S. 28

One Hundred Sixth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,

the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine

An Act

To authorize an interpretive center and related visitor facilities within the Four

Corners Monument Tribal Park, and for other purposes.

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 ‘‘Four Corners Interpretive Center

Act’’.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

(1) the Four Corners Monument is nationally significant

as the only geographic location in the United States where

4 State boundaries meet;

(2) the States with boundaries that meet at the Four Corners are Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah;

(3) between 1868 and 1875 the boundary lines that created

the Four Corners were drawn, and in 1899 a monument was

erected at the site;

(4) a United States postal stamp will be issued in 1999

to commemorate the centennial of the original boundary

marker;

(5) the Four Corners area is distinct in character and

possesses important historical, cultural, and prehistoric values

and resources within the surrounding cultural landscape;

(6) although there are no permanent facilities or utilities

at the Four Corners Monument Tribal Park, each year the

park attracts approximately 250,000 visitors;

(7) the area of the Four Corners Monument Tribal Park

falls entirely within the Navajo Nation or Ute Mountain Ute

Tribe reservations;

(8) the Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

have entered into a memorandum of understanding governing

the planning and future development of the Four Corners

Monument Tribal Park;

(9) in 1992, through agreements executed by the Governors

of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, the Four Corners

Heritage Council was established as a coalition of State, Federal, tribal, and private interests;

(10) the State of Arizona has obligated $45,000 for planning

efforts and $250,000 for construction of an interpretive center

at the Four Corners Monument Tribal Park;

(11) numerous studies and extensive consultation with

American Indians have demonstrated that development at the
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Four Corners Monument Tribal Park would greatly benefit

the people of the Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute

Tribe;

(12) the Arizona Department of Transportation has completed preliminary cost estimates that are based on field experience with rest-area development for the construction of a Four

Corners Interpretive Center and surrounding infrastructure,

including restrooms, roadways, parking areas, and water, electrical, telephone, and sewage facilities;

(13) an interpretive center would provide important educational and enrichment opportunities for all Americans; and

(14) Federal financial assistance and technical expertise

are needed for the construction of an interpretive center.

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

(1) to recognize the importance of the Four Corners Monument and surrounding landscape as a distinct area in the

heritage of the United States that is worthy of interpretation

and preservation;

(2) to assist the Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain

Ute Tribe in establishing the Four Corners Interpretive Center

and related facilities to meet the needs of the general public;

(3) to highlight and showcase the collaborative resource

stewardship of private individuals, Indian tribes, universities,

Federal agencies, and the governments of States and political

subdivisions thereof (including counties); and

(4) to promote knowledge of the life, art, culture, politics,

and history of the culturally diverse groups of the Four Corners

region.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

As used in this Act:

(1) CENTER.—The term ‘‘Center’’ means the Four Corners

Interpretive Center established under section 4, including restrooms, parking areas, vendor facilities, sidewalks, utilities,

exhibits, and other visitor facilities.

(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means the

States of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, or Utah, or any

consortium of 2 or more of those States.

(3) FOUR CORNERS HERITAGE COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Four

Corners Heritage Council’’ means the nonprofit coalition of

Federal, State, tribal, and private entities established in 1992

by agreements of the Governors of the States of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.

(4) FOUR CORNERS MONUMENT.—The term ‘‘Four Corners

Monument’’ means the physical monument where the boundaries of the States of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and

Utah meet.

(5) FOUR CORNERS MONUMENT TRIBAL PARK.—The term

‘‘Four Corners Monument Tribal Park’’ means lands within

the legally defined boundaries of the Four Corners Monument

Tribal Park.

(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary

of the Interior.

SEC. 4. FOUR CORNERS INTERPRETIVE CENTER.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary is authorized to establish within the boundaries

of the Four Corners Monument Tribal Park a center for the
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interpretation and commemoration of the Four Corners Monument,

to be known as the ‘‘Four Corners Interpretive Center’’.

(b) LAND DESIGNATED AND MADE AVAILABLE.—Land for the

Center shall be designated and made available by the Navajo Nation

or the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe within the boundaries of the Four

Corners Monument Tribal Park in consultation with the Four Corners Heritage Council and in accordance with—

(1) the memorandum of understanding between the Navajo

Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe that was entered

into on October 22, 1996; and

(2) applicable supplemental agreements with the Bureau

of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the

United States Forest Service.

(c) CONCURRENCE.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this

Act, no such center shall be established without the consent of

the Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.

