[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 23 (Thursday, March 3, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S2010]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KYL (for himself and Mr. McCain):
  S. 505. A bill to amend the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Act 
of 2000 to adjust the boundary of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage 
Area; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I am pleased to join today with Senator 
McCain to introduce the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Boundary 
Adjustment Act. This legislation would amend the Yuma Crossing National 
Heritage Act of 2000, Public Law 106-319, to reduce the size of the 
heritage area to conform to the area set forth in the Heritage Area 
Management Plan approved by the Secretary of the Interior in 2002.
  The Yuma Crossing Heritage Area was designated in October 2000. It 
sprung from a preliminary concept plan completed in 1999 by the 
Heritage Area Task Force. The boundaries proposed in that plan included 
approximately 22 square miles, extending from the Colorado River on the 
north and west to the Avenue 7E alignment on the east and the 12th 
street alignment on the south. These boundaries represented the task 
force's ``best guess'' as to the cultural landscape warranting 
inclusion in the heritage area. This ``best guess'' was incorporated 
into the legislation designating the Yuma Crossing National Heritage 
Area.
  During the development of the final Heritage Area Management Plan, 
which was subject to comprehensive community involvement, it became 
apparent that the area's boundaries were too large and should be more 
concentrated along the Colorado River and in historic downtown.
  Rather than simply leave the boundaries as they were set in the 2000 
legislation, we have heard from the community in Yuma that it is 
important that we conform the boundaries to those in the agreed-upon 
Management Plan. Doing so will provide certainty to the heritage area 
and those private landowners who live within its current boundaries. It 
will allow the heritage area to meet its management goals and 
responsibilities without the worry that private property rights may be 
affected in the future.
  This is a non-controversial, straightforward correction. I hope my 
colleagues will work with me to pass it quickly this year.
                                 ______