[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2833 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.2833

                       One Hundred Sixth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
             the twenty-fourth day of January, two thousand


                                 An Act


 
         To establish the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Yuma Crossing 
National Heritage Area Act of 2000''.
    (b) Definitions.--In this Act:
        (1) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the Yuma 
    Crossing National Heritage Area established in section 3.
        (2) Management entity.--The term ``management entity'' shall 
    mean the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Board of Directors 
    referred to section 3(c).
        (3) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' shall mean 
    the management plan for the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.
        (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
    the Interior.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
        (1) Certain events that led to the establishment of the Yuma 
    Crossing as a natural crossing place on the Colorado River and to 
    its development as an important landmark in America's westward 
    expansion during the mid-19th century are of national historic and 
    cultural significance in terms of their contribution to the 
    development of the new United States of America.
        (2) It is in the national interest to promote, preserve, and 
    protect physical remnants of a community with almost 500 years of 
    recorded history which has outstanding cultural, historic, and 
    architectural value for the education and benefit of present and 
    future generations.
        (3) The designation of the Yuma Crossing as a national heritage 
    area would preserve Yuma's history and provide related educational 
    opportunities, provide recreational opportunities, preserve natural 
    resources, and improve the city and county of Yuma's ability to 
    serve visitors and enhance the local economy through the completion 
    of the major projects identified within the Yuma Crossing National 
    Heritage Area.
        (4) The Department of the Interior is responsible for 
    protecting the Nation's cultural and historic resources. There are 
    significant examples of these resources within the Yuma region to 
    merit the involvement of the Federal Government in developing 
    programs and projects, in cooperation with the Yuma Crossing 
    National Heritage Area and other local and governmental bodies, to 
    adequately conserve, protect, and interpret this heritage for 
    future generations while providing opportunities for education, 
    revitalization, and economic development.
        (5) The city of Yuma, the Arizona State Parks Board, agencies 
    of the Federal Government, corporate entities, and citizens have 
    completed a study and master plan for the Yuma Crossing to 
    determine the extent of its historic resources, preserve and 
    interpret these historic resources, and assess the opportunities 
    available to enhance the cultural experience for region's visitors 
    and residents.
        (6) The Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Board of Directors 
    would be an appropriate management entity for a heritage area 
    established in the region.
    (b) Purpose.--The objectives of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage 
Area are as follows:
        (1) To recognize the role of the Yuma Crossing in the 
    development of the United States, with particular emphasis on the 
    roll of the crossing as an important landmark in the westward 
    expansion during the mid-19th century.
        (2) To promote, interpret, and develop the physical and 
    recreational resources of the communities surrounding the Yuma 
    Crossing, which has almost 500 years of recorded history and 
    outstanding cultural, historic, and architectural assets, for the 
    education and benefit of present and future generations.
        (3) To foster a close working relationship with all levels of 
    government, the private sector, and the local communities in the 
    Yuma community and empower the community to conserve its heritage 
    while continuing to pursue economic opportunities.
        (4) To provide recreational opportunities for visitors to the 
    Yuma Crossing and preserve natural resources within the Heritage 
    Area.
        (5) To improve the Yuma region's ability to serve visitors and 
    enhance the local economy through the completion of the major 
    projects identified within the Heritage Area.

SEC. 3. YUMA CROSSING NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the Yuma Crossing 
National Heritage Area.
    (b) Boundaries.--The Heritage Area shall be comprised of those 
portions of the Yuma region totaling approximately 21 square miles, 
encompassing over 150 identified historic, geologic, and cultural 
resources, and bounded--
        (1) on the west, by the Colorado River (including the crossing 
    point of the Army of the West);
        (2) on the east, by Avenue 7E;
        (3) on the north, by the Colorado River; and
        (4) on the south, by the 12th Street alignment.
    (c) Management Entity.--The management entity for the Heritage Area 
shall be the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Board of Directors 
which shall include representatives from a broad cross-section of the 
individuals, agencies, organizations, and governments that were 
involved in the planning and development of the Heritage Area before 
the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. COMPACT.

    (a) In General.--To carry out the purposes of this Act, the 
Secretary of the Interior shall enter into a compact with the 
management entity.
    (b) Components of Compact.--The compact shall include information 
relating to the objectives and management of the Heritage Area, 
including each of the following:
        (1) A discussion of the goals and objects of the Heritage Area.
        (2) An explanation of the proposed approach to conservation and 
    interpretation of the Heritage Area.
        (3) A general outline of the protection measures to which the 
    management entity commits.

SEC. 5. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF MANAGEMENT ENTITY.

