[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2731 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2731

    To establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution National 
   Heritage Area in the State of New Jersey, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 16, 2002

 Mr. Corzine (for himself and Mr. Torricelli) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution National 
   Heritage Area in the State of New Jersey, 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 ``Crossroads of the American 
Revolution National Heritage Area Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the State of New Jersey was critically important during 
        the American Revolution because of the strategic location of 
        the State between the British armies headquartered in New York 
        City, New York, and the Continental Congress in the city of 
        Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
            (2) General George Washington spent almost half of the 
        period of the American Revolution personally commanding troops 
        of the Continental Army in the State of New Jersey, including 2 
        severe winters spent in encampments in the area that is now 
        Morristown National Historical Park, a unit of the National 
        Park System;
            (3) it was during the 10 crucial days of the American 
        Revolution between December 25, 1776, and January 3, 1777, that 
        General Washington, after retreating across the State of New 
        Jersey from the State of New York to the State of Pennsylvania 
        in the face of total defeat, recrossed the Delaware River on 
        the night of December 25, 1776, and went on to win crucial 
        battles at Trenton and Princeton in the State of New Jersey;
            (4) Thomas Paine, who accompanied the troops during the 
        retreat, described the events during those days as ``the times 
        that try men's souls'';
            (5) the sites of 296 military engagements are located in 
        the State of New Jersey, including--
                    (A) several important battles of the American 
                Revolution that were significant to--
                            (i) the outcome of the American Revolution; 
                        and
                            (ii) the history of the United States; and
                    (B) several national historic landmarks, including 
                Washington's Crossing, the Old Trenton Barracks, and 
                Princeton, Monmouth and Red Bank Battlefields;
            (6) additional national historic landmarks in the State of 
        New Jersey include the homes of--
                    (A) Richard Stockton, Joseph Hewes, John 
                Witherspoon, and Francis Hopkinson, signers of the 
                Declaration of Independence;
                    (B) Elias Boudinout, President of the Continental 
                Congress; and
                    (C) William Livingston, patriot and Governor of the 
                State of New Jersey from 1776 to 1790;
            (7) portions of the landscapes important to the strategies 
        of the British and Continental armies, including waterways, 
        mountains, farms, wetlands, villages, and roadways--
                    (A) retain the integrity of the period of the 
                American Revolution; and
                    (B) offer outstanding opportunities for 
                conservation, education, and recreation;
            (8) the National Register of Historic Places lists 251 
        buildings and sites in the National Park Service study area for 
        the Crossroads of the American Revolution that are associated 
        with the period of the American Revolution;
            (9) civilian populations residing in the State of New 
        Jersey during the American Revolution suffered extreme 
        hardships because of--
                    (A) the continuous conflict in the State;
                    (B) foraging armies; and
                    (C) marauding contingents of loyalist Tories and 
                rebel sympathizers;
            (10) because of the important role that the State of New 
        Jersey played in the successful outcome of the American 
        Revolution, there is a Federal interest in developing a 
        regional framework to assist the State of New Jersey, local 
        governments and organizations, and private citizens in--
                    (A) preserving and protecting cultural, historic, 
                and natural resources of the period; and
                    (B) bringing recognition to those resources for the 
                educational and recreational benefit of the present and 
                future generations of citizens of the United States; 
                and
            (11) the National Park Service has conducted a national 
        heritage area feasibility study in the State of New Jersey that 
        demonstrates that there is a sufficient assemblage of 
        nationally distinctive cultural, historic, and natural 
        resources necessary to establish the Crossroads of the American 
        Revolution National Heritage Area.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to assist communities, organizations, and citizens in 
        the State of New Jersey in preserving--
                    (A) the special historic identity of the State; and
                    (B) the importance of the State to the United 
                States;
            (2) to foster a close working relationship among all levels 
        of government, the private sector, and local communities in the 
        State;
            (3) to provide for the management, preservation, 
        protection, and interpretation of the cultural, historic, and 
        natural resources of the State for the  educational and 
inspirational benefit of future generations;
            (4) to strengthen the value of Morristown National 
        Historical Park as an asset to the State by--
                    (A) establishing a network of related historic 
                resources, protected landscapes, educational 
                opportunities, and events depicting the landscape of 
                the State of New Jersey during the American Revolution; 
                and
                    (B) establishing partnerships between Morristown 
                National Historical Park and other public and privately 
                owned resources in the Heritage Area that represent the 
                strategic fulcrum of the American Revolution; and
            (5) to authorize Federal financial and technical assistance 
        for the purposes described in paragraphs (1) through (4).

