[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2576 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2576

  To establish the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area in the 
              State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 4, 2002

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area in the 
              State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Rio Grande National 
Heritage Area Act''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) northern New Mexico encompasses a mosaic of cultures 
        and history, including several Indian tribes and the 
        descendants of Spanish ancestors who settled in the area in 
        1598;
            (2) the combination of cultures, languages, folk arts, 
        customs, and architecture make northern New Mexico unique;
            (3) the area includes spectacular natural, scenic, and 
        recreational resources;
            (4) there is broad support from local governments and 
        interested individuals to establish a National Heritage Area to 
        coordinate and assist in the preservation and interpretation of 
        these resources;
            (5) in 1991, the National Park Service study Alternative 
        Concepts for Commemorating Spanish Colonization identified 
        several alternatives consistent with the establishment of a 
        National Heritage Area, including conducting a comprehensive 
        archaeological and historical research program, coordinating a 
        comprehensive interpretation program, and interpreting a 
        cultural heritage scene; and
            (6) establishment of a National Heritage Area in northern 
        New Mexico would assist local communities and residents in 
        preserving these unique cultural, historical and natural 
        resources.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act--
            (1) the term ``heritage area'' means the Northern Rio 
        Grande Heritage Area; and
            (2) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
        Interior.

SEC. 4. NORTHERN RIO GRANDE NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the Northern Rio 
Grande National Heritage Area in the State of New Mexico.
    (b) Boundaries.--The heritage area shall include the counties of 
Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and Taos in the State of New Mexico.
    (c) Management Entity.--The Northern Rio Grande National Heritage 
Area, Inc., a non-profit corporation chartered in the State of New 
Mexico, shall serve as the management entity for the heritage area.

SEC. 5. AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF THE MANAGEMENT ENTITY.

    (a) Management Plan.--(1) Not later than 3 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the management entity shall develop and forward 
to the Secretary a management plan for the heritage area.
    (2) The management entity shall develop the management plan in 
cooperation with affected communities, tribal and local governments and 
shall provide for public involvement in the development and 
implementation of the management plan.
    (3) The management plan shall, at a minimum--
            (A) provide recommendations for the conservation, funding, 
        management, and development of the resources of the heritage 
        area;
            (B) identify sources of funding;
            (C) include an inventory of the cultural, historical, 
        archaeological, natural, and recreational resources of the 
        heritage area;
            (D) provide recommendations for educational and 
        interpretive programs to inform the public about the resources 
        of the heritage area; and
            (E) an analysis of ways in which local, State, Federal, and 
        tribal programs may best be coordinated to promote the purposes 
        of this Act.
    (4) If the management entity fails to submit a management plan to 
the Secretary as provided in paragraph (1), the heritage area shall no 
longer be eligible to receive Federal funding under this Act until such 
time as a plan is submitted to the Secretary.
    (5)(A) The Secretary shall approve or disapprove the management 
plan within 90 days after the date of submission.
    (B) If the Secretary disapproves the management plan, the Secretary 
shall advise the management entity in writing of the reasons therefor 
and shall make recommendations for revisions to the plan.
    (6) The management entity shall periodically review the management 
plan and submit to the Secretary any recommendations for proposed 
revisions to the management plan. Any major revisions to the management 
plan must be approved by the Secretary.
    (b) Authority.--The management entity may make grants and provide 
technical assistance to tribal and local governments, and other public 
and private entities to carry out the management plan.
    (c) Duties.--The management entity shall--
            (1) give priority in implementing actions set forth in the 
        management plan;
            (2) coordinate with tribal and local governments to better 
        enable them to adopt land use policies consistent with the 
        goals of the management plan;
            (3) encourage by appropriate means economic viability in 
        the heritage area consistent with the goals of the management 
        plan; and
            (4) assist local and tribal governments and non-profit 
        organizations in--
                    (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 cultural, historical, 
                archaeological and natural resources and sites in the 
                heritage area;
                    (D) the restoration of historic structures related 
                to the heritage area; and
                    (E) carrying out other actions that the management 
                entity determines appropriate to fulfill the purposes 
                of this Act.
    (d) Prohibition on Acquiring Real Property.--The management entity 
may not use Federal funds received under this Act to acquire real 
property or an interest in real property.
    (e) Public Meetings.--The management entity shall hold public 
meetings at least annually regarding the implementation of the 
management plan.
    (f) Annual Reports and Audits.--(1) For any year in which the 
management entity receives Federal funds under this Act, the management 
entity shall submit an annual report to the Secretary setting forth 
accomplishments, expenses and income, and each entity to which any 
grant was made by the management entity.
    (2) The management entity shall make available to the Secretary for 
audit all records relating to the expenditure of Federal funds and any 
matching funds. The management entity shall also require, with respect 
to all agreements authorizing expenditure of Federal funds by other 
organizations, that the receiving organization make available to the 
Secretary for audit all records concerning the expenditure of those 
funds.

SEC. 6. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.

    (a) Technical and Financial Assistance.--The Secretary may, upon 
request of the management entity, provide technical and financial 
assistance to develop and implement the management plan.
    (b) Priority.--In providing assistance under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall give priority to actions that facilitate--
            (1) the conservation of the significant natural, cultural, 
        historical, archaeological, scenic, and recreational resources 
        of the heritage area; and
            (2) the provision of educational, interpretive, and 
        recreational opportunities that are consistent with the 
        resources and associated values of the heritage area.

SEC. 7. SAVINGS PROVISIONS.

    (a) No Effect on Private Property.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed--
            (1) to modify, enlarge, or diminish any authority of 
        Federal, State, tribal, or local governments to regulate any 
        use of privately owned lands; or
            (2) to grant the management entity any authority to 
        regulate the use of privately owned lands.
    (b) Authority of Governments.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed--
            (1) to modify, enlarge, or diminish any authority of 
        Federal, State, tribal, or local governments to manage or 
        regulate any use of land as provided for by law or regulation; 
        or
            (2) to authorize the management entity to assume any 
        management authorities over such lands.

SEC. 8. SUNSET.

    The Secretary may not make any grant or provide any financial 
assistance under this Act after September 30, 2017.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out 
this Act. Not more than $1,000,000 may be appropriated for any fiscal 
year. The Federal share of the costs for any activity funded under this 
Act shall not exceed 50 percent.
                                 <all>