I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5357 

To authorize a national memorial to commemorate those killed by the collapse 

of the Saint Francis Dam on March 12, 1928, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 31, 2014 

Mr. MCKEON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize a national memorial to commemorate those 

killed by the collapse of the Saint Francis Dam on March 

12, 1928, 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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Saint Francis Dam 

5 Disaster National Memorial Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 

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

8 (1) On March 12, 1928, the Saint Francis Dam 

9 located in the northern portion of Los Angeles CounVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:12 Aug 14, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5357.IH H5357

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1 ty, California, breached, resulting in a flood result2 ing in the death of approximately 600 individuals. 

3 (2) The residents of the Santa Clarita Valley, 

4 San Francisquito Canyon, Castaic Junction, Santa 

5 Clara River Valley, Piru, Fillmore, Bardsdale, 

6 Saticoy, and Santa Paula were devastated by the 

7 worst flood that the State of California has ever ex8 perienced. 

9 (3) This disaster resulted in a tremendous loss 

10 of human life, property, and livelihood, and was sur11 passed in the 20th century only by the great San 

12 Francisco Earthquake of 1906. 

13 (4) The dam’s collapse may represent America’s 

14 worst civil engineering failure in the 20th century. 

15 (5) It is right to pay homage to the citizens 

16 who perished, were injured, or were dislocated in the 

17 flood, and to bring to light and educate the general 

18 public about this important historical event. 

19 (6) The site is subject to the theft of historic 

20 artifacts, graffiti, and other vandalism. 

21 (7) The site has important historic and environ22 mental significance. 

23 (8) It is appropriate that the site of the Saint 

24 Francis Dam and surrounding areas be designated 


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1 a unit of the National Park System to commemorate 

2 this tragic event. 

3 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are as fol4 lows: 

5 (1) To establish a national memorial to honor 

6 the victims of the Saint Francis Dam disaster of 

7 March 12, 1928. 

8 (2) To establish the Saint Francis Dam Advi9 sory Commission to assist with consideration and 

10 formulation of plans for a permanent memorial to 

11 the victims of that disaster, including its nature, de12 sign, and construction. 

13 (3) To permanently protect the historical scene 

14 of the Saint Francis Dam and educate the general 

15 public about this historic event. 

16 (4) To authorize the Secretary of the Interior 

17 to coordinate and facilitate the activities of the Saint 

18 Francis Dam Advisory Commission, provide tech19 nical and financial assistance to the Saint Francis 

20 Dam Task Force, and to administer a Saint Francis 

21 Dam memorial. 

22 SEC. 3. MEMORIAL TO HONOR THE VICTIMS OF THE SAINT 

23 FRANCIS DAM DISASTER. 

24 There is established a memorial at the Saint Francis 

25 Dam site in the County of Los Angeles, California, to 


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1 honor the victims of the Saint Francis Dam disaster of 

2 March 12, 1928, which shall be— 

3 (1) known as the Saint Francis Dam Disaster 

4 National Memorial; and 

5 (2) located within the Saint Francis Dam Dis6 aster National Monument. 

7 SEC. 4. SAINT FRANCIS DAM ADVISORY COMMISSION. 

8 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com9 mission to be known as the ‘‘Saint Francis Dam Advisory 

10 Commission’’. 

11 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall consist of 

12 15 members, including the Director of the National Park 

13 Service, or the Director’s designee, and 14 members ap14 pointed by the Secretary of the Interior. 

15 (c) TERM.—The term of the members of the Commis16 sion shall be for the life of the Commission. 

17 (d) CHAIR.—The members of the Commission shall 

18 select the Chair of the Commission. 

19 (e) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the Commission 

20 shall not affect its powers if a quorum is present, but shall 

21 be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. 

22 (f) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the 

23 call of the Chairperson or a majority of the members, but 

24 not less often than quarterly. The Commission shall pub25 lish notice of the Commission meetings and agendas for 


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1 the meetings in local newspapers in the vicinity of Los An2 geles County and in the Federal Register. Meetings of the 

3 Commission shall be subject to section 552b of title 5, 

4 United States Code (relating to open meetings). 

5 (g) QUORUM.—A majority of the members serving on 

6 the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the trans7 action of any business. 

