To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the preservation and interpretation of the historic sites of the Manhattan Project for potential inclusion in the National Park System.

September 30, 2003

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the preservation and interpretation of the historic sites of the Manhattan Project for potential inclusion in the National Park System.

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 `Manhattan Project National Historical Park Study Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) The Manhattan Project, the World War II effort to develop and construct the first atomic bomb, represents an extraordinary era in the history of United States and the world that--

(A) included remarkable achievements in science and engineering made possible by innovative partnerships among many Federal agencies, universities, and private industries; and

(B) culminated in a transformation of the global society by ushering in the atomic age.

(2) The Manhattan Project was an unprecedented $2,200,000,000, 3-year, top-secret effort that employed approximately 130,000 men and women at its peak.

(3) The facilities of the Manhattan Project contain historic resources that are crucial for the interpretation of the Manhattan Project, including facilities in--

(A) Oak Ridge, Tennessee (where the first full-scale nuclear reactor and enrichment facilities were built);

(B) Hanford, Washington (where the first large-scale reactor for plutonium was built); and

(C) Los Alamos, New Mexico (where the atomic bombs were designed and built).

(4) The Secretary has recognized the national significance in our Nation's history of Manhattan Project facilities in the study area by--

(A) designating the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory in the State of New Mexico as a National Historic Landmark in 1965 and adding the Laboratory to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966;

(B) designating the X.FF0910 Graphite Reactor at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the State of Tennessee as a National Historic Landmark in 1965 and adding the Reactor to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966;

(C) adding the Oak Ridge Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991;

(D) adding the B Reactor at the Hanford Site in the State of Washington to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992; and

(E) by adding the Oak Ridge Turnpike, Bear Creek Road, and Bethel Valley Road Checking Stations in the State of Tennessee to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

(5) The Hanford Site has been nominated by the Richland Operations Office of the Department of Energy and the Washington State Historic Preservation Office for addition to the National Register of Historic Places.

(6) A panel of experts convened by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in 2001 reported that the development and use of the atomic bomb during World War II has been called `the single most significant event of the 20th Century' and recommended that various sites be formally established `as a collective unit administered for preservation, commemoration, and public interpretation in cooperation with the National Park Service'.

(7) The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation reported in 2001 that the preservation and interpretation of the historic sites of the Manhattan Project offer significant value as destinations for domestic and international tourists.

(8) Preservation and interpretation of the Manhattan Project historic sites are necessary for present and future generations to fully appreciate the extraordinary and complex consequences of the Manhattan Project.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of the Interior.

(2) STUDY- The term `study' means the study authorized by section 4(a).

(3) STUDY AREA- The term `study area' means the following Manhattan Project sites:

(A) Los Alamos National Laboratory and townsite in the State of New Mexico.

(B) The Hanford Site in the State of Washington.

(C) Oak Ridge Laboratory in the State of Tennessee.

(D) Other significant sites relating to the Manhattan Project determined by the Secretary to be appropriate for inclusion in the study.

SEC. 4. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

(a) STUDY-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall conduct a special resource study of the study area to assess the national significance, suitability, and feasibility of designating the various historic sites and structures of the study area as a unit of the National Park System. Except as provided by subsection (b), the study shall be conducted in accordance with section 8(c) of Public Law 91.FF09383 (16 U.S.C. 1aFF095(c)).

(2) ADMINISTRATION- In conducting the study, the Secretary shall--

(A) consult with the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Defense, State and local officials, tribal governments, and representatives of affected communities and organizations; and

(B) evaluate, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Defense, the compatibility of designating the study area or any part of the study area as a national historic site or national historical park with maintaining security, productivity and management goals of the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense, and public health and safety.

(b) REPORT- Not later than 1 year after the date on which funds are made available to carry out the study, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes the findings of the study and any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.

END