[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 98 (Tuesday, July 25, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H6876-H6879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
YUMA CROSSING NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA ACT OF 2000
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2833) to establish the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area,
as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2833
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; DEFINITIONS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Yuma
Crossing National Heritage Area Act of 2000''.
(b) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the
Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area established in section
3.
(2) Management entity.--The term ``management entity''
shall mean the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Board of
Directors referred to section 3(c).
(3) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' shall
mean the management plan for the Yuma Crossing National
Heritage Area.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
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(1) Certain events that led to the establishment of the
Yuma Crossing as a natural crossing place on the Colorado
River and to its development as an important landmark in
America's westward expansion during the mid-19th century are
of national historic and cultural significance in terms of
their contribution to the development of the new United
States of America.
(2) It is in the national interest to promote, preserve,
and protect physical remnants of a community with almost 500
years of recorded history which has outstanding cultural,
historic, and architectural value for the education and
benefit of present and future generations.
(3) The designation of the Yuma Crossing as a national
heritage area would preserve Yuma's history and provide
related educational opportunities, provide recreational
opportunities, preserve natural resources, and improve the
city and county of Yuma's ability to serve visitors and
enhance the local economy through the completion of the major
projects identified within the Yuma Crossing National
Heritage Area.
(4) The Department of the Interior is responsible for
protecting the Nation's cultural and historic resources.
There are significant examples of these resources within the
Yuma region to merit the involvement of the Federal
Government in developing programs and projects, in
cooperation with the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area and
other local and governmental bodies, to adequately conserve,
protect, and interpret this heritage for future generations
while providing opportunities for education, revitalization,
and economic development.
(5) The city of Yuma, the Arizona State Parks Board,
agencies of the Federal Government, corporate entities, and
citizens have completed a study and master plan for the Yuma
Crossing to determine the extent of its historic resources,
preserve and interpret these historic resources, and assess
the opportunities available to enhance the cultural
experience for region's visitors and residents.
(6) The Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Board of
Directors would be an appropriate management entity for a
heritage area established in the region.
(b) Purpose.--The objectives of the Yuma Crossing National
Heritage Area are as follows:
(1) To recognize the role of the Yuma Crossing in the
development of the United States, with particular emphasis on
the roll of the crossing as an important landmark in the
westward expansion during the mid-19th century.
(2) To promote, interpret, and develop the physical and
recreational resources of the communities surrounding the
Yuma Crossing, which has almost 500 years of recorded history
and outstanding cultural, historic, and architectural assets,
for the education and benefit of present and future
generations.
(3) To foster a close working relationship with all levels
of government, the private sector, and the local communities
in the Yuma community and empower the community to conserve
its heritage while continuing to pursue economic
opportunities.
(4) To provide recreational opportunities for visitors to
the Yuma Crossing and preserve natural resources within the
Heritage Area.
(5) To improve the Yuma region's ability to serve visitors
and enhance the local economy through the completion of the
major projects identified within the Heritage Area.
SEC. 3. YUMA CROSSING NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.
(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the Yuma
Crossing National Heritage Area.
(b) Boundaries.--The Heritage Area shall be comprised of
those portions of the Yuma region totaling approximately 21
square miles, encompassing over 150 identified historic,
geologic, and cultural resources, and bounded--
(1) on the west, by the Colorado River (including the
crossing point of the Army of the West);
(2) on the east, by Avenue 7E;
(3) on the north, by the Colorado River; and
(4) on the south, by the 12th Street alignment.
(c) Management Entity.--The management entity for the
Heritage Area shall be the Yuma Crossing National Heritage
Area Board of Directors which shall include
representatives from a broad cross-section of the
individuals, agencies, organizations, and governments that
were involved in the planning and development of the
Heritage Area before the date of the enactment of this
Act.
SEC. 4. COMPACT.
(a) In General.--To carry out the purposes of this Act, the
Secretary of the Interior shall enter into a compact with the
management entity.
(b) Components of Compact.--The compact shall include
information relating to the objectives and management of the
Heritage Area, including each of the following:
(1) A discussion of the goals and objects of the Heritage
Area.
(2) An explanation of the proposed approach to conservation
and interpretation of the Heritage Area.
(3) A general outline of the protection measures to which
the management entity commits.
SEC. 5. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF MANAGEMENT
ENTITY.
(a) Authorities of the Management Entity.--The management
entity may, for purposes of preparing and implementing the
management plan, use funds made available through this Act
for the following:
(1) To make grants to, and enter into cooperative
agreements with, States and their political subdivisions,
private organizations, or any person.
(2) To hire and compensate staff.
(3) To enter into contracts for goods and services.
(b) Management Plan.--
(1) In general.--Taking into consideration existing State,
county, and local plans, the management entity shall develop
a management plan for the Heritage Area.