(d) COMPONENTS OF CENTER.—The Center shall include—

(1) a location for permanent and temporary exhibits

depicting the archaeological, cultural, and natural heritage of

the Four Corners region;

(2) a venue for public education programs;

(3) a location to highlight the importance of efforts to

preserve southwestern archaeological sites and museum collections;

(4) a location to provide information to the general public

about cultural and natural resources, parks, museums, and

travel in the Four Corners region; and

(5) visitor amenities including restrooms, public telephones,

and other basic facilities.

SEC. 5. CONSTRUCTION GRANT.

(a) GRANT.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to award

a grant to an eligible entity for the construction of the Center

in an amount not to exceed 50 percent of the cost of construction

of the Center.

(2) ASSURANCES.—To be eligible for the grant, the eligible

entity that is selected to receive the grant shall provide assurances that—

(A) the non-Federal share of the costs of construction

is paid from non-Federal sources (which may include contributions made by States, private sources, the Navajo

Nation, and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe for planning,

design, construction, furnishing, startup, and operational

expenses); and

(B) the aggregate amount of non-Federal funds contributed by the States used to carry out the activities specified

in subparagraph (A) will not be less than $2,000,000, of

which each of the States that is party to the grant will

contribute equally in cash or in kind.

(3) FUNDS FROM PRIVATE SOURCES.—A State may use funds

from private sources to meet the requirements of paragraph

(2)(B).

(4) FUNDS OF STATE OF ARIZONA.—The State of Arizona

may apply $45,000 authorized by the State of Arizona during

fiscal year 1998 for planning and $250,000 that is held in

reserve by the State for construction toward the Arizona share.
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(b) GRANT REQUIREMENTS.—In order to receive a grant under

this Act, the eligible entity selected to receive the grant shall—

(1) submit to the Secretary a proposal that—

(A) meets all applicable—

(i) laws, including building codes and regulations;

and

(ii) requirements under the memorandum of understanding described in paragraph (2); and

(B) provides such information and assurances as the

Secretary may require; and

(2) enter into a memorandum of understanding with the

Secretary providing—

(A) a timetable for completion of construction and

opening of the Center;

(B) assurances that design, architectural, and construction contracts will be competitively awarded;

(C) specifications meeting all applicable Federal, State,

and local building codes and laws;

(D) arrangements for operations and maintenance upon

completion of construction;

(E) a description of the Center collections and educational programming;

(F) a plan for design of exhibits including, but not

limited to, the selection of collections to be exhibited, and

the providing of security, preservation, protection, environmental controls, and presentations in accordance with

professional museum standards;

(G) an agreement with the Navajo Nation and the

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe relative to site selection and public

access to the facilities; and

(H) a financing plan developed jointly by the Navajo

Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe outlining the

long-term management of the Center, including—

(i) the acceptance and use of funds derived from

public and private sources to minimize the use of

appropriated or borrowed funds;

(ii) the payment of the operating costs of the

Center through the assessment of fees or other income

generated by the Center;

(iii) a strategy for achieving financial self-sufficiency with respect to the Center by not later than

5 years after the date of enactment of this Act; and

(iv) appropriate vendor standards and business

activities at the Four Corners Monument Tribal Park.

SEC. 6. SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENT.

The Four Corners Heritage Council may make recommendations to the Secretary on grant proposals regarding the design

of facilities at the Four Corners Monument Tribal Park.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) AUTHORIZATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated

to the Department of the Interior to carry out this Act—

(1) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2000; and

(2) $50,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2005

for maintenance and operation of the Center, program development, or staffing in a manner consistent with the requirements

of section 5(b).
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(b) CARRYOVER.—Funds made available under subsection (a)(1)

that are unexpended at the end of the fiscal year for which those

funds are appropriated, may be used by the Secretary through

fiscal year 2002 for the purposes for which those funds are made

available.

(c) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—The Secretary may reserve funds

appropriated pursuant to this Act until a grant proposal meeting

the requirements of this Act is submitted, but no later than September 30, 2001.

SEC. 8. DONATIONS.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for purposes of

the planning, construction, and operation of the Center, the Secretary may accept, retain, and expend donations of funds, and

use property or services donated, from private persons and entities

or from public entities.

SEC. 9. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.

Nothing in this Act is intended to abrogate, modify, or impair

any right or claim of the Navajo Nation or the Ute Mountain

Ute Tribe, that is based on any law (including any treaty, Executive

order, agreement, or Act of Congress).

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.