TO ESTABLISH THE CUMBERLAND ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1972

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS AND RECREATION

OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room 1324, Longworth House Office Building, the Honorable Roy A. Taylor (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.

Mr. TAYLOR. The Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation will convene. It is a pleasure today to have an opportunity to hear testimony concerning H.R. 9859, a bill introduced by Representative Stuckey which provides for the establishment of the Cumberland Island National Seashore in the State of Georgia.

Cumberland Island is one of the finest natural seashore areas along the eastern seaboard. More than 15 years ago, it was studied by the National Park Service and at that time it was recognized as one of the five best potential recreation areas along the Atlantic and Gulf coastlines. Since that time, three of the five-Cape Cod, Padre Island, and Fire Island-have been added to the national park system by the Congress.

A few months ago, several members of the subcommittee had an opportunity to visit this area to see for themselves what it has to offer. I think that everyone was greatly impressed by the beauty of the place, by the undeveloped character of the land, and by the outstanding beaches it offers. I had a feeling while there that the clock had been turned back about 60 years and I was seeing America as it was back at that time.

There are some residents on the island and some very interesting historic homes. These people and those who lived on the island in prior years have done an outstanding job of protecting this area from commercial development. Naturally, many of the present residents wish

to remain.

The purpose of this hearing is to allow us to learn as much as possible about this proposed legislation. We want to know what the plans are and how the area will be developed and used by the public, if it is added to the national park system. We want to learn about the interests of the residents of the area and what options will be available to them if a national seashore is created. In short, we want to develop as much background information as possible on this pro

posal so that we can determine on the merits of the arguments presented what course of action the Federal Government should take.

I do not want to take too much of the time of the subcommittee this morning. We have several witnesses that desire to be heard and we want to give them as much time as possible.

Unfortunately this morning we have a complicated situation. Yesterday morning an important Democratic caucus dealing with Vietnam was scheduled and held. There was more rhetoric than action and the business of the caucus was not completed and it was continued until this morning. I was hopeful that we could proceed with our Cumberland Island hearing and just recess for rollcall votes. However, the Speaker has requested that no committee meetings be held during the caucus this morning. Therefore, we have no choice except to recess our hearings at 10 o'clock or shortly thereafter and reconvene when the caucus has been completed which is expected to be about 11 o'clock. It could be much quicker or it could be longer, depending on how the votes go.

I do hope that before we leave we could hear our first witness who is the Honorable W. S. Stuckey.

Before he comes to the witness stand, in the absence of objection, a copy of the bill, H.R. 9859, and a copy of the departmental report will be made a part of the record at this point.

(Bill H.R. 9859 and the departmental report follow :)

92D CONGRESS 1ST SESSION

H. R. 9859

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 15, 1971

Mr. STUCKEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs

A BILL

To establish the Cumberland Island National Seashore in the State of Georgia, and for other purposes.

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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That in order to provide for public outdoor recreation use and 4 enjoyment of certain significant shoreline lands and waters 5 of the United States, and to preserve related scenic, scientific, 6 and historical values, there is established in the State of 7 Georgia the Cumberland Island National Seashore (herein8 after referred to as the "seashore") consisting of the area 9 generally depicted on the drawing entitled "Boundary Map, 10 Cumberland Island National Seashore", numbered CUIS11 40,000B, and dated June 1971, which shall be on file and

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1 available for public inspection in the offices of the National 2 Park Service, Department of the Interior. The Secretary of 3 the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the "Secretary") may 4 make minor adjustments in the boundary of the seashore 5 from time to time by publication of a revised drawing or 6 other boundary description in the Federal Register.

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SEC. 2. Within the boundaries of the seashore, the 8 Secretary may acquire lands, waters, and interests therein 9 by whatever legal method available to him such as, but not limited to, donation, purchase with donated or appro11 priated funds, exchange, or transfer from any other Federal 12 agency. The Secretary may also acquire not to exceed 13 one hundred acres of lands and interests in lands on the 14 mainland to provide access to the administrative and visitor 15 facilities for the seashore. Property owned by the State of 16 Georgia or any political subdivision thereof may be acquired 17 only by donation. Notwithstanding any other provision of 18 law, any Federal property located within the boundaries of 19 the seashore may, with the concurrence of the agency hav20 ing custody thereof, be transferred without transfer of funds 21 to the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary for the

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purposes of the seashore.

SEC. 3. For the purpose of providing access from Inter

24 state 95 to the mainland administrative and visitor facilities 25 of the seashore, the Secretary may designate as the Cum

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1 berland Island Parkway a right-of-way, together with adja

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cent or related sites for public noncommercial recreational

use and for interpretation of scenic and historic values, 4 of not more than one thousand acres of lands, waters, and 5 interests therein. The Secretary is authorized to acquire 6 only by donation those lands and interests therein, and other 7 property comprising such right-of-way and adjacent or 8 related sites as he may designate pursuant to this Act for 9 the development, hereby authorized, of a road of parkway 10 standards, including necessary bridges, spurs, connecting 11 roads, access roads, and other facilities, and for the devel12 opment and interpretation of recreation areas and historic 13 sites in connection therewith. Lands acquired for the park14 way shall be administered as a part of the seashore, sub15 ject to all laws and regulations applicable thereto, and 16 subject to such special regulations as the Secretary may 17 promulgate for the parkway.

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SEC. 4. (a) With the exception of any property deemed 19 necessary by the Secretary for visitor facilities or administra20 tion of the seashore, any owner or owners of improved prop21 erty on the date of its acquisition by the Secretary may, as a 22 condition of such acquisition, retain for themselves and their 23 successors or assigns a right of use and occupancy of the prop24 erty for noncommercial residential purposes, or agriculture 25 purposes, for a definite term not to exceed forty years, or, in