[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1376 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1376
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Waco
Mammoth National Monument in the State of Texas.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 6, 2009
Mr. Edwards of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Waco
Mammoth National Monument in the State of Texas.
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 ``Waco Mammoth National Monument
Establishment Act of 2009''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds as follows:
(1) The Waco Mammoth Site area is located near the
confluence of the Brazos and the Bosque rivers in Central
Texas, near the City of Waco.
(2) Baylor University has been investigating the site since
1978 after the discovery of bones emerging from eroding creek
banks leading to the uncovering of portions of five mammoths.
(3) Several additional mammoth remains have been uncovered
making this the largest known concentration of mammoths dying
from the same event.
(4) The discoveries have received international attention.
(5) The University and the City of Waco have been working
together to protect the site and to develop further research
and educational opportunities.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act the following definitions apply:
(1) National monument.--The term ``national monument''
means the Waco Mammoth National Monument, established in
section 4.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 4. WACO MAMMOTH NATIONAL MONUMENT, TEXAS.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Waco Mammoth National
Monument in the State of Texas, as a unit of the National Park System.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION OF NATIONAL MONUMENT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the national
monument in accordance with this Act, the cooperative agreements
described in this section, and laws and regulations generally
applicable to units of the National Park System, including the National
Park Service Organic Act (39 Stat. 535, 16 U.S.C. 1).
(b) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into
cooperative agreements for the management of the national monument with
Baylor University and City of Waco, pursuant to the National Park
Service General Authorities Act (16 U.S.C. 1a-2(1)).
SEC. 6. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AND BOUNDARY MANAGEMENT.
(a) Acquisition of Property.--The Secretary is authorized to
acquire from willing sellers lands, or interests in lands, within the
proposed boundary of the national monument necessary for effective
management.
(b) Conditions.--Lands identified in subsection (a) may be
acquired--
(1) by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated
funds, transfer from another Federal agency, or by exchange;
and
(2) in the case of lands owned by the State of Texas, or a
political subdivision thereof, only by donation or exchange.
SEC. 7. CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES ON NONFEDERAL LANDS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized, subject to the
appropriation of necessary funds, to construct essential administrative
or visitor use facilities on non-Federal lands within the national
monument.
(b) Other Funding.--In addition to the use of Federal funds
authorized in subsection (a), the Secretary may use donated funds,
property, and services to carry out this section.
SEC. 8. GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.
(a) In General.--Not later than three years after the date on which
funds are made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary, in
consultation with Baylor University and City of Waco, shall prepare a
management plan for the national monument.
(b) Inclusions.--The management plan shall include, at a minimum--
(1) measures for the preservation of the resources of the
national monument;
(2) requirements for the type and extent of development and
use of the national monument;
(3) identification of visitor carrying capacities for
national monument; and
(4) opportunities for involvement by Baylor University, the
City of Waco, the State of Texas, and other local and national
entities in the formulation of educational programs for the
national monument and for developing and supporting the
national monument.
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