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[DOCID: f:s425is.txt]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 425
To establish the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge in the State of
Colorado, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 1, 2001
Mr. Allard (for himself and Mr. Campbell) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed
Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge in the State of
Colorado, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge
Act of 2001''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The Federal Government, through the Atomic Energy
Commission, acquired the Rocky Flats site in 1951 and began
operations there in 1952. The site remains a Department of
Energy facility. Since 1992, the mission of the Rocky Flats
site has changed from the production of nuclear weapons
components to cleanup and closure in a manner that is safe,
environmentally and socially responsible, physically secure,
and cost-effective.
(2) The site has generally remained undisturbed since its
acquisition by the Federal Government.
(3) The State of Colorado is experiencing increasing growth
and development, especially in the metropolitan Denver Front
Range area in the vicinity of the Rocky Flats site. That growth
and development reduces the amount of open space and thereby
diminishes for many metropolitan Denver communities the vistas
of the striking Front Range mountain backdrop.
(4) Some areas of the site contain contamination and will
require further remediation. The national interest requires
that the ongoing cleanup and closure of the entire site be
completed safely, effectively, and without unnecessary delay
and that the site thereafter be retained by the United States
and managed so as to preserve the value of the site for open
space and wildlife habitat.
(5) The Rocky Flats site provides habitat for many wildlife
species, including a number of threatened and endangered
species, and is marked by the presence of rare xeric tallgrass
prairie plant communities. Establishing the site as a unit of
the National Wildlife Refuge System will promote the
preservation and enhancement of those resources for present and
future generations.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to provide for the
establishment of the Rocky Flats site as a national wildlife refuge
while creating a process for public input on refuge management and
ensuring that the site is thoroughly and completely cleaned up.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Cleanup and closure.--The term ``cleanup and closure''
means the remedial actions and decommissioning activities being
carried out at Rocky Flats by the Department of Energy under
the 1996 Rocky Flats Cleanup Agreement, the closure plans and
baselines, and any other relevant documents or requirements.
(2) Coalition.--The term ``Coalition'' means the Rocky
Flats Coalition of Local Governments established by the
Intergovernmental Agreement, dated February 16, 1999, among--
(A) the city of Arvada, Colorado;
(B) the city of Boulder, Colorado;
(C) the city of Broomfield, Colorado;
(D) the city of Westminster, Colorado;
(E) the town of Superior, Colorado;
(F) Boulder County, Colorado; and
(G) Jefferson County, Colorado.
(3) Hazardous substance.--The term ``hazardous substance''
has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601).
(4) Pollutant or contaminant.--The term ``pollutant or
contaminant'' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601).
(5) Refuge.--The term ``refuge'' means the Rocky Flats
National Wildlife Refuge established under section 7.
(6) Response action.--The term ``response action'' has the
meaning given the term ``response'' in section 101 of the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601) or any similar
requirement under State law.
(7) RFCA.--The term ``RFCA'' means the Rocky Flats Cleanup
Agreement, an intergovernmental agreement, dated July 19, 1996,
among--
(A) the Department of Energy;
(B) the Environmental Protection Agency; and
(C) the Department of Public Health and Environment
of the State of Colorado.
(8) Rocky flats.--The term ``Rocky Flats'' means the Rocky
Flats Environmental Technology Site, Colorado, a defense
nuclear facility, as depicted on the map entitled ``Rocky Flats
Environmental Technology Site'', dated July 15, 1998.
(9) Rocky flats trustees.--The term ``Rocky Flats
Trustees'' means the Federal and State of Colorado entities
that have been identified as trustees for Rocky Flats under
section 107(f)(2) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9607(f)(2)).
(10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
SEC. 4. FUTURE OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT.
(a) Federal Ownership.--Unless Congress provides otherwise in an
Act enacted after the date of enactment of this Act, all right, title,
and interest of the United States, held on or acquired after the date
of enactment of this Act, to land within the boundaries of Rocky Flats
shall be retained by the United States.
(b) Lindsay Ranch.--The structures that comprise the former Lindsay
Ranch homestead site in the Rock Creek Reserve area of the buffer zone,
as depicted on the map referred to in section 3(8), shall be
permanently preserved and maintained in accordance with the National
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
(c) Prohibition on Annexation.--The Secretary of the Interior shall
not allow the annexation of land within the refuge by any unit of local
government.
(d) Prohibition on Through Roads.--Except as provided in subsection
(e), no public road shall be constructed through Rocky Flats.
(e) Transportation Right-of-Way.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Availability of land.--On submission of an
application meeting each of the conditions specified in
paragraph (2), the Secretary and the Secretary of the
Interior shall make available land along the eastern
boundary of Rocky Flats for the sole purpose of
transportation improvements along Indiana Street.