8 (h) NO COMPENSATION.—Members of the Commis9 sion shall serve without compensation, but may be reim10 bursed for expenses incurred in carrying out the duties 

11 of the Commission. 

12 (i) DUTIES.—The duties of the Commission shall be 

13 as follows: 

14 (1) Not later than 2 years after the date of the 

15 enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit 

16 to the Secretary of the Interior and Congress a re17 port containing recommendations for the planning, 

18 design, construction, and long-term management of 

19 a permanent memorial at the dam site. 

20 (2) The Commission shall advise the Secretary 

21 of the Interior on the boundaries of the Memorial 

22 site. 

23 (3) The Commission shall advise the Secretary 

24 of the Interior in the development of a management 

25 plan for the Memorial site. 


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1 (4) The Commission shall consult and coordi2 nate closely with the Saint Francis Dam Task 

3 Force, the State of California, and other interested 

4 persons, as appropriate, to support and not supplant 

5 the efforts of the Saint Francis Dam Task Force on 

6 and before the date of the enactment of this Act to 

7 commemorate the Saint Francis Dam disaster. 

8 (5) The Commission shall provide significant 

9 opportunities for public participation in the planning 

10 and design of the Memorial. 

11 (j) POWERS.—The Commission may— 

12 (1) make such expenditures for services and 

13 materials for the purpose of carrying out this Act as 

14 the Commission considers advisable from funds ap15 propriated or received as gifts for that purpose; 

16 (2) subject to approval by the Secretary of the 

17 Interior, solicit and accept donations of funds and 

18 gifts, personal property, supplies, and services from 

19 individuals, foundations, corporations, and other pri20 vate or public entities to be used in connection with 

21 the construction or other expenses of the Memorial; 

22 (3) hold hearings and enter into contracts for 

23 personal services; 

24 (4) do such other things as are necessary to 

25 carry out this Act; and 


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1 (5) by a vote of the majority of the Commis2 sion, delegate such of its duties as it determines ap3 propriate to employees of the National Park Service. 

4 (k) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

5 upon dedication of the completed Memorial. 

6 SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR 

7 WITH RESPECT TO MEMORIAL. 

8 The Secretary may— 

9 (1) provide assistance to the Commission, in10 cluding advice on collections, storage, and archives; 

11 (2) consult and assist the Commission in pro12 viding information, interpretation, and the conduct 

13 of oral history interviews; 

14 (3) provide assistance in conducting public 

15 meetings and forums held by the Commission; 

16 (4) provide project management assistance to 

17 the Commission for planning, design, and construc18 tion activities; 

19 (5) provide programming and design assistance 

20 to the Commission for possible Memorial exhibits, 

21 collections, or activities; 

22 (6) provide staff assistance and support to the 

23 Commission and the Saint Francis Dam Task 

24 Force; 


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1 (7) participate in the formulation of plans for 

2 the design of the Memorial, accept funds raised by 

3 the Commission for construction of the Memorial, 

4 and construct the Memorial; 

5 (8) acquire from willing sellers the land or in6 terests in land for the Memorial site by donation, 

7 purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or ex8 change; and 

9 (9) administer the Memorial as a unit of the 

10 National Park System in accordance with this Act 

11 and with the laws generally applicable to units of the 

12 National Park System. 

13 SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL MONUMENT. 

14 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established as a na15 tional monument in the State certain land administered 

16 by the Secretary of Agriculture in Los Angeles County 

17 comprising approximately llll acres, as generally 

18 depicted on the map entitled llll, and dated lll, 

19 to be known as the ‘‘Saint Francis Dam Disaster National 

20 Memorial Monument’’. 

21 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Monument is to 

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1 logical, watershed, educational, scenic, and recreational re2 sources and values of the Monument. 