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Association.--The term ``Association'' means the 
        Crossroads of the American Revolution Association, Inc., a 
        nonprofit corporation in the State.
            (2) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the 
        Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area 
        established by section 4(a).
            (3) Management entity.--The term ``management entity'' 
        means the management entity for the Heritage Area designated by 
        section 4(d).
            (4) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' means 
        the management plan for the Heritage Area developed under 
        section 5.
            (5) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled 
        ``Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage 
        Area'', numbered CRRE\80,000, and dated April 2002.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (7) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of New 
        Jersey.

SEC. 4. CROSSROADS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the State the 
Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area.
    (b) Boundaries.--The Heritage Area shall consist of the land and 
water within the boundaries of the Heritage Area, as depicted on the 
map.
    (c) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and available 
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park 
Service.
    (d) Management Entity.--The Association shall be the management 
entity for the Heritage Area.

SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which 
funds are first made available to carry out this Act, the management 
entity shall submit to the Secretary for approval a management plan for 
the Heritage Area.
    (b) Requirements.--The management plan shall--
            (1) include comprehensive policies, strategies, and 
        recommendations for conservation, funding, management, and 
        development of the Heritage Area;
            (2) take into consideration existing State, county, and 
        local plans;
            (3) describe actions that units of local government, 
        private organizations, and individuals have agreed to take to 
        protect the cultural, historic, and natural resources of the 
        Heritage Area;
            (4) identify existing and potential sources of funding for 
        the protection, management, and development of the Heritage 
        Area during the first 5 years of implementation of the 
        management plan; and
            (5) include--
                    (A) an inventory of the cultural, educational, 
                historic, natural, recreational, and scenic resources 
                of the Heritage Area relating to the themes of the 
                Heritage Area that should be restored, managed, or 
                developed;
                    (B) recommendations of policies and strategies for 
                resource management that result in--
                            (i) application of appropriate land and 
                        water management techniques; and
                            (ii) development of intergovernmental and 
                        interagency cooperative agreements to protect 
                        the cultural, educational, historic, natural, 
                        recreational, and scenic resources of the 
                        Heritage Area;
                    (C) a program of implementation of the management 
                plan that includes for the first 5 years of 
                implementation--
                            (i) plans for resource protection, 
                        restoration, construction; and
                            (ii) specific commitments for 
                        implementation that have been made by the 
                        management entity or any government, 
                        organization, or individual;
                    (D) an analysis of and recommendations for ways in 
                which Federal, State, and local programs, including 
                programs of the National Park Service, may be best 
                coordinated to promote the purposes of this Act; and
                    (E) an interpretive plan for the Heritage Area.
    (c) Approval or Disapproval of Management Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        receipt of the management plan under subsection (a), the 
        Secretary shall approve or disapprove the management plan.
            (2) Criteria.--In determining whether to approve the 
        management plan, the Secretary shall consider whether--
                    (A) the Board of Directors of the management entity 
                is representative of the diverse interests of the 
                Heritage Area, including--
                            (i) governments;
                            (ii) natural and historic resource 
                        protection organizations;
                            (iii) educational institutions;
                            (iv) businesses; and
                            (v) recreational organizations;
                    (B) the management entity provided adequate 
                opportunity for public and governmental involvement in 
                the preparation of the management plan, including 
                public hearings;
                    (C) the resource protection and interpretation 
                strategies in the management plan would adequately 
                protect the cultural, historic, and natural resources 
                of the Heritage Area; and
                    (D) the Secretary has received adequate assurances 
                from the appropriate State and local officials whose 
                support is needed to ensure the effective 
                implementation of the State and local aspects of the 
                management plan.
            (3) Action following disapproval.--If the Secretary 
        disapproves the management plan under paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary shall--
                    (A) advise the management entity in writing of the 
                reasons for the disapproval;
                    (B) make recommendations for revisions to the 
                management plan; and
                    (C) not later than 60 days after the receipt of any 
                proposed revision of the management plan from the 
                management entity, approve or disapprove the proposed 
                revision.
    (d) Amendments.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall approve or disapprove 
        each amendment to the management plan that the Secretary 
        determines may make a substantial change to the management 
        plan.
            (2) Use of funds.--Funds made available under this Act 
        shall not be expended by the management entity to implement an 
        amendment described in paragraph (1) until the Secretary 
        approves the amendment.
    (e) Implementation.--On completion of the 3-year period described 
in subsection (a), any funding made available under this Act shall be 
made available to the management entity only for implementation of the 
approved management plan.

SEC. 6. AUTHORITIES, DUTIES, AND PROHIBITIONS APPLICABLE TO THE 
              MANAGEMENT ENTITY.

