[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2731 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 656
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
October 8, 2002
Reported by Mr. Bingaman, with amendments
[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
<DELETED> (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.</DELETED>
(4) </DELETED>(3) 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.
<DELETED>(5) </DELETED>(4) 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.
Calendar No. 656
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2731
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution National
Heritage Area in the State of New Jersey, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
October 8, 2002
Reported with amendments