Furthermore, In addition, this legislation would give the Park Service authority to grant and accept easements and covenants over the property. This provision would allow the Park Service to enter into agreements to share portions of the parking area with the City and other interested parties. In return, the City would perform routine services such as lawn maintenance and refuse removal. course, any covenant or easement which the Park Service grants would be contingent upon strict compliance with National Park Service standards by the recipients. Of Mr. Chairman, I would like to stress that all parties involved--the National Park Service, the City of Charleston and others--strongly support Dockside II over all the other sites which have been considered. I am sure that Mayor Riley and Mr. Campsen can testify to the fact that this piece of property is the only feasible piece of land left in Charleston which can adequately house the type of welcome center which the Fort Sumter National Monument deserves. One final note: Mr. George Campsen, who has operated the Fort Sumter tour boat concession for the National Park Service since 1962, has played an important role in keeping the Dockside II property available to the Park Service. In January, Mr. Campsen purchased this property and since that time has assigned an option to the Park Service at no cost. I am confident that Mr. Campsen could sell the Dockside II property for a healthy profit if he were inclined, but because he is interested in ensuring that the Fort Sumter Monument Welcome Center be located in an appropriate location, he has resisted 65-854 0 - 87 - 5 Mr. offers from developers interested in purchasing the property. Campsen's good will cannot last forever; however, because of financial limitations, so I hope this Subcommittee and the Full Committee will favorably consider this bill as soon as possible. Mr. Chairman, I believe that S. 2534 will greatly improve the Fort Sumter Tour Boat Project. This legislation will ensure convenient access to the Fort Sumter National Monument for many years to come, and I urge my Colleagues who serve on this Subcommittee to favorably report S. 2534 in the very near future. Senator THURMOND. Mr. Chairman, I want to request at this time that a statement by Congressman Hartnett follow my statement in the record. Senator HECHT. It will be a part of the record. Senator THURMOND. And I will offer that at this time. Senator HECHT. Thank you very much. [The statement of Mr. Hartnett follows:] JULY 18, 1986 STATEMENT SUBMITTED BY UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN THOMAS F. HARTNETT WITH RESPECT TO LEGISLATION AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION FORT SUMTER NATIONAL MONUMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA (S. 2534) Initially, Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for the opportunity to submit the following statement to the Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands, Reserved Water and Resource Conservation. As the Congressman representing the district in which the Fort Sumter National Monument is located, I feel qualified to detail the importance of this legislation to the tourists who visit this area and, subsequently, the local economy. Since 1962, over 3 million tourists have availed themselves of the tour boat excursion to historic Fort Sumter National Park. Yearly, an average of 190,000 curious sightseers take advantage on this journey to the fort where the Civil War began. Unfortunately, this service has become so popular that the existing tour boat facility has outgrown the docks where the boats are currently moored. The pending construction of a much As a needed bridge and the growth of the city marina where the tour boats are currently docked has greatly limited the space available for this economically stimulating enterprise. result, Congress, through the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978, appropriated over $5 million so that the Secretary of the Interior could purchase an alternative site for harboring this important facility. Unfortunately, due to a local controversy, the actual use of this alternative site became impossible. Therefore, Congress, through Public Law 99-199, amended the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 in order that the Secretary of Interior might acquire a further location. As in the previous case, this site was also determined to be impracticable. After years of additional meetings and compromises, the City Council, the local Chamber of Commerce, the applicable Neighborhood Associations, the Mayor of Charleston, the Secretary of the Interior, the National Park Service and the managers of the tour boat facility have agreed on a mutually acceptable site. Quite simply, S. 2534, as introduced by Senator Thurmond, will permit the Secretary of the Interior to utilized the funds which were appropriated in the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 for the acquisition of the new site at the fair market value of the property. In addition, this legislation will permit the construction of a marine museum and a restaurant on the new site in order to maximize the comfort and educational value of the entire |