I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2925 
To establish the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 25, 2015 
Mr. GRIJALVA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To establish the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area, 
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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Purposes. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
Sec. 4. Designation of Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area. 
Sec. 5. Management plan. 
Sec. 6. Evaluation; report. 
Sec. 7. Local coordinating entity. 
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Sec. 8. Relationship to other Federal agencies. 
Sec. 9. Private property and regulatory protections. 
Sec. 10. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 11. Use of Federal funds from other sources. 
Sec. 12. Sunset for grants and other assistance. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act include— 
(1) to establish the Santa Cruz Valley National 
Heritage Area in the State of Arizona; 
(2) to implement the recommendations of the 
‘‘Alternative Concepts for Commemorating Spanish 
Colonization’’ study completed by the National Park 
Service in 1991, and the ‘‘Feasibility Study for the 
Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area’’ pre-
pared by the Center for Desert Archaeology in July 
2005; 
(3) to provide a management framework to fos-
ter a close working relationship with all levels of 
government, the private sector, and the local com-
munities in the region and to conserve the region’s 
heritage while continuing to pursue compatible eco-
nomic opportunities; 
(4) to assist communities, organizations, and 
citizens in the State of Arizona in identifying, pre-
serving, interpreting, and developing the historical, 
cultural, scenic, and natural resources of the region 
for the educational and inspirational benefit of cur-
rent and future generations; and 
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(5) to provide appropriate linkages between 
units of the National Park System and communities, 
governments, and organizations within the National 
Heritage Area. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) NATIONAL
HERITAGE
AREA.—The term 
‘‘National Heritage Area’’ means the Santa Cruz 
Valley National Heritage Area established in this 
Act. 
(2) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The term 
‘‘local coordinating entity’’ means the Santa Cruz 
Valley Heritage Alliance, Inc., which is hereby des-
ignated by Congress— 
(A) to develop, in partnership with others, 
the management plan for the National Heritage 
Area; and 
(B) to act as a catalyst for the implemen-
tation of projects and programs among diverse 
partners in the National Heritage Area. 
(3) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment plan’’ means the plan prepared by the local co-
ordinating entity for the National Heritage Area 
that specifies actions, policies, strategies, perform-
ance goals, and recommendations to meet the goals 
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of the National Heritage Area, in accordance with 
this Act. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF SANTA CRUZ VALLEY NATIONAL 
HERITAGE AREA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established 
the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area. 
(b) BOUNDARIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The National Heritage Area 
shall consist of portions of the counties of Santa 
Cruz and Pima. 
(2) MAP.—The boundaries of the National Her-
itage Area shall be as generally depicted on the map 
titled ‘‘Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area’’, 
and numbered T09/80,000, and dated November 13, 
2007. The map shall be on file and available to the 
public in the appropriate offices of the National 
Park Service and the local coordinating entity. 
SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—The management plan for the 
National Heritage Area shall— 
(1) describe comprehensive policies, goals, strat-
egies, and recommendations for telling the story of 
the heritage of the area covered by the National 
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Heritage Area and encouraging long-term resource 
protection, enhancement, interpretation, funding, 
management, and development of the National Her-
itage Area; 
(2) include a description of actions and commit-
ments that Federal, State, Tribal, and local govern-
ments, private organizations, and citizens will take 
to protect, enhance, interpret, fund, manage, and de-
velop the natural, historical, cultural, educational, 
scenic, and recreational resources of the National 
Heritage Area; 
(3) specify existing and potential sources of 
funding or economic development strategies to pro-
tect, enhance, interpret, fund, manage, and develop 
the National Heritage Area; 
(4) include an inventory of the natural, histor-
ical, cultural, educational, scenic, and recreational 
resources of the National Heritage Area related to 
the national importance and themes of the National 
Heritage Area that should be protected, enhanced, 
interpreted, managed, funded, and developed; 
(5) recommend policies and strategies for re-
source management, including the development of 
intergovernmental and interagency agreements to 
protect, enhance, interpret, fund, manage, and de-
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velop the natural, historical, cultural, educational, 
scenic, and recreational resources of the National 
Heritage Area; 
(6) describe a program for implementation for 
the management plan, including— 
(A) performance goals; 
(B) plans for resource protection, enhance-
ment, interpretation, funding, management, and 
development; and 
(C) specific commitments for implementa-
tion that have been made by the local coordi-
nating entity or any Federal, State, Tribal, or 
local government agency, organization, busi-
ness, or individual; 
(7) include an analysis of, and recommenda-
tions for, means by which Federal, State, Tribal, 
and local programs may best be coordinated (includ-
ing the role of the National Park Service and other 
Federal agencies associated with the National Herit-
age Area) to further the purposes of this Act; and 
(8) include a business plan that— 
(A) describes the role, operation, financing, 
and functions of the local coordinating entity 
and of each of the major activities contained in 
the management plan; and 
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(B) provides adequate assurances that the 
local coordinating entity has the partnerships 
and financial and other resources necessary to 
implement the management plan for the Na-
tional Heritage Area. 
