compadres), or a State or local government agency.As a part of the lease agreement, assistance with construction or management of a center for research and education might be possible.However, since there is ambiguity in this leasing language amending subsection (d) of P.L. 95-629, we would like to work with the committee on revising this subsection.

H.R. 4438 would also expand the boundary of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park by approximately 151 acres, of which 118 acres are either currently owned by the NPS, are being donated, or are being transferred through a land exchange to the Park. All costs associated with the land exchange will be paid for by the San Antonio River Authority with the NPS only paying for minimal transaction costs. Thirty-three acres would either be purchased by the NPS from willing sellers or donated to the Park. It is estimated that the acquisition of these 33 acres could cost as much as $3,587,110 and operational costs associated with adding the 151 acres of land are not expected to exceed $100,000 per year. Associated land acquisition funding requests would be subject to the Administration's prioritization process that uses consistent and merit-based criteria to select projects and the availability of appropriations.

The Park's General Management Plan and Land Protection Plan acknowledge that the current boundary is insufficient to fully achieve the Park's purpose. The Park's most recent feasibility study recommended a much larger area to best protect the cultural resources associated with the Park. Numerous areas that contain significant Spanish colonial resources historically associated with the Park, still remain outside the boundary. In addition, the Park has acquired lands that are outside the current boundary and is in the process of accepting additional lands that will be included within the boundary as a part of a land exchange with the San Antonio River Authority and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to facilitate restoration of the San Antonio River.

H.R. 4438 would also authorize the Secretary to conduct a study of lands within Bexar and Wilson counties, in the State of
Texas, to identify lands that would be suitable for inclusion within the boundaries of the Park. The study should also explore management alternatives that would best ensure public access, preservation, protection, and interpretation of the Missions.

We estimate that this study will cost approximately $350,000.

H.R. 4438 enjoys the strong support of officials from Bexar County, Wilson County, the City of San Antonio, the City of Floresville, the San Antonio River Authority, the San Antonio Conservation Society, Los Compadres, and others.This bill would help guarantee the preservation, protection, restoration, and interpretation of the missions for current and future generations.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my prepared remarks. I would be happy to answer any questions you or any other members of the Subcommittee may have.