(B) Boundaries.--Land made available under this
paragraph may not extend more than 300 feet from the
west edge of the Indiana Street right-of-way, as that
right-of-way exists as of the date of enactment of this
Act.
(C) Easement or sale.--Land m
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ay be made available
under this paragraph by easement or sale to 1 or more
appropriate entities.
(D) Compliance with applicable law.--Any action
under this paragraph shall be taken in compliance with
applicable law.
(2) Conditions.--An application for land under this
subsection may be submitted by any county, city, or other
political subdivision of the State of Colorado and shall
include documentation demonstrating that--
(A) the transportation project is constructed so as
to minimize adverse effects on the management of Rocky
Flats as a wildlife refuge; and
(B) the transportation project is included in the
Regional Transportation Plan of the Metropolitan
Planning Organization designated for the Denver
metropolitan area under section 5303 of title 49,
United States Code.
SEC. 5. TRANSFER OF MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND JURISDICTION OVER
ROCKY FLATS.
(a) In General.--
(1) Memorandum of understanding.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the
Secretary of the Interior shall publish in the Federal
Register a draft memorandum of understanding under
which the Secretary shall transfer to the Secretary of
the Interior administrative jurisdiction over Rocky
Flats.
(B) Required elements.--
(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii),
the memorandum of understanding shall--
(I) provide for the timing of the
transfer;
(II) provide for the division of
responsibilities between the Secretary
and the Secretary of the Interior for
the period ending on the date of the
transfer; and
(III) provide an appropriate
allocation of costs and personnel to
the Secretary of the Interior.
(ii) No reduction in funds.--The memorandum
of understanding shall not result in any
reduction in funds available to the Secretary
for cleanup and closure of Rocky Flats.
(C) Deadline.--Not later than 18 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary and
Secretary of the Interior shall finalize and implement
the memorandum of understanding.
(2) Exclusions.--The transfer under paragraph (1) shall not
include the transfer of any property or facility over which the
Secretary retains jurisdiction, authority, and control under
subsection (b)(1).
(3) Condition.--The transfer under paragraph (1) shall
occur--
(A) not earlier than the date on which the Regional
Administrator for Region VIII of the Environmental
Protection Agency signs the Final On-site Record of
Decision for Rocky Flats; but
(B) not later than 10 business days after that
date.
(4) Cost; improvements.--The transfer--
(A) shall be completed without cost to the
Secretary of the Interior; and
(B) may include such buildings or other
improvements as the Secretary of the Interior may
request in writing for refuge management purposes.
(b) Property and Facilities Excluded From Transfers.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall retain jurisdiction,
authority, and control over all real property and facilities at
Rocky Flats that are to be used for--
(A) any necessary and appropriate long-term
operation and maintenance facility to intercept, treat,
or control a radionuclide or any other hazardous
substance, pollutant, or contaminant; and
(B) any other purpose relating to a response action
or any other action that is required to be carried out
at Rocky Flats.
(2) Consultation.--
(A) Identification of property.--The Secretary
shall consult with the Secretary of the Interior, the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency,
and the State of Colorado on the identification of all
property to be retained under this subsection to ensure
the continuing effectiveness of response actions.
(B) Management of property.--
(i) In general.--The Secretary shall
consult with the Secretary of the Interior on
the management of the retained property to
minimize any conflict between the management of
property transferred to the Secretary of the
Interior and property retained by the Secretary
for response actions.
(ii) Conflict.--In the case of any such
conflict, implementation and maintenance of the
response action shall take priority.
(3) Access.--As a condition of the transfer under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall be provided such easements
and access as are reasonably required to carry out any
obligation or address any liability.
(c) Administration.--
(1) In general.--On completion of the transfer under
subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior shall administer
Rocky Flats in accordance with this Act subject to--
(A) any response action or institutional control at
Rocky Flats carried out by or under the authority of
the Secretary under the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42
U.S.C. 9601 et seq.); and
(B) any other action required under any other
Federal or State law to be carried out by or under the
authority of the Secretary.
(2) Conflict.--In the case of any conflict between the
management of Rocky Flats by the Secretary of the Interior and
the conduct of any response action or other action described in
subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1), the response action
or other action shall take priority.
(3) Continuing actions.--Except as provided in paragraph
(1), nothing in this subsection affects any response action or
other action initiated at Rocky Flats on or before the date of
the transfer under subsection (a).
(4) Liability.--The Secretary shall retain any obligation
or other liability for land transferred under subsection (a)
under--
(A) the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601
et seq.); or
(B) any other applicable law.
