Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act of 2004

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the adequate description of the legislation provided by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).

To briefly reiterate, H.R. 2619 would virtually double the size of the existing Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

The purpose of this 219-acre expansion would be to protect the scarce and threatened habitats for several endangered species of Hawaiian wildlife. This noncontroversial legislation is strongly supported by the State of Hawaii, the mayor of Kauai, the Kauai County Council, and the citizens of the Kilauea.

That this expansion will be executed entirely through willing seller purchases is testament to the tireless consensus-building which has been accomplished by the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case). Both the Committee on Resources ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), and I commend the gentleman from Hawaii for his efforts to protect special areas of the Hawaiian environment. I urge Members to support this legislation.

Mr. CASE, Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2619, my Kilauea Point National Wildlife Expansion Act. This bill authorizes the addition of 234 invaluable acres to the Refuge, a national treasure, currently home to a variety of endangered and threatened seabirds as well as Hawai`i's endangered state bird, the nene (Hawaiian Goose).

This bill is a vital component of one of my principal goals in Congress: to ensure that federal and/or state or private protection is extended to as many of Hawai`i's threatened and irreplaceable areas as possible, both to ensure the survival and recovery of Hawai`i's unique endangered and threatened species and to preserve the dwindling unspoiled resources of our beautiful islands for future generations.

The Kilauea National Wildlife Refuge, located at the northernmost tip of Kaua`i, was established in 1985. The initial acreage of 31 acres was increased to 203 acres through additional acquisitions in 1993 and 1994. The refuge provides invaluable habitat for many native seabirds, including the Laysan Albatross, the Red-footed Booby, and the Wedge- tailed Shearwater, as well as for the endangered nene. Endangered native plants have also been reintroduced to the area. The Refuge and its historic lighthouse have become one of Hawai`i's world-class tourist destinations, visited by some 300,000 visitors each year. It is one of the most heavily visited refuges in the United States.

The proposed expansion area comprises five parcels of some 234 acres adjoining the boundary of the Refuge on both the east and west sides. The Kilauea River runs through a portion of the land, which also includes an extensive lo'i (irrigated terrace for traditional cultivation of taro, the staple crop of Native Hawaiians) which could be restored to support endangered Hawaiian water birds, including the Hawaiian duck (Koloa), Hawaiian coot (`Alae `ke`oke`o), Hawaiian stilt (Ae`o), and Hawaiian moorhen (`Alae `ula). There is also a high quality estuarine ecosystem at the lower reaches of the river, which includes habitat for endangered birds as well as native stream life, such as the hihiwai (an endemic snail), o`opu (native goby), the native sleeper fish, flagtail, mullet, prawn, shrimp, invertebrates and juveniles of several important recreational and commercial marine fish species. The proposed addition also provides excellent additional habitat for the nene, which was only recently saved from extinction. The beach is also sometimes used by endangered Hawaiian monk seals, and threatened and endangered sea turtles nest in the area.

The upper end of the proposed expansion area contains one of the largest waterfalls (Kilauea Falls) in the state of Hawai`i.

One of the parcels, 5 acres of valuable beachfront property, was donated after introduction of the bill by a private owner to the Kauai Public Land Trust for eventual transfer to the Fish & Wildlife Service. The owner of another 15-acre parcel has expressed his desire to donate it to the Refuge. The other parcels are on the market, although their owners are amenable to acquisition by the Refuge.

The Kilauea community strongly supports the Refuge. In fact, the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is a model for management of other federal refuges nationwide. The operations of the Refuge are supported by community volunteers, who give daily tours of the Refuge and help in the preservation and propagation of native plant species. The principal volunteer group, Kilauea Point Natural History Association, even has a small store in the Visitor Center, the proceeds of which support environmental education programs throughout Kaua`i.

H.R. 2619 is supported by Kaua`i's Mayor Bryan Baptiste, State Senator Gary L. Hooser, State Representatives Hermina M. Morita and Ezra Kanoho, the Kaua`i County Council, the State Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Kilauea Neighborhood Association, the Kaua`i Public Land Trust, the Kilauea Point Natural History Association, and the Hawai`i Chapter of the Sierra Club. I want to take a moment to thank some of the individuals in Kaua`i whose dedication and commitment to the Refuge and the endangered species it protects inspired development of this bill: Gary Smith, Gary and Beryl Blaich, Susan Boynton, Janis Lyon, and Katie Pickett.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Oceans and Wildlife Chair Wayne Gilchrest and Ranking Member Frank Pallone for moving this bill through their subcommittee, as well as Committee Chair Richard Pombo and Ranking Nick Rahall for helping to bring the bill to the floor today. I would also like to recognize the work of Committee and Subcommittee staff, in particular Dave Jansen and Jim Zoia on the minority staff and Harry Burroughs, Dave Whaley, Mike Correia, and Steve Ding on the majority staff.

I respectfully ask my colleagues to support H.R. 2619 and invite you to come to the Island of Kaua`i to visit our Refuge. I know that if you did so, you would be as convinced as I am of the importance of protecting these previous lands.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2619) to provide for the expansion of Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this bill introduced by the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case),

would allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to acquire up to 234 acres of land from private landowners who have expressed an interest in selling or donating their property for inclusion in the refuge.

The Kilauea Point Refuge was established in 1984. The centerpiece of this unit is a 90-year-old lighthouse which served as a navigational aid for thousands of commercial vessels and boats that sailed between Hawaii and Asia. The Coast Guard has now deactivated the lighthouse, but it has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This refuge provides essential habitat to a number of listed plant, avian and wildlife species, including the Hawaiian monk seal and the official State bird, which is called the nene. It is estimated that more than 400,000 people annually visit this beautiful refuge on the island of Kauai; and this expansion will assist in the recovery of these listed species, conserve native coastal strand and riparian habitat, and help ensure aquatic biological diversity in the future.

During the committee process, an amendment in the nature of a substitute was successfully offered that clarified that the owners of this property may donate their land if they so desire, all acquisitions shall be made in a voluntary manner, and wildlife-dependent recreation will be a priority use when compatible with the purposes of the refuge. This is a good piece of legislation, and I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 2619.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Environment and Public Works Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 2619, and that the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record, without intervening action or debate.