IIB 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 189 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 23, 2007 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

AN ACT 

To establish the Paterson Great Falls National Historical 

Park in the State of New Jersey and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Paterson Great Falls 

3 National Historical Park Act of 2007’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 

5 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) The Great Falls Historic District in 

7 Paterson, New Jersey, is the site that Alexander 

8 Hamilton selected to implement his vision of Amer9 ican economic independence and transform a rural 

10 agrarian society based on slavery into a global econ11 omy based on freedom. 

12 (2) The Great Falls Historic District was des13 ignated as a National Historic Landmark in 1976 

14 and President Gerald Ford declared it ‘‘a symbol of 

15 the industrial might which helps to make America 

16 the most powerful nation in the world’’. 

17 (3) Section 510 of Public Law 104–333 estab18 lished the Great Falls Historic District to recognize 

19 the contribution to our national heritage of certain 

20 historical, cultural, and natural resources of the his21 toric district. 

22 (4) Exceptional natural and cultural resources 

23 make the Great Falls Historic District America’s 

24 only National Historic District that contains both a 

25 National Historic Landmark and a National Natural 

26 Landmark. 


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1 (5) Pierre L’Enfant’s water power system at 

2 the Great Falls and the buildings erected around it 

3 over two centuries constitute the finest and most ex4 tensive remaining example of engineering, planning 

5 and architectural works that span the entire period 

6 of America’s growth into an industrial power. 

7 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 

8 (1) to establish a unit of the National Park 

9 System in Paterson, New Jersey, consisting of the 

10 Great Falls Historic District; and 

11 (2) to foster activities among Federal, State, 

12 and local governments, non-profit organizations, and 

13 private donors to preserve, enhance, interpret, and 

14 promote the cultural sites, historic structures, and 

15 natural beauty of the Great Falls Historic District 

16 for the benefit of present and future generations. 

17 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

18 For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions 

19 apply: 

20 (1) PARK.—The term ‘‘park’’ means the 

21 Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park es22 tablished in section 4. 

23 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

24 the Secretary of the Interior. 


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1 (3) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

2 means the Paterson Great Falls National Historical 

3 Park Commission established in section 7. 

4 SEC. 4. PATERSON GREAT FALLS NATIONAL HISTORICAL 

5 PARK. 

6 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—In order to preserve and in7 terpret for the benefit of present and future generations 

8 certain historical, cultural, and natural resources associ9 ated with the Great Falls National Historic District, there 

10 is established in the city of Paterson in the county of Pas11 saic in the State of New Jersey the Paterson Great Falls 

12 National Historical Park as a unit of the National Park 

13 System. 

14 (b) BOUNDARIES.—The park shall consist of approxi15 mately 109 acres as generally depicted on the map titled 

16 ‘‘Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park—Pro17 posed Boundary’’, numbered T03/80,000, and dated June 

18 2007. The map shall be on file and available for public 

19 inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park 

20 Service and the city of Paterson. 

21 SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—The park shall be administered by 

23 the Secretary in accordance with this Act and the provi24 sions of law generally applicable to units of the National 

25 Park System, including the Act of August 25, 1916 (16 


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1 U.S.C. 1–4) and the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 

2 461–467). 

3 (b) STATE AND LOCAL JURISDICTION.—Nothing in 

4 this section shall be construed to diminish, enlarge, or 

5 modify any right of the State of New Jersey or any polit6 ical subdivision thereof, to exercise civil and criminal juris7 diction or to carry out State laws, rules, and regulations 

8 within the park. 

9 (c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—In furtherance of the pur11 poses of this Act, the Secretary is authorized, after 

12 consultation with the Commission, to enter into co13 operative agreements with the owners of properties 

14 of natural, historical, or cultural significance within 

15 the park, pursuant to which agreements the Sec16 retary may mark, interpret, restore, and provide 

17 technical assistance for the preservation of such 

18 properties and pursuant to which the Secretary may 

19 provide assistance, including management services 

20 and program implementation. 

21 (2) RIGHT OF ACCESS.—Each cooperative 

22 agreement shall provide that the Secretary, through 

23 the National Park Service, shall have the right of 

24 access at all reasonable times to all public portions 

25 of the property covered by the agreement for the 


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1 purpose of conducting visitors through such prop2 erties and interpreting them to the public. 

3 (3) ALTERATION OF PROPERTIES.—Each coop4 erative agreement shall provide that no changes or 

5 alterations shall be made in the property covered by 

6 the agreement except by mutual agreement between 

7 the Secretary and the other party to the agreement. 

8 (d) USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS.— 

9 (1) CONVERSION, USE, OR DISPOSAL OF

10 PROJECTS.—Any payment made by the Secretary 

11 pursuant to a cooperative agreement under this sec12 tion shall be subject to an agreement that conver13 sion, use, or disposal of a project so assisted for pur14 poses contrary to the purposes of this Act, as deter15 mined by the Secretary, shall result in the right of 

16 the United States to reimbursement of all funds 

17 made available to the project or the portion of the 

18 increased value of the project attributable to such 

19 funds as determined at the time of such conversion, 

20 use, or disposal, whichever is greater. 