SEC. 6. CONTINUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP AND CLOSURE.
(a) Ongoing Cleanup and Closure.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out to
completion cleanup and closure at Rocky Flats.
(2) No restriction on use of new technologies.--Nothing in
this Act, and no action taken under this Act, r
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estricts the
Secretary from using at Rocky Flats any new technology that may
become available for remediation of contamination.
(b) Rules of Construction.--
(1) No relief from obligations under other law.--
(A) In general.--Nothing in this Act, and no action
taken under this Act, relieves the Secretary, the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency,
or any other person from any obligation or other
liability with respect to Rocky Flats under the RFCA or
any applicable Federal or State law.
(B) No effect on rfca.--Nothing in this Act impairs
or alters any provision of the RFCA.
(2) Required cleanup levels.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), nothing in this Act affects the level of cleanup
and closure at Rocky Flats required under the RFCA or
any Federal or State law.
(B) No effect from establishment as national
wildlife refuge.--
(i) In general.--The requirements of this
Act for establishment and management of Rocky
Flats as a national wildlife refuge shall not
affect the level of cleanup and closure.
(ii) Cleanup levels.--The Secretary is
required to conduct cleanup and closure of
Rocky Flats to the levels hereafter established
for soil, water, and other media, following a
thorough review, by the parties to the RFCA and
the public (including the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service and other interested
government agencies), of the appropriateness of
the interim levels in the RFCA.
(3) No effect on obligations for measures to control
contamination.--Nothing in this Act, and no action taken under
this Act, affects any long-term obligation of the United States
relating to funding, construction, monitoring, or operation and
maintenance of--
(A) any necessary intercept or treatment facility;
or
(B) any other measure to control contamination.
(c) Payment of Response Action Costs.--Nothing in this Act affects
the obligation of a Federal department or agency that had or has
operations at Rocky Flats resulting in the release or threatened
release of a hazardous substance or pollutant or contaminant to pay the
costs of response actions carried out to abate the release of, or clean
up, the hazardous substance or pollutant or contaminant.
(d) Consultation.--In carrying out a response action at Rocky
Flats, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of the Interior
to ensure that the response action is carried out in a manner that--
(1) does not impair the attainment of the goals of the
response action; but
(2) minimizes, to the maximum extent practicable, adverse
effects of the response action on the refuge.
SEC. 7. ROCKY FLATS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 30 days after the transfer of
jurisdiction under section 5(a)(3), the Secretary of the Interior shall
establish at Rocky Flats a national wildlife refuge to be known as the
``Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge''.
(b) Composition.--The refuge shall consist of the real property
subject to the transfer of jurisdiction under section 5(a)(1).
(c) Notice.--The Secretary of the Interior shall publish in the
Federal Register a notice of the establishment of the refuge.
(d) Administration and Purposes.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall manage
the refuge in accordance with applicable law, including this
Act, the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of
1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.), and the purposes specified in
that Act.
(2) Specific management purposes.--To the extent consistent
with applicable law, the refuge shall be managed for the
purposes of--
(A) restoring and preserving native ecosystems;
(B) providing habitat for, and population
management of, native plants and migratory and resident
wildlife;
(C) conserving threatened and endangered species
(including species that are candidates for listing
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.));
(D) providing opportunities for compatible,
wildlife-dependent environmental scientific research;
and
(E) providing the public with opportunities for
compatible outdoor recreational and educational
activities.
SEC. 8. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.
(a) Establishment of Process.--Not later than 90 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, in developing plans for the management
of fish and wildlife and public use of the refuge, the Secretary of the
Interior, in consultation with the Secretary, the members of the
Coalition, the Governor of the State of Colorado, and the Rocky Flats
Trustees, shall establish a process for involvement of the public and
local communities in accomplishing the purposes and objectives of this
section.
(b) Other Participants.--In addition to the entities specified in
subsection (a), the public involvement process shall include the
opportunity for direct involvement of entities not members of the
Coalition as of the date of enactment of this Act, including the Rocky
Flats Citizens' Advisory Board and the cities of Thornton, Northglenn,
Golden, Louisville, and Lafayette, Colorado.
(c) Dissolution of Coalition.--If the Coalition dissolves, or if
any Coalition member elects to leave the Coalition during the public
involvement process under this section--
(1) the public involvement process under this section shall
continue; and
(2) an opportunity shall be provided to each entity that is
a member of the Coalition as of September 1, 2000, for direct
involvement in the public involvement process.
(d) Purposes.--The public involvement process under this section
shall provide input and make recommendations to the Secretary and the
Secretary of the Interior on the following:
(1) The long-term management of the refuge consistent with
the purposes of the refuge described in section 7(d) and in the
National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16
U.S.C. 668dd et seq.).
