I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1384
To authorize an interpretive center and related visitor facilities within the
Four Corners Monument Tribal Park, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 13, 1999
Mr. CANNON (for himself, Mr. MCINNIS, and Mr. HAYWORTH) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To authorize an interpretive center and related visitor facili-
ties within the Four Corners Monument Tribal Park,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Four Corners Interpre-
tive 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 area are Arizona, Colorado, New Mex-
ico, 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 origi-
nal boundary marker;
(5) the Four Corners area is distinct in char-
acter and possesses important historical, cultural,
and prehistoric values and resources within the sur-
rounding 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 Un-
derstanding governing the planning and future de-
velopment 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 Monu-
ment Tribal Park;
(11) numerous studies and extensive consulta-
tion with American Indians have demonstrated that
development at the 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 for a Four Corners Monument
Interpretive Center and surrounding infrastructure,
including restrooms, roadways, parking, water, elec-
trical, telephone, and sewage facilities;
(13) an interpretive center would provide im-
portant educational and enrichment opportunities
for all Americans; and
(14) Federal financial assistance and technical
expertise are needed for the construction of an inter-
pretive 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 Cor-
ners 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 govern-
ments of States and political subdivisions thereof
(including counties); and
(4) to promote knowledge of the life, art, cul-
ture, 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 vis-
itor facilities.
(2) FOUR CORNERS HERITAGE COUNCIL.—The
term ‘‘Four Corners Heritage Council’’ means the
nonprofit coalition of Federal, State, and tribal enti-
ties established in 1992 by agreements of the Gov-
ernors of the States of Arizona, Colorado, New Mex-
ico, and Utah.
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
(4) RECIPIENT.—The term ‘‘Recipient’’ means
the State of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, or
Utah, or any consortium of two or more of these
states.
(5) FOUR
CORNERS
MONUMENT.—The term
‘‘Four Corners Monument’’ means the physical
monument where the boundaries of the states of Ari-
zona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet.
(6) 
FOUR
CORNERS
MONUMENT
TRIBAL
PARK.—The term ‘‘Four Corners Monument Tribal
Park’’ means lands within the legally defined bound-
ary of the Four Corners Monument Tribal Park.
SEC. 4. FOUR CORNERS MONUMENT INTERPRETIVE CEN-
TER.
(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 interpretation and commemo-
ration 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 avail-
able by the Navajo Nation or the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
within the boundary of the Four Corners Monument Trib-
al 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, the United States Forest Service.
(c) CONCURRENCE.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of this act, no such center shall be established with-
out the consent of the Navajo Nation and the Ute Moun-
tain Ute Tribe.
(d) COMPONENTS OF CENTER.—The Center shall
include—
(1) a location for permanent and temporary ex-
hibits depicting the archaeological, cultural, and nat-
ural heritage of the Four Corners region;
(2) a venue for public education programs;
(3) a location to highlight the importance of ef-
forts to preserve southwestern archaeological sites
and museum collections;
(4) a location to provide information to the gen-
eral public about cultural and natural resources,
parks, museums, and travel in the Four Corners re-
gion; and
(5) visitor amenities including restrooms, public
telephones, and other basic facilities.
SEC. 5. CONSTRUCTION GRANT.
(a) GRANT.—The Secretary is authorized to award
a Federal grant to the recipient described in section 3(4)
for up to 50 percent of the cost to construct the Center.
To be eligible for the grant, the recipient shall provide as-
surances that—
(1) the non-Federal share of the costs of con-
struction is paid from non-Federal sources. The non-
Federal sources may include contributions made by
States, private sources, the Navajo Nation and the
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe for planning, design, con-
struction, furnishing, startup, and operational ex-
penses;
(2) the aggregate amount of non-Federal funds
contributed by the States used to carry out the ac-
tivities 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) States may use private funds to meet the
requirements of paragraph (2); and
(4) the State of Arizona may apply $45,000 au-
thorized by the State of Arizona during fiscal year
1998 or fiscal year 1999 for planning and $250,000
that is held in reserve by that State for construction
towards the Arizona share.
(b) GRANT REQUIREMENTS.—In order to receive a
grant under this act, the recipient shall—
(1) submit to the Secretary a proposal that
meets all applicable—
(A) laws, including building codes and reg-
ulations;
(B) requirements under the Memorandum
of Understanding described in paragraph (2) of
this subsection; and
(C) provides such information and assur-
ances as the Secretary may require;
(2) enter into a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) with the Secretary providing—
(A) a timetable for completion of construc-
tion 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 center collections and
educational programming;
(F) a plan for design of exhibits including,
but not limited to, collections to be exhibited,
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 but not limited to—
(i) the acceptance and use of funds
derived from public and private sources to
minimize the use of appropriated or bor-
rowed funds;
(ii) the payment of the operating costs
of the Center through the assessment of
fees or other income generated by the Cen-
ter;
(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 Secretary is authorized to award a grant in ac-
cordance with the provisions of this Act. The Four Cor-
ners Heritage Council may make recommendations to the
Secretary on grant proposals regarding the design of fa-
cilities at the Four Corners Monument Tribal Park.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be ap-
propriated to carry out this Act—
(1) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2000; and
(2) $50,000 for each of fiscal years 2001–2005
for maintenance and operation of the center, pro-
gram development, or staffing in a manner con-
sistent with the requirements of section 5(b).
(b) CARRYOVER.—Funds made available under this
section 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 were made available.
(c) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—The Secretary may
reserve funds appropriated to carry out this Act until a
proposal meeting the requirements of this Act is sub-
mitted, but no later than September 30, 2001.
SEC. 8. DONATIONS.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for pur-
poses of the planning, construction, and operation of the
Center, the Secretary may accept, retain, and expand do-
nations 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