21 (2) MATCHING FUNDS.—As a condition of ex22 pending any funds appropriated to the Secretary for 

23 the purposes of cooperative agreements under this 

24 section, the Secretary shall require that such ex25 penditure must be matched by expenditure of an 


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1 equal amount of funds provided by non-Federal 

2 sources. 

3 (3) DONATIONS.—With the approval of the Sec4 retary, any donation of property, goods, or services 

5 from a non-Federal source may be considered as a 

6 contribution of funds from a non-federal source for 

7 purposes of this section. 

8 SEC. 6. GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN. 

9 Not later than 3 complete fiscal years after the date 

10 funds are made available for this purpose, the Secretary 

11 shall prepare, in consultation with the Commission, and 

12 transmit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 

13 House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 

14 and Natural Resources of the Senate a general manage15 ment plan for the park in accordance with the provisions 

16 of section 12(b) of the Act of August 18, 1970 (16 U.S.C. 

17 1a–7(b)), popularly known as the National Park System 

18 General Authorities Act, and other applicable law. 

19 SEC. 7. PATERSON GREAT FALLS NATIONAL HISTORICAL 

20 PARK COMMISSION. 

21 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established 

22 the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park Com23 mission whose purpose shall be to assist and advise the 

24 Secretary in the development and implementation of the 

25 general management plan for the park. 


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1 (b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

2 (1) APPOINTMENTS.—The Commission shall be 

3 composed of 9 members appointed by the Secretary, 

4 of whom— 

5 (A) 4 members shall be from nominees 

6 submitted by the Governor of the State of New 

7 Jersey; 

8 (B) 2 members shall be from nominees 

9 submitted by the City Council of Paterson; 

10 (C) 1 member shall be from nominees sub11 mitted by the Board of Chosen Freeholders of 

12 Passaic County, New Jersey; and 

13 (D) 2 members shall be qualified to serve 

14 on the Commission because of their familiarity 

15 with national parks and historic preservation. 

16 (2) CHAIRPERSON; VICE CHAIRPERSON.—The 

17 Commission shall elect one of its members as Chair18 person and one as Vice Chairperson. The Vice 

19 Chairperson shall serve as chairperson in the ab20 sence of the Chairperson. 

21 (3) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission 

22 shall be filled in the same manner in which the origi23 nal appointment was made. 

24 (4) TERMS.—Terms of service are as follows: 


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1 (A) The term of office of the Chairperson 

2 and Vice Chairperson shall be one year. 

3 (B) Members of the Commission shall 

4 serve for terms of 3 years and may be re5 appointed not more than once. 

6 (C) A member may serve after the expira7 tion of his or her term until a successor has 

8 been appointed. 

9 (5) TIMELINE FOR APPOINTMENTS.—The Sec10 retary shall appoint the first members of the Com11 mission not later than 30 days after the date on 

12 which the Secretary has received all of the rec13 ommendations for appointment pursuant to para14 graph (1). 

15 (c) COMPENSATION.—Members of the Commission 

16 shall serve without pay, but while away from their homes 

17 or regular places of business in the performance of services 

18 for the Commission, members shall be allowed travel ex19 penses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the 

20 same manner as persons employed intermittently in the 

21 Government service are allowed expenses under section 

22 5703 of title 5, United States Code. 

23 (d) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the 

24 call of the Chairperson or a majority of its members. 


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1 (e) QUORUM.—A majority of the Commission shall 

2 constitute a quorum. 

3 (f) STAFF.—The Secretary shall provide the Commis4 sion with such staff and technical assistance as the Sec5 retary, after consultation with the Commission, considers 

6 appropriate to enable the Commission to carry out its du7 ties. The Secretary may accept the services of personnel 

8 detailed from the State of New Jersey, any political sub9 division of the State or any entity represented on the Com10 mission. 

11 (g) EXEMPTION.—Section 14(b) of the Federal Advi12 sory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to 

13 the Commission. 

14 (h) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

15 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

16 SEC. 8. ACQUISITION OF LAND. 

17 (a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may ac18 quire land or interests in land within the boundaries of 

19 the park from willing sellers only by donation, purchase 

20 with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. 

21 (b) STATE PROPERTY.—Land or interests in land 

22 owned by the State of New Jersey or any political subdivi23 sion of the State may be acquired only by donation. 


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1 SEC. 9. HINCHLIFFE STADIUM. 

2 Not later than three years after the date of the enact3 ment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete a study re4 garding the preservation and interpretation of Hinchliffe 

5 Stadium as listed on the National Register of Historic 

6 Places. The study shall include an assessment of the po7 tential for listing as a National Historic Landmark as well 

8 as options for maintaining the historic integrity of the sta9 dium. 

10 SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

11 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

12 as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 

Passed the House of Representatives October 22, 

2007. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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