I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 762

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 18, 1999

Referred to the Committee on Resources

AN ACT

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special

resource study to determine the national significance of

the Miami Circle site in the State of Florida as well

as the suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in the

National Park System as part of Biscayne National

Park, 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. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

2 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

3 (1) the Tequesta Indians were one of the ear4 liest groups to establish permanent villages in south5 east Florida;

6 (2) the Tequestas had one of only two North

7 American civilizations that thrived and developed

8 into a complex social chiefdom without an agricul9 tural base;

10 (3) the Tequesta sites that remain preserved

11 today are rare;

12 (4) the discovery of the Miami Circle, occupied

13 by the Tequesta approximately 2,000 years ago, pre14 sents a valuable new opportunity to learn more

15 about the Tequesta culture; and

16 (5) Biscayne National Park also contains and

17 protects several prehistoric Tequesta sites.

18 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to direct

19 the Secretary to conduct a special resource study to deter20 mine the national significance of the Miami Circle site as

21 well as the suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in the

22 National Park System as part of Biscayne National Park.

23 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

24 In this Act:

25 (1) MIAMI CIRCLE.—The term ‘‘Miami Circle’’

26 means the property in Miami-Dade County of the
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1 State of Florida consisting of the three parcels de2 scribed in Exhibit A in the appendix to the summons

3 to show cause and notice of eminent domain pro4 ceedings, filed February 18, 1999, in Miami-Dade

5 County v. Brickell Point, Ltd., in the circuit court

6 of the 11th judicial circuit of Florida in and for

7 Miami-Dade County.

8 (2) PARK.—The term ‘‘Park’’ means Biscayne

9 National Park in the State of Florida.

10 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means

11 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di12 rector of the National Park Service.

13 SEC. 3. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the

15 date funds are made available, the Secretary shall conduct

16 a special resource study as described in subsection (b). In

17 conducting the study, the Secretary shall consult with the

18 appropriate American Indian tribes and other interested

19 groups and organizations.

20 (b) COMPONENTS.—In addition to a determination of

21 national significance, feasibility, and suitability, the spe22 cial resource study shall include the analysis and rec23 ommendations of the Secretary with respect to—
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1 (1) which, if any, particular areas of or sur2 rounding the Miami Circle should be included in the

3 Park;

4 (2) whether any additional staff, facilities, or

5 other resources would be necessary to administer the

6 Miami Circle as a unit of the Park; and

7 (3) any impact on the local area that would re8 sult from the inclusion of Miami Circle in the Park.

9 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after comple10 tion of the study, the Secretary shall submit a report de11 scribing the findings and recommendations of the study

12 to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of

13 the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the United

14 States House of Representatives.

15 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

16 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec17 essary to carry out this Act.

Passed the Senate October 14, 1999.

Attest: GARY SISCO,

Secretary.