    (a) Authorities.--For purposes of preparing and implementing the 
management plan, the management entity may use funds made available 
under this Act to--
            (1) make grants to, provide technical assistance to, and 
        enter into cooperative agreements with, the State (including a 
        political subdivision), a nonprofit organization, or any other 
        person;
            (2) hire and compensate staff, including individuals with 
        expertise in--
                    (A) cultural, historic, or natural resource 
                protection; or
                    (B) heritage programming;
            (3) obtain funds or services from any source (including a 
        Federal law or program);
            (4) contract for goods or services; and
            (5) support any other activity--
                    (A) that furthers the purposes of the Heritage 
                Area; and
                    (B) that is consistent with the management plan.
    (b) Duties.--In addition to developing the management plan, the 
management entity shall--
            (1) assist units of local government, regional planning 
        organizations, and nonprofit organizations in implementing the 
        approved management plan by--
                    (A) carrying out programs and projects that 
                recognize, protect, and enhance important resource 
                values in the Heritage Area;
                    (B) establishing and maintaining interpretive 
                exhibits and programs in the Heritage Area;
                    (C) developing recreational and educational 
                opportunities in the Heritage Area;
                    (D) increasing public awareness of and appreciation 
                for cultural, historic, and natural resources of the 
                Heritage Area;
                    (E) protecting and restoring historic sites and 
                buildings that are--
                            (i) located in the Heritage Area; and
                            (ii) related to the themes of the Heritage 
                        Area;
                    (F) ensuring that clear, consistent, and 
                appropriate signs identifying points of public access 
                and sites of interest are installed throughout the 
                Heritage Area; and
                    (G) promoting a wide range of partnerships among 
                governments, organizations, and individuals to further 
                the purposes of the Heritage Area;
            (2) in preparing and implementing the management plan, 
        consider the interests of diverse units of government, 
        businesses, organizations, and individuals in the Heritage 
        Area;
            (3) conduct public meetings at least semiannually regarding 
        the development and implementation of the management plan;
            (4) for any fiscal year for which Federal funds are 
        received under this Act--
                    (A) submit to the Secretary a report that describes 
                for the year--
                            (i) the accomplishments of the management 
                        entity;
                            (ii) the expenses and income of the 
                        management entity; and
                            (iii) each entity to which a grant was 
                        made;
                    (B) make available for audit all information 
                relating to the expenditure of the funds and any 
                matching funds; and
                    (C) require, for all agreements authorizing 
                expenditures of Federal funds by any entity, that the 
                receiving entity make available for audit all records 
                and other information relating to the expenditure of 
                the funds;
            (5) encourage, by appropriate means, economic viability 
        that is consistent with the purposes of the Heritage Area; and
            (6) maintain headquarters for the management entity at 
        Morristown National Historical Park and in Mercer County.
    (c) Prohibition on the Acquisition of Real Property.--
            (1) Federal funds.--The management entity shall not use 
        Federal funds made available under this Act to acquire real 
        property or any interest in real property.
            (2) Other funds.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the 
        management entity may acquire real property or an interest in 
        real property using any other source of funding, including 
        other Federal funding.

SEC. 7. TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE; OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) Technical and Financial Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--On the request of the management entity, 
        the Secretary may provide technical and financial assistance to 
        the Heritage Area for the development and implementation of the 
        management plan.
            (2) Priority for assistance.--In providing assistance under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to actions 
        that assist in--
                    (A) conserving the significant cultural, historic, 
                natural, and scenic resources of the Heritage Area; and
                    (B) providing educational, interpretive, and 
                recreational opportunities consistent with the purposes 
                of the Heritage Area.
            (3) Operational assistance.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations, the Superintendent of Morristown National 
        Historical Park may, on request, provide to public and private 
        organizations in the Heritage Area, including the management 
        entity, any operational assistance that is appropriate for the 
        purpose of supporting the implementation of the management 
        plan.
            (4) Preservation of historic properties.--To carry out the 
        purposes of this Act, the Secretary may provide assistance to a 
        State or local government or nonprofit organization to provide 
        for the appropriate treatment of--
                    (A) historic objects; or
                    (B) structures that are listed or eligible for 
                listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
            (5) Cooperative agreements.--The Secretary may enter into 
        cooperative agreements with the management entity and other 
        public or private entities to carry out this subsection.
    (b) Other Federal Agencies.--Any Federal agency conducting or 
supporting an activity that directly affects the Heritage Area shall--
            (1) consult with the Secretary and the management entity 
        regarding the activity;
            (2)(A) cooperate with the Secretary and the management 
        entity in carrying out the of the Federal agency under this 
        Act; and
            (B) to the maximum extent practicable, coordinate the 
        activity with the carrying out of those duties; and
            (3) to the maximum extent practicable, conduct the activity 
        to avoid adverse effects on the Heritage Area.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act $10,000,000, of which not more than $1,000,000 may be 
authorized to be appropriated for any fiscal year.
    (b) Cost-Sharing Requirement.--The Federal share of the cost of any 
activity assisted under this Act shall be not more than 50 percent.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.

    The authority of the Secretary to provide assistance under this Act 
terminates on the date that is 15 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act.
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