H.R. 2663House108th Congress (2003-2005)Passed House

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent Farms located on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

Legislative Activity

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17 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

September 22, 2004

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 8, 2003

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

July 8, 2003

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.

Federal Lands Subcommittee

July 10, 2003

HouseCommittee

Executive Comment Requested from Interior.

Natural Resources Committee

July 10, 2003

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Federal Lands Subcommittee

March 25, 2004

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Federal Lands Subcommittee

April 22, 2004

HouseCommittee

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Unanimous Consent.

Federal Lands Subcommittee

April 22, 2004

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Natural Resources Committee

May 5, 2004

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.

Natural Resources Committee

May 5, 2004

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-640.

Natural Resources Committee

September 7, 2004

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 384.

September 7, 2004

HouseFloor

Mr. Pearce moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

September 21, 2004 • 2:27 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7258-7259)

September 21, 2004 • 2:27 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2663.

September 21, 2004 • 2:27 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H7258-7259)

September 21, 2004 • 2:32 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7258-7259)

September 21, 2004 • 2:32 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

September 21, 2004 • 2:32 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

September 22, 2004

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about H.R. 2663 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Rep. Donna M. ChristensenD-VI · Sep 21, 2004

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.) Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased the House is considering my…

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

(Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased the House is considering my bill, H.R. 2663, to provide for a study to determine the feasibility and suitability of designating Castle Nugent Farms on my home island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands as a unit of the National Park System.

Castle Nugent Farms is a unique 1,350-acre property located on the southeastern shore of St. Croix. It contains natural and cultural resources which could provide an unparalleled insight into the plantation period of the Virgin Islands.

Castle Nugent Farms is presently operated as a cattle ranch by owners who are very interested in preserving and interpreting the natural and cultural resources of the area. I want to take this opportunity to commend Caroline Gasperi and her family for the stewardship of this land for more than 50 years and for her enthusiasm and dedication to this cause.

The owners are justifiably proud of their ranch which contains more than 4 miles of pristine oceanfront with a large and healthy fringing coral reef. The interior of the property consists of Caribbean dry forest and pasture lands with cultural resources from both pre- Columbian and post-European settlement. A large Danish estate house, dating to the 1730s, sits on the property. That house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

At various points in its history, Castle Nugent Farms has been operated as a cotton plantation and a sugarcane plantation. Its current use as a cattle ranch involves raising unique Senepol cattle, a breed which is well-suited to the climate and vegetation of the area.

H.R. 2663 is a noncontroversial bill. The National Park Service has no objections to the legislation, and the property's owners not only support a park study of the site but are enthusiastic about the opportunity to preserve the natural and cultural resources of the farm.

Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that the park study will provide the blueprint by which we can preserve and interpret this unique piece of island history and resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) for taking the time to personally communicate with my constituent, Mrs. Gasperi, and for his strong support and for shepherding this bill through the committee. And I thank my colleagues on the Committee on Resources for their favorable consideration of H.R. 2663 and express my wholehearted support for the adoption of this bill by the House this afternoon.

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

Rep. Stevan PearceR-NM-2 · Sep 21, 2004

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2663) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent Farms, located…

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued September 22, 2004

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2663 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

2d Session
H. R. 2663

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 22, 2004

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and
feasibility of designating Castle Nugent Farms located on St. Croix,
Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park System, 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. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STUDY REGARDING CASTLE NUGENT FARMS.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Castle Nugent Farms, located on the southeastern shore
of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, is the largest parcel of
privately-held land in the Virgin Islands and has been an
operating cattle ranch for 50 years.
(2) This land has the largest and healthiest fringing coral
reef anywhere in the Virgin Islands.
(3) It consists of Caribbean dry forest and pasturelands
with considerable cultural resources including both pre-
Columbian and post-European settlement.
(4) Castle Nugent Farms contains a large historic 17th
century Danish estate house that sits on over 4 miles of
pristine Caribbean oceanfront property.
(5) In addition to being an area for turtle nesting and
night heron nesting, it is the home for the Senepol cattle
breed, a unique breed of cattle that was developed on St. Croix
in the early 1900's to adapt to the island's climate.
(b) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall carry out a study
regarding the suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent
Farms as a unit of the National Park System.
(c) Study Process and Completion.--Section 8(c) of Public Law 91-
383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)) shall apply to the conduct and completion of
the study required by this section.

Passed the House of Representatives September 21, 2004.

Attest:

JEFF TRANDAHL,

Clerk.