The lease for Teapot Dome was for land not within the known structure of a producing field and was entered into without competition. It has been claimed that under competitive bidding this lease could have been sold for a million dollars or more. I suggest that this proviso be eliminated. The act of March 4, 1931 (46 Stat. 1523), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to approve unit plans of development and operation, and the bill adds a further provision requiring the Secretary of the Interior to reserve the right in issuing new leases to approve or prescribe cooperative or unit plans of development and operation for the purpose of more properly conserving the oil and gas resources of any field or pool. This provision will tend to encourage development and operation of fields under unit or cooperative plans of development and is believed to be in the public interest. The bill vests in the Secretary of the Interior authority to negotiate agreements whereby the United States or its permittees, lessees, or grantees will be compensated for drainage of oil or gas caused by wells drilled upon lands not owned by the United States. This provision is desirable in order to protect adequately the interests of the Federal Government. In section 28 as amended it is required that applicants for rights-of-way for pipe-line purposes not only operate the pipe-line as a common carrier but also accept, convey, transport, and/or purchase without discrimination on a 100percent volume measurement basis all oil and/or natural gas produced from Government lands in such proportionate amounts as the Secretary of the Interior may determine to be reasonable. Section 28 of the original act provides that pipe lines crossing Government lands must be operated as common carriers, and the proposed amendment would expand this provision to require that withdrawals of oil and/or natural gas produced from wells on Government or private lands be made in such proportionate amounts as are determined to be fair and equitable. The necessity for such a provision has been apparent for some time. In several cases gas lands of the United States have been subjected to drainage because pipe-line companies or others in control of a field have failed or refused to transport or purchase gas produced from wells on public lands while at the same time they are transporting and/or purchasing gas from wells on adjoining private lands. The proposed amendment to section 28 also requires that the volume of all oil or natural gas transported or purchased be measured on a 100-percent volume basis; that is to say, the standard of measurement now recognized for the purpose of computing royalties on production from public lands must be ahered to by all pipe-lines operating on public lands. It is my considered opinion that this bill, modified in section 17 as indicated, is in the public interest and I respectfully urge that it receive favorable consideration. Sincerely yours, HAROLD L. ICKES, O BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK MAY 13, 1935.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. DEROUEN, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 6373] The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill H. R. 6373, to provide for the establishment of the Big Bend National Park, in the State of Texas, and for other purposes, having carefully considered same, report favorably thereon and recommend that the bill do pass without amendment. An identical bill, S. 2131, passed the Senate on May 1, 1931. Facts concerning the proposed legislation are set forth in the favorable report of the Secretary of The Interior under date of April 16, 1935, which report is hereinbelow set out in full and made a part of this report, as follows: Hon. RENÉ L. DEROUEN, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Chairman Committee on the Public Lands, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I have received your letter of March 7, requesting a report on H. R. 6373, entitled "A bill to provide for the establishment of the Big Bend National Park, in the State of Texas, and for other purposes. This proposed legislation would authorize the establishment of the Big Bend National Park, in the State of Texas, when the necessary lands shall have been secured by the United States by donation. The Big Bend area is a region of inspiring scenery, and contains many varieties of rare plant and animal life. It is of national importance, and worthy of Federal protection and development as a national park. The scenic grandeur of the Big Bend country extends across the border into Mexico, and it is hoped that, if this proposed legislation is enacted, the Mexican Government will be invited to cooperate with the United States in the establishment of an international park. The Acting Director of the Bureau of the Budget has advised that, insofar as the financial program of the President is concerned, there is no objection to favorable action on this bill. This bill is similar to S. 2131, upon which a separate report is being submitted to the Committee on Public Lands and Surveys of the Senate. I therefore recommend that H. R. 6373 be enacted by the Congress. Sincerely yours, 74TH CONGRESS 1st Session } HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES { REPORT TO ELIMINATE CERTAIN LANDS FROM THE CRATERS MAY 13, 1935.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. ROBINSON of Utah, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 7930] The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 7930) to eliminate certain lands from the Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, after careful consideration of same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass the House without amendment. Facts concerning the proposed legislation are set forth in the favorable report of the Secretary of Interior under date of May 2, 1935, which report is herein below set out in full and made a part of this report, as follows: Hon. RENÉ L. DEROUEN, Chairman Committee on Public Lands, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Enclosed is a draft of a proposed bill to authorize the elimination of certain lands from the craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho. Legislation as covered by the draft of bill herewith would eliminate the N2N2S1⁄2, S. 16, T. 2 N., R. 24 E., from the monument. This land is not needed for the purposes of the monument and its elimination therefrom would establish a more natural boundary, thus affording better administration of the monument in connection with the grazing problem. In view of the facts presented, it is respectfully requested that the proposed bill be placed before the House of Representatives for appropriate action. Sincerely yours, O HAROLD L. ICKES, = 1 SAN JUAN NATIONAL MONUMENT, P. R. MAY 13, 1935.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. ROBINSON, of Utah, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 7931] The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 7931) to establish the San Juan National Monument, P. R. and for other purposes, after careful consideration of same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass the House without amendment. Facts concerning the proposed legislation are set forth in the favorable report of the Secretary of the Interior, under date of April 26, 1935, which report is herein below set out in full and made a part of this report, as follows: Hon. RENÉ L. DEROUEN, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Chairman of the Public Lands Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Enclosed is a draft of a proposed bill to establish the San Juan National Monument, Puerto Rico, and for other purposes. The area included in this proposed legislation lies generally around the western, northern, and eastern shores of the island of San Juan, upon which this city of San Juan is located, and is now occupied by the War Department as a military post, to a lesser extent by the Navy Department for a wireless station, and also to some degree by the insular government. It contains, however, unique historic landmarks and other objects of historic and scientific interest and affords opportunities for the development of a national monument which would rival in beauty and interest any tourist development in the West Indies. As this proposed legislation is considered necessary for the proper protection and administration of the matters indicated above, it is respectfully requested that the proposed bill be placed before the House of Representatives for appropriate action. Sincerely yours, HAROLD L. ICKES, H. Repts., 74-1, vol. 252 |