ROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF THE NATIONAL VISITOR CENTER HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS UNITED STATES SENATE NINETY-THIRD CONGRESS COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS JENNINGS RANDOLPH, West Virginia, Chairman EDMUND S. MUSKIE, Maine JOSEPH M. MONTOYA, New Mexico MIKE GRAVEL, Alaska LLOYD BENTSEN, Texas QUENTIN N. BURDICK, North Dakota JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., Delaware HOWARD H. BAKER, JR., Tennessee M. BARRY MEYER, Chief Counsel and Chief Clerk BAILEY GUARD, Minority Clerk; RICHARD A. HELLMAN, Minority Counsel LEON G. BILLINGS, Senior Staff Member PHILIP T. CUMMINGS, JAMES R. READLE, and RICHARD E. HEROD (Minority) Assistant Counsels Professional and research staff: KARL BRAITHWAITE, HAROLD H. BRAYMAN, PAUL CHIMES, FRANCES T. CLARK, KATHERINE Y. CUDLIPP, KATHLEEN R. E. FORCUM, ANN GARRABRANT, RICHARD D. GRUNDY, WESLEY F. HAYDEN, RONALD L. KATZ, CLARK NORTON, JUDY PARENTE, JOHN PURINTON, A. DAVID SANDOVAL, JACQUELINE E. SCHAFER, CHARLENE STURBITTS, E. STEVENS SWAIN, SALLY WALKER, and JOHN W. YAGO, Jr. CONTENTS ALPHABETICAL LIST OF WITNESSES Page Drumeller, William F., deputy chief engineer, B. & O. Railroad_. Hanslin, Lars, Office of the Solicitor, Department of the Interior_. Hines, Ronald, Deputy Administrator for the District of Columbia, De- Kahl, Robert, transportation specialist, Federal Railroad Administration_ Perlman, Ellis S., Director, Government Relations, Washington Metro- 216 Premo, Jerome C., Acting Associate Administrator, Urban Mass Trans- 193 Scolville, Russell, Urban Mass Transportation Administration__ Shaw, C. William Jr., manager, Washington Terminal Co--- Trice, Richard A., director of sales, Continental Trailways__ Wheeler, Douglas, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of the Interior_ 1 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Interior, Department of, material supplied by: Agreement between the United States of America and Terminal 61 133 56 A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF THE NATIONAL VISITOR CENTER Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 9:30 a.m., pursuant to call, in room 4200, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Dick Clark (chairman of the subcommittee), presiding. Present: Senators Clark, Gravel, Scott, McClure, and Domenici. Senator CLARK. The subcommittee will come to order. The purpose of today's hearing is to examine a proposal by the Department of the Interior to increase the scope and purpose of the National Visitor Center. The proposal calls for the inclusion of an intercity bus terminal as an integral part of the Center, coupled with the already existing rail passenger facility. The bus terminal will supposedly serve to create a truly intermodal visitors complex. The main issues before us this morning are these: What are the additional costs involved in expanding the scope of the Center? What effect will expansion have on the proposed completion date of the Center, late 1975? Does the past record of cost increase and construction delay suggest that the further expansion of the project may be neither feasible nor justifiable? Mr. Doug Wheeler, of the Interior Department, will be our first witness this morning. Mr. Wheeler, perhaps you would want to identify any associates you have with you for the record, and then feel free to proceed in any way you think appropriate. STATEMENT OF DOUGLAS P. WHEELER, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY, FISH AND WILDLIFE AND PARKS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ACCOMPANIED BY JACK FISH, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL CAPITAL PARKS; JIM GROSS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL VISITOR CENTER; LARS HANSLIN, OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR, AND BARRY HOWARD, PROGRAM CONSULTANT Mr. WHEELER. I would like to have sitting with me Mr. Jack Fish, Director of the National Capital Parks; Mr. Jim Gross, Director of (1) |