H. R. 2833
One Hundred Sixth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
the twenty-fourth day of January, two thousand
An Act
To establish the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; DEFINITIONS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Yuma Crossing
National Heritage Area Act of 2000’’.
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act:
(1) HERITAGE AREA.—The term ‘‘Heritage Area’’ means the
Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area established in section
3.
(2) MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—The term ‘‘management entity’’
shall mean the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Board
of Directors referred to section 3(c).
(3) MANAGEMENT
PLAN.—The term ‘‘management plan’’
shall mean the management plan for the Yuma Crossing
National Heritage Area.
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
(1) Certain events that led to the establishment of the
Yuma Crossing as a natural crossing place on the Colorado
River and to its development as an important landmark in
America’s westward expansion during the mid-19th century
are of national historic and cultural significance in terms of
their contribution to the development of the new United States
of America.
(2) It is in the national interest to promote, preserve,
and protect physical remnants of a community with almost
500 years of recorded history which has outstanding cultural,
historic, and architectural value for the education and benefit
of present and future generations.
(3) The designation of the Yuma Crossing as a national
heritage area would preserve Yuma’s history and provide
related 
educational 
opportunities, 
provide 
recreational
opportunities, preserve natural resources, and improve the city
and county of Yuma’s ability to serve visitors and enhance
the local economy through the completion of the major projects
identified within the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.
(4) The Department of the Interior is responsible for pro-
tecting the Nation’s cultural and historic resources. There are
significant examples of these resources within the Yuma region
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to merit the involvement of the Federal Government in devel-
oping programs and projects, in cooperation with the Yuma
Crossing National Heritage Area and other local and govern-
mental bodies, to adequately conserve, protect, and interpret
this heritage for future generations while providing opportuni-
ties for education, revitalization, and economic development.
(5) The city of Yuma, the Arizona State Parks Board,
agencies of the Federal Government, corporate entities, and
citizens have completed a study and master plan for the Yuma
Crossing to determine the extent of its historic resources, pre-
serve and interpret these historic resources, and assess the
opportunities available to enhance the cultural experience for
region’s visitors and residents.
(6) The Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Board of
Directors would be an appropriate management entity for a
heritage area established in the region.
(b) PURPOSE.—The objectives of the Yuma Crossing National
Heritage Area are as follows:
(1) To recognize the role of the Yuma Crossing in the
development of the United States, with particular emphasis
on the roll of the crossing as an important landmark in the
westward expansion during the mid-19th century.
(2) To promote, interpret, and develop the physical and
recreational resources of the communities surrounding the
Yuma Crossing, which has almost 500 years of recorded history
and outstanding cultural, historic, and architectural assets,
for the education and benefit of present and future generations.
(3) To foster a close working relationship with all levels
of government, the private sector, and the local communities
in the Yuma community and empower the community to con-
serve its heritage while continuing to pursue economic
opportunities.
(4) To provide recreational opportunities for visitors to
the Yuma Crossing and preserve natural resources within the
Heritage Area.
(5) To improve the Yuma region’s ability to serve visitors
and enhance the local economy through the completion of the
major projects identified within the Heritage Area.
SEC. 3. YUMA CROSSING NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established the Yuma
Crossing National Heritage Area.
(b) BOUNDARIES.—The Heritage Area shall be comprised of
those portions of the Yuma region totaling approximately 21 square
miles, encompassing over 150 identified historic, geologic, and cul-
tural resources, and bounded—
(1) on the west, by the Colorado River (including the
crossing point of the Army of the West);
(2) on the east, by Avenue 7E;
(3) on the north, by the Colorado River; and
(4) on the south, by the 12th Street alignment.
(c) MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—The management entity for the
Heritage Area shall be the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area
Board of Directors which shall include representatives from a broad
cross-section of the individuals, agencies, organizations, and govern-
ments that were involved in the planning and development of
the Heritage Area before the date of the enactment of this Act.
H. R. 2833—3
SEC. 4. COMPACT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out the purposes of this Act, the
Secretary of the Interior shall enter into a compact with the
management entity.
(b) COMPONENTS
OF COMPACT.—The compact shall include
information relating to the objectives and management of the Herit-
age Area, including each of the following:
(1) A discussion of the goals and objects of the Heritage
Area.
(2) An explanation of the proposed approach to conservation
and interpretation of the Heritage Area.
(3) A general outline of the protection measures to which
the management entity commits.
SEC. 5. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF MANAGEMENT ENTITY.
(a) AUTHORITIES OF THE MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—The manage-
ment entity may, for purposes of preparing and implementing the
management plan, use funds made available through this Act for
the following:
(1) To make grants to, and enter into cooperative agree-
ments with, States and their political subdivisions, private
organizations, or any person.
(2) To hire and compensate staff.
(3) To enter into contracts for goods and services.
(b) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Taking into consideration existing State,
county, and local plans, the management entity shall develop
a management plan for the Heritage Area.