    (a) Authorities of the Management Entity.--The management entity 
may, for purposes of preparing and implementing the management plan, 
use funds made available through this Act for the following:
        (1) To make grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements 
    with, States and their political subdivisions, private 
    organizations, or any person.
        (2) To hire and compensate staff.
        (3) To enter into contracts for goods and services.
    (b) Management Plan.--
        (1) In general.--Taking into consideration existing State, 
    county, and local plans, the management entity shall develop a 
    management plan for the Heritage Area.
        (2) Contents.--The management plan required by this subsection 
    shall include--
            (A) comprehensive recommendations for conservation, 
        funding, management, and development of the Heritage Area;
            (B) actions to be undertaken by units of government and 
        private organizations to protect the resources of the Heritage 
        Area;
            (C) a list of specific existing and potential sources of 
        funding to protect, manage, and develop the Heritage Area;
            (D) an inventory of the resources contained in the Heritage 
        Area, including a list of any property in the Heritage Area 
        that is related to the themes of the Heritage Area and that 
        should be preserved, restored, managed, developed, or 
        maintained because of its natural, cultural, historic, 
        recreational, or scenic significance;
            (E) a recommendation of policies for resource management 
        which considers and details application of appropriate land and 
        water management techniques, including the development of 
        intergovernmental cooperative agreements to protect the 
        historical, cultural, recreational, and natural resources of 
        the Heritage Area in a manner consistent with supporting 
        appropriate and compatible economic viability;
            (F) a program for implementation of the management plan by 
        the management entity, including plans for restoration and 
        construction, and specific commitments of the identified 
        partners for the first 5 years of operation;
            (G) an analysis of ways in which local, State, and Federal 
        programs may best be coordinated to promote the purposes of 
        this Act; and
            (H) an interpretation plan for the Heritage Area.
        (3) Submission to secretary.--The management entity shall 
    submit the management plan to the Secretary for approval not later 
    than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. If a 
    management plan is not submitted to the Secretary as required 
    within the specified time, the Heritage Area shall no longer 
    qualify for Federal funding.
    (c) Duties of Management Entity.--In addition to its duties under 
subsection (b), the management entity shall--
        (1) give priority to implementing actions set forth in the 
    compact and management plan, including steps to assist units of 
    government, regional planning organizations, and nonprofit 
    organizations in preserving the Heritage Area;
        (2) assist units of government, regional planning 
    organizations, and nonprofit organizations with--
            (A) establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits in 
        the Heritage Area;
            (B) developing recreational resources in the Heritage Area;
            (C) increasing public awareness of and appreciation for the 
        natural, historical, and architectural resources and sites in 
        the Heritage Area;
            (D) restoring any historic building relating to the themes 
        of the Heritage Area; and
            (E) ensuring that clear, consistent, and environmentally 
        appropriate signs identifying access points and sites of 
        interest are put in place throughout the Heritage Area;
        (3) encourage, by appropriate means, economic viability in the 
    Heritage Area consistent with the goals of the management plan;
        (4) encourage local governments to adopt land use policies 
    consistent with the management of the Heritage Area and the goals 
    of the management plan;
        (5) consider the interests of diverse governmental, business, 
    and nonprofit groups within the Heritage Area;
        (6) conduct public meetings at least quarterly regarding the 
    implementation of the management plan; and
        (7) for any year in which Federal funds have been received 
    under this Act, make available for audit all records pertaining to 
    the expenditure of such funds and any matching funds, and require, 
    for all agreements authorizing expenditure of Federal funds by 
    other organizations, that the receiving organizations make 
    available for audit all records pertaining to the expenditure of 
    such funds.
    (d) Prohibition on the Acquisition of Real Property.--The 
management entity may not use Federal funds received under this Act to 
acquire real property or an interest in real property. Nothing in this 
Act shall preclude any management entity from using Federal funds from 
other sources for their permitted purposes.
    (e) Spending for Non-Federally Owned Property.--The management 
entity may spend Federal funds directly on non-federally owned property 
to further the purposes of this Act, especially in assisting units of 
government in appropriate treatment of districts, sites, buildings, 
structures, and objects listed or eligible for listing on the National 
Register of Historic Places.

SEC. 6. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) Technical and Financial Assistance.--The Secretary may, upon 
request of the management entity, provide technical and financial 
assistance to the management entity to develop and implement the 
management plan. In assisting the management entity, the Secretary 
shall give priority to actions that in general assist in--
        (1) conserving the significant natural, historic, and cultural 
    resources which support the themes of the Heritage Area; and
        (2) providing educational, interpretive, and recreational 
    opportunities consistent with resources and associated values of 
    the Heritage Area.
    (b) Approval and Disapproval of Management Plan.--The Secretary, in 
consultation with the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Board of 
Directors, shall approve or disapprove the management plan submitted 
under this Act not later than 90 days after receiving such management 
plan.
    (c) Action Following Disapproval.--If the Secretary disapproves a 
submitted compact or management plan, the Secretary shall advise the 
management entity in writing of the reasons therefor and shall make 
recommendations for revisions in the management plan. The Secretary 
shall approve or disapprove a proposed revision within 90 days after 
the date it is submitted.
    (d) Approving Amendments.--The Secretary shall review substantial 
amendments to the management plan for the Heritage Area. Funds 
appropriated pursuant to this Act may not be expended to implement the 
changes made by such amendments until the Secretary approves the 
amendments.
    (e) Documentation.--Subject to the availability of funds, the 
Historic American Building Survey/Historic American Engineering Record 
shall conduct those studies necessary to document the cultural, 
historic, architectural, and natural resources of the Heritage Area.

SEC. 7. SUNSET.

    The Secretary may not make any grant or provide any assistance 
under this Act after September 30, 2015.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated under this 
Act not more than $1,000,000 for any fiscal year. Not more than a total 
of $10,000,000 may be appropriated for the Heritage Area under this 
Act.
    (b) 50 Percent Match.--Federal funding provided under this Act, 
after the designation of the Heritage Area, may not exceed 50 percent 
of the total cost of any assistance or grant provided or authorized 
under this Act.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.