(2) Contents.--The management plan required by this
subsection shall include--
(A) comprehensive recommendations for conservation,
funding, management, and development of the Heritage Area;
(B) actions to be undertaken by units of government and
private organizations to protect the resources of the
Heritage Area;
(C) a list of specific existing and potential sources of
funding to protect, manage, and develop the Heritage Area;
(D) an inventory of the resources contained in the Heritage
Area, including a list of any property in the Heritage Area
that is related to the themes of the Heritage Area and that
should be preserved, restored, managed, developed, or
maintained because of its natural, cultural, historic,
recreational, or scenic significance;
(E) a recommendation of policies for resource management
which considers and details application of appropriate land
and water management techniques, including the development of
intergovernmental cooperative agreements to protect the
historical, cultural, recreational, and natural resources of
the Heritage Area in a manner consistent with supporting
appropriate and compatible economic viability;
(F) a program for implementation of the management plan by
the management entity, including plans for restoration and
construction, and specific commitments of the identified
partners for the first 5 years of operation;
(G) an analysis of ways in which local, State, and Federal
programs may best be coordinated to promote the purposes of
this Act; and
(H) an interpretation plan for the Heritage Area.
(3) Submission to secretary.--The management entity shall
submit the management plan to the Secretary for approval not
later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
If a management plan is not submitted to the Secretary as
required within the specified time, the Heritage Area shall
no longer qualify for Federal funding.
(c) Duties of Management Entity.--In addition to its duties
under subsection (b), the management entity shall--
(1) give priority to implementing actions set forth in the
compact and management plan, including steps to assist units
of government, regional planning organizations, and nonprofit
organizations in preserving the Heritage Area;
(2) assist units of government, regional planning
organizations, and nonprofit organizations with--
(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
natural, historical, and architectural resources and sites in
the Heritage Area;
(D) restoring any historic building relating to the themes
of the Heritage Area; and
(E) ensuring that clear, consistent, and environmentally
appropriate signs identifying access points and sites of
interest are put in place throughout the Heritage Area;
(3) encourage, by appropriate means, economic viability in
the Heritage Area consistent with the goals of the management
plan;
(4) encourage local governments to adopt land use policies
consistent with the management of the Heritage Area and the
goals of the management plan;
(5) consider the interests of diverse governmental,
business, and nonprofit groups within the Heritage Area;
(6) conduct public meetings at least quarterly regarding
the implementation of the management plan; and
(7) for any year in which Federal funds have been received
under this Act, make available for audit all records
pertaining to the expenditure of such funds and any matching
funds, and require, for all agreements authorizing
expenditure of Federal funds by other organizations, that the
receiving organizations make available for audit all records
pertaining to the expenditure of such funds.
(d) Prohibition on the Acquisition of Real Property.--The
management entity may not use Federal funds received under
this Act to acquire real property or an interest in real
property. Nothing in this Act shall preclude any management
entity from using Federal funds from other sources for their
permitted purposes.
(e) Spending for Non-Federally Owned Property.--The
management entity may spend Federal funds directly on non-
federally owned property to further the purposes of this Act,
especially in assisting units of government in appropriate
treatment of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and
objects listed or eligible for listing on the National
Register of Historic Places.
SEC. 6. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.
(a) Technical and Financial Assistance.--The Secretary may,
upon request of the management entity, provide technical and
financial assistance to the management entity to develop and
implement the management plan. In assisting the management
entity, the Secretary shall give priority to actions that in
general assist in--
(1) conserving the significant natural, historic, and
cultural resources which support the themes of the Heritage
Area; and
(2) providing educational, interpretive, and recreational
opportunities consistent with resources and associated values
of the Heritage Area.
(b) Approval and Disapproval of Management Plan.--The
Secretary, in consultation with the Yuma Crossing National
Heritage Area Board of Directors, shall approve or disapprove
the management plan submitted under this Act
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not later than 90 days after receiving such management plan.
(c) Action Following Disapproval.--If the Secretary
disapproves a submitted compact or management plan, the
Secretary shall advise the management entity in writing of
the reasons therefor and shall make recommendations for
revisions in the management plan. The Secretary shall approve
or disapprove a proposed revision within 90 days after the
date it is submitted.
(d) Approving Amendments.--The Secretary shall review
substantial amendments to the management plan for the
Heritage Area. Funds appropriated pursuant to this Act may
not be expended to implement the changes made by such
amendments until the Secretary approves the amendments.
(e) Documentation.--Subject to the availability of funds,
the Historic American Building Survey/Historic American
Engineering Record shall conduct those studies necessary to
document the cultural, historic, architectural, and natural
resources of the Heritage Area.
SEC. 7. SUNSET.
The Secretary may not make any grant or provide any
assistance under this Act after September 30, 2015.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated
under this Act not more than $1,000,000 for any fiscal year.
Not more than a total of $10,000,000 may be appropriated for
the Heritage Area under this Act.
(b) 50 Percent Match.--Federal funding provided under this
Act, after the designation of the Heritage Area, may not
exceed 50 percent of the total cost of any assistance or
grant provided or authorized under this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2833 sponsored by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr.
Pastor) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Yuma
Crossing National Heritage Area. This bill would serve to protect and
conserve the historic elements located in the Yuma community.
Its purpose would be to further educational, recreational, and
economic opportunities of the region. The bill also provides for
measures which preserve the historic features of the Yuma Crossing.
