[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 762 Reported in Senate (RS)]






                                                       Calendar No. 173
106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 762

                          [Report No. 106-91]

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study 
    on the inclusion of the Miami Circle in Biscayne National Park.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 25, 1999

  Mr. Graham introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

                             June 24, 1999

 Reported by Mr. Murkowski, with an amendment and an amendment to the 
                                 title
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study 
    on the inclusion of the Miami Circle in Biscayne National Park.

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

<DELETED>SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the Tequesta Indians were one of the earliest 
        groups to establish permanent villages in southeast 
        Florida;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the Tequestas had one of only two North 
        American civilizations that thrived and developed into a 
        complex social chiefdom without an agricultural base;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the Tequesta sites that remain preserved today 
        are rare;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) the discovery of the Miami Circle, occupied by 
        the Tequesta approximately 2,000 years ago, presents a valuable 
        new opportunity to learn more about the Tequesta 
        culture;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Biscayne National Park in Homestead, Florida, 
        contains and protects several prehistoric Tequesta sites; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) as a valuable archaeological resource and the 
        only Tequesta site of its kind known to exist in Florida, the 
        Miami Circle should be preserved and protected as part of the 
        Park.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to direct the 
Secretary to determine the feasibility of including the Miami Circle in 
the Biscayne National Park.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    In this Act:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Miami circle.--The term ``Miami Circle'' means 
        the property in Miami-Dade County of the State of Florida 
        consisting of the three parcels described in Exhibit A in the 
        appendix to the summons to show cause and notice of eminent 
        domain proceedings, filed February 18, 1999, in Miami-Dade 
        County v. Brickell Point, Ltd., in the circuit court of the 
        11th judicial circuit of Florida in and for Miami-Dade 
        County.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means Biscayne 
        National Park in the southern part of the State of 
        Florida.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the 
        Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the 
        National Park Service.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. FEASIBILITY STUDY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than one year and 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a 
study to determine the feasibility of including the Miami Circle in the 
Park.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Components.--The study shall include the analysis and 
recommendations of the Secretary with respect to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) which, if any, particular areas of or 
        surrounding the Miami Circle should be included in the 
        Park;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) whether any additional staff, facilities, or 
        other resources would be necessary to administer the Miami 
        Circle as a unit of the Park; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) any impact on the local area that would result 
        from the inclusion of Miami Circle in the Park.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report.--Not later than 30 days after completion of 
the feasibility study, the Secretary shall submit a report describing 
the findings and recommendations of the study to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
        of the Senate; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the Committee on Resources of the House of 
        Representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this 
Act.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the Tequesta Indians were one of the earliest groups to 
        establish permanent villages in southeast Florida;
            (2) the Tequestas had one of only two North American 
        civilizations that thrived and developed into a complex social 
        chiefdom without an agricultural base;
            (3) the Tequesta sites that remain preserved today are 
        rare;
            (4) the discovery of the Miami Circle, occupied by the 
        Tequesta approximately 2,000 years ago, presents a valuable new 
        opportunity to learn more about the Tequesta culture; and
            (5) Biscayne National Park also contains and protects 
        several prehistoric Tequesta sites.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to direct the Secretary to 
conduct a special resource study to determine the national significance 
of the Miami Circle site as well as the suitability and feasibility of 
its inclusion in the National Park System as part of Biscayne National 
Park.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Miami circle.--The term ``Miami Circle'' means the 
        property in Miami-Dade County of the State of Florida 
        consisting of the three parcels described in Exhibit A in the 
        appendix to the summons to show cause and notice of eminent 
        domain proceedings, filed February 18, 1999, in Miami-Dade 
        County v. Brickell Point, Ltd., in the circuit court of the 
        11th judicial circuit of Florida in and for Miami-Dade County.
            (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means Biscayne National Park 
        in the State of Florida.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
        Park Service.

SEC. 3. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date funds are 
made available, the Secretary shall conduct a special resource study as 
described in subsection (b). In conducting the study, the Secretary 
shall consult with the appropriate American Indian tribes and other 
interested groups and organizations.
    (b) Components.--In addition to a determination of national 
significance, feasibility, and suitability, the special resource study 
shall include the analysis and recommendations of the Secretary with 
respect to--
            (1) which, if any, particular areas of or surrounding the 
        Miami Circle should be included in the Park;
            (2) whether any additional staff, facilities, or other 
        resources would be necessary to administer the Miami Circle as 
        a unit of the Park; and
            (3) any impact on the local area that would result from the 
        inclusion of Miami Circle in the Park.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 30 days after completion of the study, 
the Secretary shall submit a report describing the findings and 
recommendations of the study to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the United 
States House of Representatives.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.
            Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to direct the 
        Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study 
        to determine the national significance of the Miami Circle site 
        in the State of Florida as well as the suitability and 
        feasibility of its inclusion in the National Park System as 
        part of Biscayne National Park, and for other purposes.''.




                                                       Calendar No. 173

106th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 762

                          [Report No. 106-91]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study 
    on the inclusion of the Miami Circle in Biscayne National Park.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             June 24, 1999

        Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the title