(2) CONTENTS.—The management plan required by this
subsection shall include—
(A) comprehensive recommendations for conservation,
funding, management, and development of the Heritage
Area;
(B) actions to be undertaken by units of government
and private organizations to protect the resources of the
Heritage Area;
(C) a list of specific existing and potential sources
of funding to protect, manage, and develop the Heritage
Area;
(D) an inventory of the resources contained in the
Heritage Area, including a list of any property in the
Heritage Area that is related to the themes of the Heritage
Area and that should be preserved, restored, managed,
developed, or maintained because of its natural, cultural,
historic, recreational, or scenic significance;
(E) a recommendation of policies for resource manage-
ment which considers and details application of appropriate
land and water management techniques, including the
development of intergovernmental cooperative agreements
to protect the historical, cultural, recreational, and natural
resources of the Heritage Area in a manner consistent
with supporting appropriate and compatible economic
viability;
(F) a program for implementation of the management
plan by the management entity, including plans for restora-
tion and construction, and specific commitments of the
identified partners for the first 5 years of operation;
H. R. 2833—4
(G) an analysis of ways in which local, State, and
Federal programs may best be coordinated to promote the
purposes of this Act; and
(H) an interpretation plan for the Heritage Area.
(3) SUBMISSION TO SECRETARY.—The management entity
shall submit the management plan to the Secretary for approval
not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of
this Act. If a management plan is not submitted to the Sec-
retary as required within the specified time, the Heritage Area
shall no longer qualify for Federal funding.
(c) DUTIES OF MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—In addition to its duties
under subsection (b), the management entity shall—
(1) give priority to implementing actions set forth in the
compact and management plan, including steps to assist units
of government, regional planning organizations, and nonprofit
organizations in preserving the Heritage Area;
(2) assist units of government, regional planning organiza-
tions, and nonprofit organizations with—
(A) establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits
in the Heritage Area;
(B) developing recreational resources in the Heritage
Area;
(C) increasing public awareness of and appreciation
for the natural, historical, and architectural resources and
sites in the Heritage Area;
(D) restoring any historic building relating to the
themes of the Heritage Area; and
(E) ensuring that clear, consistent, and environ-
mentally appropriate signs identifying access points and
sites of interest are put in place throughout the Heritage
Area;
(3) encourage, by appropriate means, economic viability
in the Heritage Area consistent with the goals of the manage-
ment plan;
(4) encourage local governments to adopt land use policies
consistent with the management of the Heritage Area and
the goals of the management plan;
(5) consider the interests of diverse governmental, business,
and nonprofit groups within the Heritage Area;
(6) conduct public meetings at least quarterly regarding
the implementation of the management plan; and
(7) for any year in which Federal funds have been received
under this Act, make available for audit all records pertaining
to the expenditure of such funds and any matching funds,
and require, for all agreements authorizing expenditure of Fed-
eral funds by other organizations, that the receiving organiza-
tions make available for audit all records pertaining to the
expenditure of such funds.
(d) PROHIBITION ON THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY.—
The management entity may not use Federal funds received under
this Act to acquire real property or an interest in real property.
Nothing in this Act shall preclude any management entity from
using Federal funds from other sources for their permitted purposes.
(e) SPENDING
FOR NON-FEDERALLY OWNED PROPERTY.—The
management entity may spend Federal funds directly on non-feder-
ally owned property to further the purposes of this Act, especially
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in assisting units of government in appropriate treatment of dis-
tricts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects listed or eligible for
listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
SEC. 6. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.
(a) TECHNICAL
AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary
may, upon request of the management entity, provide technical
and financial assistance to the management entity to develop and
implement the management plan. In assisting the management
entity, the Secretary shall give priority to actions that in general
assist in—
(1) conserving the significant natural, historic, and cultural
resources which support the themes of the Heritage Area; and
(2) providing educational, interpretive, and recreational
opportunities consistent with resources and associated values
of the Heritage Area.
(b) APPROVAL AND DISAPPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The
Secretary, in consultation with the Yuma Crossing National Herit-
age Area Board of Directors, shall approve or disapprove the
management plan submitted under this Act not later than 90 days
after receiving such management plan.
(c) ACTION FOLLOWING DISAPPROVAL.—If the Secretary dis-
approves a submitted compact or management plan, the Secretary
shall advise the management entity in writing of the reasons
therefor and shall make recommendations for revisions in the
management plan. The Secretary shall approve or disapprove a
proposed revision within 90 days after the date it is submitted.
(d) APPROVING
AMENDMENTS.—The Secretary shall review
substantial amendments to the management plan for the Heritage
Area. Funds appropriated pursuant to this Act may not be expended
to implement the changes made by such amendments until the
Secretary approves the amendments.
(e) DOCUMENTATION.—Subject to the availability of funds, the
Historic American Building Survey/Historic American Engineering
Record shall conduct those studies necessary to document the cul-
tural, historic, architectural, and natural resources of the Heritage
Area.
SEC. 7. SUNSET.
The Secretary may not make any grant or provide any assist-
ance under this Act after September 30, 2015.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appropriated under
this Act not more than $1,000,000 for any fiscal year. Not more
than a total of $10,000,000 may be appropriated for the Heritage
Area under this Act.
(b) 50 PERCENT MATCH.—Federal funding provided under this
Act, after the designation of the Heritage Area, may not exceed
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50 percent of the total cost of any assistance or grant provided
or authorized under this Act.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.