(b) DEADLINE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date on which funds are first made available to 
develop the management plan after designation as a 
National Heritage Area, the local coordinating entity 
shall submit the management plan to the Secretary 
for approval. 
(2) TERMINATION OF FUNDING.—If the man-
agement plan is not submitted to the Secretary in 
accordance with paragraph (1), the local coordi-
nating entity shall not qualify for any additional fi-
nancial assistance under this Act until such time as 
the management plan is submitted to and approved 
by the Secretary. 
(c) APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 
(1) REVIEW.—Not later than 180 days after re-
ceiving the plan, the Secretary shall review and ap-
prove or disapprove the management plan for a Na-
tional Heritage Area on the basis of the criteria es-
tablished under paragraph (3). 
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(2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall con-
sult with the Governor of each State in which the 
National Heritage Area is located before approving 
a management plan for the National Heritage Area. 
(3) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—In determining 
whether to approve a management plan for a Na-
tional Heritage Area, the Secretary shall consider 
whether— 
(A) the local coordinating entity represents 
the diverse interests of the National Heritage 
Area, including Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
governments, natural and historic resource pro-
tection organizations, educational institutions, 
businesses, recreational organizations, commu-
nity residents, and private property owners; 
(B) the local coordinating entity— 
(i) has afforded adequate opportunity 
for public and Federal, State, Tribal, and 
local governmental involvement (including 
through workshops and hearings) in the 
preparation of the management plan; and 
(ii) provides for at least semiannual 
public meetings to ensure adequate imple-
mentation of the management plan; 
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(C) the resource protection, enhancement, 
interpretation, funding, management, and de-
velopment strategies described in the manage-
ment plan, if implemented, would adequately 
protect, enhance, interpret, fund, manage, and 
develop the natural, historic, cultural, edu-
cational, scenic, and recreational resources of 
the National Heritage Area; 
(D) the management plan would not ad-
versely affect any activities authorized on Fed-
eral land under public land laws or land use 
plans; 
(E) the local coordinating entity has dem-
onstrated the financial capability, in partner-
ship with others, to carry out the plan; 
(F) the Secretary has received adequate 
assurances from the appropriate State, Tribal, 
and local officials whose support is needed to 
ensure the effective implementation of the 
State, Tribal, and local elements of the manage-
ment plan; and 
(G) the management plan demonstrates 
partnerships among the local coordinating enti-
ty, Federal, State, Tribal, and local govern-
ments, regional planning organizations, non-
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ment to the management plan until the Sec-
retary approves the amendment. 
(6) AUTHORITIES.—The Secretary may— 
(A) provide technical assistance under the 
authority of this Act for the development and 
implementation of the management plan; and 
(B) enter into cooperative agreements with 
interested parties to carry out this Act. 
SEC. 6. EVALUATION; REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years before the 
date on which authority for Federal funding terminates 
for the National Heritage Area under this Act, the Sec-
retary shall— 
(1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplish-
ments of the National Heritage Area; and 
(2) prepare a report in accordance with sub-
section (c). 
(b) EVALUATION.—An evaluation conducted under 
subsection (a)(1) shall— 
(1) assess the progress of the local coordinating 
entity with respect to— 
(A) accomplishing the purposes of the au-
thorizing legislation for the National Heritage 
Area; and 
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(B) achieving the goals and objectives of 
the approved management plan for the National 
Heritage Area; 
(2) analyze the Federal, State, Tribal, and 
local, and private investments in the National Herit-
age Area to determine the impact of the invest-
ments; and 
(3) review the management structure, partner-
ship relationships, and funding of the National Her-
itage Area for purposes of identifying the critical 
components for sustainability of the National Herit-
age Area. 
(c) REPORT.—Based on the evaluation conducted 
under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall submit a re-
port to the Committee on Natural Resources of the United 
States House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Sen-
ate. The report shall include recommendations for the fu-
ture role of the National Park Service, if any, with respect 
to the National Heritage Area. 
SEC. 7. LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY. 