The Yuma Crossing was the national crossing place for the Colorado
River. This geographic feature eventually led Yuma to become the
epicenter of America's westward expansion during the mid-19th century.
The area hosts many cultural, historic, and architectural resources.
The management of the national heritage area is to be conducted by
the Secretary and the management entity known as Yuma Crossing National
Heritage Area Board of Directors. The management entity is to develop a
comprehensive plan that supports the goals and operations of the
heritage area and to work directly with the Secretary in the
implementation of this plan. This is supported on a bipartisan basis,
and I commend the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor) for his efforts
to preserve and enhance the Yuma area.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2833, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. UNDERWOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2833 introduced by the gentleman
from Arizona (Mr. Pastor), our friend and colleague, would establish
the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area in Yuma, Arizona. Yuma's
location as a natural crossing point of the Colorado River has drawn
man to the area since ancient times; and as such, there is a long
history associated with the area.
At the hearing on the bill before the Committee on Resources, our
colleague, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor), and the other
supporters of the legislation spoke of the historical and cultural
heritage of the Yuma area and of their enthusiasm and commitment to a
heritage area designation.
While the legislation was similar in form to other bills the
committee has considered regarding the designation of heritage areas,
the National Park Service testified that several changes needed to be
made to conform the bill to other heritage designations.
The Committee on Resources adopted an amendment that reflected the
changes to the bill requested by the National Park Service. We believe
those changes improve the legislation and support the bill, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Arizona (Mr. Pastor).
Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank the gentleman
from Utah (Chairman Hansen) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr.
Romero-Barcelo), the ranking member; and the gentleman from Alaska
(Chairman Young), the full committee chairman; and the gentleman from
California (Mr. George Miller), the ranking member; for bringing this
bill on the floor today.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation and ask
that the House support the efforts of the entire Yuma community to
designate the Yuma Crossing as a national heritage area. I want to
assure this body that the entire area is united behind the principles
of this legislation.
More than 60 years before the European settlement in Jamestown,
Virginia, and more than 80 years, before the pilgrims landed at
Plymouth Rock, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado marched across
southeastern Arizona in search of the fabled Seven Cities of Gold. To
supply Coronado's expedition, Captain Hernando de Alarcon commanded
three ships through the Gulf of California into the mouth of the
Colorado River.
The Spanish explorer Hernando de Alarcon became the first European to
venture into what is now the southwest portions of the United States
just below the confluence of the Colorado River and the Gila River.
There they made use of a geological formation in the lower Colorado,
consisting of two massive granite outcroppings known to us today as
Yuma Crossing.
Alarcon's voyage is the first European discovery of the Colorado
River, and the Crossing has become a natural bridge which played an
important role in the western settlement of the United States.
Father Eusebio Francisco Kino mapped supply routes to California
through the Yuma Crossing, a route that would be used in many other
expeditions and used by many colonists. Using the knowledge pioneered
by Father Kino, more than 200 settlers and herds of livestock crossed
the treacherous Colorado River using the Yuma Crossing.
Anza, another famous Spanish explorer, crossed the Colorado at this
point. He traveled westward to cross the desert to San Gabriel and then
turned north and established the community of San Francisco in 1776.
Kit Carson traveled the Yuma Crossing as he carried dispatches
between California and New Mexico to report on the United States'
successful military conquest of California in the war with Mexico in
1846. It was during the war with Mexico that Lieutenant Colonel Phillip
St. George Cooke used the Yuma Crossing to establish the Gila Trail,
that became a passageway used by California's gold seekers, by
pioneers, by ranchers, farmers, and the military.
Yuma Crossing quickly became a strategic military location following
the Mexican war. Settlers and the Quechan Indians fought for the rights
to hold ferry operations across the Colorado. In 1852, Fort Yuma was
established to keep the peace between the settlers and the Quechans.
In addition to its importance, Yuma has become a major port town and
transportation hub. Steamboats were used to freight supplies, as well
as stagecoach and camel caravans were used to transport supplies. But
as Yuma grew, more sophisticated modes of transportation were demanded,
the outgrowth of which resulted in the development of the Southern
Pacific Railroad. With the establishment of the Southern Pacific
Railroad, Yuma established itself as a major connecting point in the
westward expansion of our country.
Today, the city of Yuma has a population of 70,000 residents, the
third largest city in Arizona. Along with its importance in the
development of the West, there is a combination of arid desert
landscapes, rugged mountains and wetlands that is the natural
environment for this area which we want to preserve.
Designating Yuma Crossing as a national heritage area will preserve
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Yuma's early heritage and highlight Yuma Crossing's importance to
opening the American West to exploration and settlement.
{time} 1645
The designation will also serve to preserve and protect its vital
wildlife habitats and wetland areas. Yuma Crossing is a vital link in
our Nation's heritage, and it is for these reasons that I proudly
introduce this legislation that will designate Yuma Crossing as a
national heritage area. I urge the House to support preserving an
important part of our Southwestern heritage.
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I compliment my friend from Arizona on the good work he
has done on this bill to get it to this point. He has done a yeoman's
job on it, and it is a good piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues
to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) that the House suspend
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2833, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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