3 (c) MANAGEMENT.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Inte5 rior shall manage the Monument— 

6 (A) in a manner that conserves, protects, 

7 and enhances the resources of the Monument; 

8 (B) protects, preserves, and enhances the 

9 Memorial; and 

10 (C) in accordance with— 

11 (i) the Federal Land Policy and Man12 agement Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et 

13 seq.); 

14 (ii) this Act; and 

15 (iii) any other applicable laws. 

16 (2) USES.— 

17 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the 

18 Interior shall allow only such uses of the Monu19 ment that the Secretary determines would fur20 ther the purpose described in subsection (b). 

21 (B) USE OF MOTORIZED VEHICLES.— 

22 (i) IN GENERAL.—Except as needed 

23 for administrative purposes or to respond 

24 to an emergency, the use of motorized ve25 hicles in the Monument shall be permitted 


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1 only on roads designated for use by motor2 ized vehicles in the management plan. 

3 (ii) NEW ROADS.—No additional 

4 roads shall be built within the Monument 

5 after the date of enactment of this Act un6 less the road is necessary for public safety 

7 or natural resource protection. 

8 (C) GRAZING.—The Secretary shall permit 

9 grazing within the Monument, where estab10 lished before the date of enactment of this 

11 Act— 

12 (i) subject to all applicable laws (in13 cluding regulations) and Executive orders; 

14 and 

15 (ii) consistent with the purpose de16 scribed in subsection (b). 

17 (D) UTILITY RIGHT-OF-WAY UPGRADES.— 

18 Nothing in this section precludes the Secretary 

19 from renewing or authorizing the upgrading 

20 (including widening) of a utility right-of-way in 

21 existence as of the date of enactment of this 

22 Act through the Monument in a manner that 

23 minimizes harm to the purpose of the Monu24 ment described in subsection (b)— 

25 (i) in accordance with— 


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1 (I) the National Environmental 

2 Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 

3 et seq.); and 

4 (II) any other applicable law; and 

5 (ii) subject to such terms and condi6 tions as the Secretary determines to be ap7 propriate. 

8 (E) RIGHTS-OF-WAY.—Subject to applica9 ble law, the Secretary of the Interior may issue 

10 rights-of-way for watershed restoration projects 

11 and small-scale flood prevention projects within 

12 the boundary of the Monument if the right-of13 way is consistent with the purpose of the Monu14 ment described in subsection (b). 

15 (d) MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 

17 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

18 the Interior shall develop a management plan for the 

19 Monument. 

20 (2) CONSULTATION.—The management plan 

21 shall be developed in consultation with— 

22 (A) interested Federal agencies; 

23 (B) State, tribal, and local governments; 

24 and 

25 (C) the public. 


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1 (3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In preparing and imple2 menting the management plan, the Secretary of the 

3 Interior shall— 

4 (A) consider the recommendations of the 

5 Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society on 

6 methods for providing access to, and protection 

7 for the St. Francis Dam Memorial site; and 

8 (B) include a watershed health assessment 

9 to identify opportunities for watershed restora10 tion. 

11 (e) INCORPORATION OF ACQUIRED LAND AND INTER12 ESTS IN LAND.—Any land or interest in land that is with13 in the boundary of the Monument designated by sub14 section (a) that is acquired by the United States shall— 

15 (1) become part of the Monument; and 

16 (2) be managed in accordance with— 

17 (A) this Act; and 

18 (B) any other applicable laws. 

19 (f) TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION.— 

20 On the date of enactment of this Act, administrative juris21 diction over the approximately lll acres of land gen22 erally depicted as lll on the map entitled lll, and 

23 dated lll, shall— 

24 (1) be transferred from the Secretary of Agri25 culture to the Secretary of the Interior; 


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1 (2) become part of the Monument; and 

2 (3) be managed in accordance with— 

3 (A) this Act; and 

4 (B) any other applicable laws. 

5 SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 

6 In this Act: 

7 (1) MEMORIAL.—The term ‘‘Memorial’’ means 

8 the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Memorial 

9 established by section 3. 

10 (2) MONUMENT.—The term ‘‘Monument’’ 

11 means the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National 

12 Monument established by section 6. 

13 (3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

14 of California. 

Æ 


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