(a) DUTIES.—To further the purposes of the Na-
tional Heritage Area, the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alli-
ance, Inc., as the local coordinating entity, shall— 
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(1) prepare a management plan for the Na-
tional Heritage Area, and submit the management 
plan to the Secretary, in accordance with this Act; 
(2) submit an annual report to the Secretary 
for each fiscal year for which the local coordinating 
entity receives Federal funds under this Act, speci-
fying— 
(A) the specific performance goals and ac-
complishments of the local coordinating entity; 
(B) the expenses and income of the local 
coordinating entity; 
(C) the amounts and sources of matching 
funds; 
(D) the amounts leveraged with Federal 
funds and sources of the leveraging; and 
(E) grants made to any other entities dur-
ing the fiscal year; 
(3) make available for audit for each fiscal year 
for which the local coordinating entity receives Fed-
eral funds under this Act, all information pertaining 
to the expenditure of the funds and any matching 
funds; and 
(4) encourage economic viability and sustain-
ability that is consistent with the purposes of the 
National Heritage Area. 
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(b) AUTHORITIES.—For the purposes of preparing 
and implementing the approved management plan for the 
National Heritage Area, the local coordinating entity may 
use Federal funds made available under this Act to— 
(1) make grants to political jurisdictions, non-
profit organizations, and other parties within the 
National Heritage Area; 
(2) enter into cooperative agreements with or 
provide technical assistance to political jurisdictions, 
nonprofit organizations, Federal agencies, and other 
interested parties; 
(3) hire and compensate staff, including individ-
uals with expertise in— 
(A) natural, historical, cultural, edu-
cational, scenic, and recreational resource con-
servation; 
(B) economic and community development; 
and 
(C) heritage planning; 
(4) obtain funds or services from any source, 
including other Federal programs; 
(5) contract for goods or services; and 
(6) support activities of partners and any other 
activities that further the purposes of the National 
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Heritage Area and are consistent with the approved 
management plan. 
(c) PROHIBITION ON ACQUISITION OF REAL PROP-
ERTY.—The local coordinating entity may not use Federal 
funds authorized under this Act to acquire any interest 
in real property. 
SEC. 8. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act affects the au-
thority of a Federal agency to provide technical or finan-
cial assistance under any other law. 
(b) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—The head 
of any Federal agency planning to conduct activities that 
may have an impact on a National Heritage Area is en-
couraged to consult and coordinate the activities with the 
Secretary and the local coordinating entity to the max-
imum extent practicable. 
(c) OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Nothing in this 
Act— 
(1) modifies, alters, or amends any law or regu-
lation authorizing a Federal agency to manage Fed-
eral land under the jurisdiction of the Federal agen-
cy; 
(2) limits the discretion of a Federal land man-
ager to implement an approved land use plan within 
the boundaries of a National Heritage Area; or 
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(3) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized 
use of Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Fed-
eral agency. 
SEC. 9. PRIVATE PROPERTY AND REGULATORY PROTEC-
TIONS. 
Nothing in this Act— 
(1) abridges the rights of any property owner 
(whether public or private), including the right to re-
frain from participating in any plan, project, pro-
gram, or activity conducted within the National Her-
itage Area; 
(2) requires any property owner to permit pub-
lic access (including access by Federal, State, Tribal, 
or local agencies) to the property of the property 
owner, or to modify public access or use of property 
of the property owner under any other Federal, 
State, Tribal, or local law; 
(3) alters any duly adopted land use regulation, 
approved land use plan, or other regulatory author-
ity of any Federal, State, Tribal, or local agency, or 
conveys any land use or other regulatory authority 
to any local coordinating entity, including but not 
necessarily limited to development and management 
of energy, water, or water-related infrastructure; 
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(4) authorizes or implies the reservation or ap-
propriation of water or water rights; 
(5) diminishes the authority of the State to 
manage fish and wildlife, including the regulation of 
fishing and hunting within the National Heritage 
Area; or 
(6) creates any liability, or affects any liability 
under any other law, of any private property owner 
with respect to any person injured on the private 
property. 
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Subject 
to subsection (b), there are authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this Act not more than $1,000,000 for any 
fiscal year. Funds so appropriated shall remain available 
until expended. 
(b) LIMITATION
ON
TOTAL
AMOUNTS
APPRO-
PRIATED.—Not more than $15,000,000 may be appro-
priated to carry out this Act. 
(c) COST-SHARING
REQUIREMENT.—The Federal 
share of the total cost of any activity under this Act shall 
be not more than 50 percent; the non-Federal contribution 
may be in the form of in-kind contributions of goods or 
services fairly valued. 
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SEC. 11. USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FROM OTHER SOURCES. 
Nothing in this Act shall preclude the local coordi-
nating entity from using Federal funds available under 
other laws for the purposes for which those funds were 
authorized. 
SEC. 12. SUNSET FOR GRANTS AND OTHER ASSISTANCE. 
The authority of the Secretary to provide financial 
assistance under this Act terminates on the date that is 
15 years after the date of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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