Great Falls Preservation and Redevelopment Act of 1994

Summary: Great Falls Preservation and Redevelopment Act of 1994 - Establishes the Great Falls Historic District in Paterson, New Jersey, to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with: (1) State or local government agencies or nonprofit entities to prepare a plan for the development of historic, architectural, natural, cultural, and interpretative resources within the District and to implement projects approved by the Secretary pursuant to the plan; and (2) property owners for the preservation and interpretation of properties of historical or cultural significance. Requires applications for funds for capital projects and improvements to be submitted to the Secretary and to include a description of how the project will further the purposes of the District.  Subjects such payments to an agreement that conversion, use, or disposal of such project for purposes contrary to this Act shall result in a right of the United States of reimbursement of all funds made available to such project or the proportion of the increased value of the project attributable to such funds as determined at the time of such conversion, use, or disposal, whichever is greater. Authorizes appropriations.  Prohibits funds made available for capital projects and planning from exceeding 50 percent of the total costs of the project to be funded.  Terminates the authority to expend funds under this Act five years after the date of its enactment.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Great Falls Preservation and 
Redevelopment Act of 1994''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) the Great Falls Historic District in the State of New 
        Jersey is an area of historical significance as an early site 
        of planned industrial development, and has remained largely 
        intact, including architecturally significant structures;
            (2) the Great Falls Historic District is listed on the 
        National Register of Historic Places and has been designated a 
        National Historic Landmark;
            (3) the Great Falls Historic District is within a half hour 
        drive of New York City, and within two hours of Philadelphia, 
        Hartford, New Haven, and Wilmington;
            (4) the District was originally established by the Society 
        of Useful Manufactures, an organization whose leaders included 
        a number of historically renowned individuals, including 
        Alexander Hamilton; and
            (5) the Great Falls Historic District has been the subject 
        of a number of studies which have shown that the District 
        possesses a combination of historic significance and natural 
        beauty worthy of and uniquely situated for preservation and 
        redevelopment.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to preserve and interpret for the 
educational and inspirational benefit of the public, the contribution 
to our national heritage of certain historic and cultural -l-a-n-d-s-, 
-w-a-t-e-r-w-a-y-s lands and edifices of the Great Falls Historic 
District with emphasis on harnessing this unique urban environment for 
its educational and recreational value, as well as to enhance economic 
and cultural redevelopment within the District.

SEC. 4. GREAT FALLS HISTORIC DISTRICT.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established in the city of 
Paterson in the county of Passaic in the State of New Jersey the Great 
Falls Historic District.
    (b) Boundaries.--The boundaries of the District shall be the 
boundaries as specified for the Great Falls Historic District listed on 
the National Register of Historic Places.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to enter into 
cooperative agreements in accordance with this Act. In expending moneys 
appropriated pursuant to this Act, the Secretary may make grants to and 
enter into cooperative agreements with State or local government 
agencies or nonprofit entities for each of the following:
            (1) The preparation of a plan for the development of 
        historic, architectural, natural, cultural, and interpretive 
        resources within the District. The plan shall include each of 
        the following:
                    (A) An evaluation of--
                            (i) the existing condition of historic and 
                        architectural resources; and
                            (ii) the environmental and flood hazard 
                        conditions within the District.
                    (B) Recommendations for--
                            (i) rehabilitating, reconstructing, and 
                        adaptively reusing such historic and 
                        architectural resources;
                            (ii) preserving viewsheds, focal points, 
                        and streetscapes;
                            (iii) establishing gateways to the 
                        District;
                            (iv) establishing and maintaining parks and 
                        public spaces;
                            -(-v-) -r-e-s-t-o-r-i-n-g-, 
                        -i-m-p-r-o-v-i-n-g-, -a-n-d 
                        -d-e-v-e-l-o-p-i-n-g -r-a-c-e-w-a-y-s -a-n-d 
                        -a-d-j-a-c-e-n-t -a-r-e-a-s-;
                            -(-v-i-) (v) developing public parking 
                        areas;
                            -(-v-i-i-) (vi) improving pedestrian and 
                        vehicular circulation within the District;
                            -(-v-i-i-i-) (vii) improving security 
                        within the District, with an emphasis on 
                        preserving historically significant structures 
                        from arson; and
                            -(-i-x-) (viii) establishing a visitor's 
                        center.
            (2) Implementation of projects approved by the Secretary 
        pursuant to the Plan.
    (b) Restoration, Maintenance, and Interpretation.--The Secretary 
may enter into cooperative agreements with the owners of properties 
within the District of historical or cultural significance as 
determined by the Secretary, pursuant to which the Secretary may mark, 
interpret, improve, restore, and provide technical assistance with 
respect to the preservation and interpretation of such properties. Such 
agreements shall contain, but need not be limited to, provisions that 
the Secretary shall have the right of access at reasonable times to 
public portions of the property for interpretive and other purposes, 
and that no changes or alterations shall be made in the property except 
by mutual -a-g-r-e-e-m-e-n-t-. agreement, and with the approval of the 
Federal agency with regulatory jurisdiction over the property in 
question, if applicable.
    (c) Capital Projects.--(1) Application for funds for capital 
projects and improvements under this Act shall be submitted to the 
Secretary and shall include a description of how the project proposed 
to be funded will further the purposes of the District.
    (2) In making such funds available, the Secretary shall give 
consideration to projects which provide a greater leverage of Federal 
funds. Any payment made shall be subject to an agreement that 
conversion, use, or disposal of the project so assisted for purposes 
contrary to the purposes of this Act, as determined by the Secretary, 
shall result in a right of the United States of reimbursement of all 
funds made available to such project or the proportion of the increased 
value of the project attributable to such funds as determined at the 
time of such conversion, use, or disposal, whichever is greater.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act:
            (1) The term ``District'' means the Great Falls Historic 
        District established by section 4.
            (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
        Interior.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this Act not more than--
            (1) $3,000,000 for capital projects;
            (2) $250,000 for planning; and
            (3) $50,000 for technical assistance.
Funds made available pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not 
exceed 50 percent of the total costs of the project to be funded. The 
authority to expend funds under this Act shall expire 5 years from the 
date of enactment.

            Passed the House of Representatives April 13, 1994.

            Attest:

                                           DONNALD K. ANDERSON,

                                                                 Clerk.