(2) The identification of any land described in section
4(e) that could be made available for transportation purposes.
(3) The potential for leasing any land in Rocky Flats for
the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to carry out projects
relating to the National Wind Technology Center.
(4) The characteristics and configuration of any perimeter
fencing that may be appropriate or compatible for cleanup and
closure, refuge, or other purposes.
(5) The feasibility of locating, and the potential location
for, a visitor and education center at the refuge.
(6) The establishment of a Rocky Flats museum described in
section 10.
(7) Any other issues relating to Rocky Flats.
(e) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the Committee
on Armed Services of the Senate and the appropriate committee of the
House of Representatives a report that--
(1) outlines the conclusions reached through the publ
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ic
involvement process; and
(2) to the extent that any input or recommendation from the
public involvement process is not accepted, clearly states the
reasons why the input or recommendation is not accepted.
SEC. 9. PROPERTY RIGHTS.
(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (c), nothing in
this Act limits any valid, existing property right at Rocky Flats that
is owned by any person or entity, including, but not limited to--
(1) any mineral right;
(2) any water right or related easement; and
(3) any facility or right-of-way for a utility.
(b) Access.--Except as provided in subsection (c), nothing in this
Act affects any right of an owner of a property right described in
subsection (a) to access the owner's property.
(c) Reasonable Conditions.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary or the Secretary of the
Interior may impose such reasonable conditions on access to
property rights described in subsection (a) as are appropriate
for the cleanup and closure of Rocky Flats and for the
management of the refuge.
(2) No effect on applicable law.--Nothing in this Act
affects any other applicable Federal, State, or local law
(including any regulation) relating to the use, development,
and management of property rights described in subsection (a).
(3) No effect on access rights.--Nothing in this subsection
precludes the exercise of any access right, in existence on the
date of enactment of this Act, that is necessary to perfect or
maintain a water right in existence on that date.
(d) Purchase of Mineral Rights.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall seek to acquire any
and all mineral rights at Rocky Flats through donation or
through purchase or exchange from willing sellers for fair
market value.
(2) Funding.--The Secretary and the Secretary of the
Interior--
(A) may use for the purchase of mineral rights
under paragraph (1) funds specifically provided by
Congress; but
(B) shall not use for such purchase funds
appropriated by Congress for the cleanup and closure of
Rocky Flats.
(e) Utility Extension.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary or the Secretary of the
Interior may allow not more than 1 extension from an existing
utility right-of-way on Rocky Flats, if necessary.
(2) Conditions.--An extension under paragraph (1) shall be
subject to the conditions specified in subsection (c).
(f) Easement Surveys.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), until the date
that is 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, an
entity that possesses a decreed water right or prescriptive
easement relating to land at Rocky Flats may carry out such
surveys at Rocky Flats as the entity determines are necessary
to perfect the right or easement.
(2) Limitation on conditions.--An activity carried out
under paragraph (1) shall be subject only to such conditions as
are imposed--
(A) by the Secretary of Energy, before the date on
which the transfer of management responsibilities under
section 5(a)(3) is completed, to minimize interference
with the cleanup and closure of Rocky Flats; and
(B) by the Secretary of the Interior, on or after
the date on which the transfer of management
responsibilities under section 5(a)(3) is completed, to
minimize adverse effects on the management of the
refuge.
SEC. 10. ROCKY FLATS MUSEUM.
(a) Museum.--In order to commemorate the contribution that Rocky
Flats and its worker force provided to the winning of the Cold War and
the impact that the contribution has had on the nearby communities and
the State of Colorado, the Secretary may establish a Rocky Flats
Museum.
(b) Location.--The Rocky Flats Museum shall be located in the city
of Arvada, Colorado, unless, after consultation under subsection (c),
the Secretary determines otherwise.
(c) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with the city of
Arvada, other local communities, and the Colorado State Historical
Society on--
(1) the development of the museum;
(2) the siting of the museum; and
(3) any other issues relating to the development and
construction of the museum.
(d) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with the city of Arvada, shall
submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the
appropriate committee of the House of Representatives a report on the
costs associated with the construction of the museum and any other
issues relating to the development and construction of the museum.
SEC. 11. REPORT ON FUNDING.
At the time of submission of the first budget of the United States
Government submitted by the President under section 1105 of title 31,
United States Code, after the date of enactment of this Act, and
annually thereafter, the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior
shall report to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate and the appropriate committees of the
House of Representatives on--
(1) the costs incurred in implementing this Act during the
preceding fiscal year; and
(2) the funds required to implement this Act during the
current and subsequent fiscal years.
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