Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Department of the Interior, the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other executive agencies with relevant jurisdiction should evaluate the Walt Disney Company's proposed theme park, Disney's America, and ensure that it is in strict compliance with existing Federal environmental, transportation, and historic preservation statutes; (2) the congressional committees of jurisdiction should hold hearings to examine such aspects of the proposed theme park and the associated development of the surrounding area; (3) the historic Northern Piedmont area of Virginia should not be the site of a massive theme park and real estate project; and (4) the Walt Disney Company should seek another location for the park where its impact would not disturb areas of such great historical significance as the Northern Piedmont area of Virginia.
[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 255 Introduced in House (IH)]
103d CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 255
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the proposed Disney
theme park in the historic Northern Piedmont area of Virginia.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 16, 1994
Mr. Andrews of Texas (for himself, Mr. Bryant, Mr. Slattery, Mr.
Torricelli, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Roemer, Mr.
Beilenson, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Stark, Mr. Laughlin, Mr. Smith of Iowa,
Mrs. Unsoeld, Mr. Andrews of Maine, Mr. Durbin, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Evans,
Mr. Leach, Mr. Horn, and Mr. Wilson) submitted the following concurrent
resolution; which was referred jointly to the Committees on Natural
Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Public Works and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the proposed Disney
theme park in the historic Northern Piedmont area of Virginia.
Whereas the Northern Piedmont area of Virginia is a place which is dear to the
hearts of all Americans and inextricably bound to the Nation's formation
from the Colonial Period through the American Revolution, the Federal
Period, and the years leading to the Civil War;
Whereas the Northern Piedmont area is the land of the Founding Fathers--
Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe--and boasts some of the most
spectacularly beautiful landscapes in America;
Whereas the American Civil War is recognized as the defining point in the
history of the United States;
Whereas the Northern Piedmont area is home to 32 Civil War battle sites and 38
historic districts;
Whereas the Northern Piedmont area stands as the gateway to the Blue Ridge
Mountains and Shenandoah National Park;
Whereas great effort has been expended to ensure that much of the Northern
Piedmont area remains today much as it was during the period of the
American Revolution and the Civil War;
Whereas Congress recognized the importance of the Northern Piedmont area in 1988
by exercising a seldom used legislative taking to prevent inappropriate
development on historically significant land near Manassas National
Battlefield Park, site of 2 of the most important battles of the Civil
War;
Whereas the Walt Disney Company's proposed theme park, ``Disney's America'',
would be located in the heart of the Northern Piedmont area;
Whereas the proposed theme park would bring to the Northern Piedmont area
extensive real estate development equivalent, in effect, to a new city
comprised of 2,281 new residential buildings, 2 golf courses, and
1,900,000 square feet of new retail shopping space, in addition to an
unknown amount of additional development on the fringes of the Disney
property;
Whereas a traffic study authorized by and conducted for the Walt Disney Company
indicates that traffic in the vicinity of the proposed theme park will,
at a minimum, double by the year 2010;
Whereas such an increase would greatly affect the 2 main thoroughfares, Virginia
Route 234 and United States Highway 29, that lead through the Manassas
National Battlefield Park, which is the historic site nearest to the
proposed theme park;
Whereas the cumulative effect of this massive development and increased traffic
congestion would represent a serious threat to the area's historic,
scenic, and environmental resources;
Whereas it is the responsibility of the executive branch to ensure compliance
with Federal environmental, transportation, and historic preservation
statutes; and
Whereas it is the duty of the Congress to oversee the stewardship of the
Nation's invaluable and irreplaceable historic resources, while
upholding the right of States to promote economic development and the
right of individuals and corporations to engage in commerce: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) the Department of the Interior, the Department of
Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other
executive agencies with relevant jurisdiction should evaluate
the Walt Disney Company's proposed theme park and ensure that
it is in strict compliance with existing Federal environmental,
transportation, and historic preservation statutes;
(2) the congressional committees of jurisdiction should
hold comprehensive hearings to examine the environmental,
transportation, and historic preservation aspects of both the
proposed theme park and the associated development of the area
surrounding the proposed theme park;
(3) the historic Northern Piedmont area of Virginia should
not be the site of a massive theme park and real estate
project; and
(4) the Walt Disney Company should seek another location
for its proposed theme park--whether elsewhere in the County of
Prince William or in the Commonwealth of Virginia--where the
impact of the proposed theme park would not disturb areas of
such great historical significance as the Northern Piedmont
area of Virginia.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1245)
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Referred to the House Committee on Public Works + Transportation.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation and Hazardous Materials.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1497)
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
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