I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1208 
To establish the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 3, 2015 
Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself, Mr. DESAULNIER, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. MCNER-
NEY, and Mr. THOMPSON of California) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To establish the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National 
Heritage Area. 
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 ‘‘Sacramento-San Joa-
quin Delta National Heritage Area Establishment Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) HERITAGE
AREA.—The term ‘‘Heritage 
Area’’ means the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta 
Heritage Area established by section 3(a). 
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(2) HERITAGE AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The 
term ‘‘Heritage Area management plan’’ means the 
plan developed and adopted by the local coordinating 
entity under this Act. 
(3) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The term 
‘‘local coordinating entity’’ means the local coordi-
nating entity for the Heritage Area designated by 
section 3(d). 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of California. 
SEC. 3. SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN DELTA HERITAGE 
AREA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the 
‘‘Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Heritage Area’’ in the 
State. 
(b) BOUNDARIES.—The boundaries of the Heritage 
Area shall be in the counties of Contra Costa, Sacramento, 
San Joaquin, Solano, and Yolo in the State of California, 
as generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Sacramento- 
San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area Proposed 
Boundary’’, numbered T27/105,030, and dated October 
2012. 
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(c) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The map described in 
subsection (b) shall be on file and available for public in-
spection in the appropriate offices of the National Park 
Service and the Delta Protection Commission. 
(d) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The local co-
ordinating entity for the Heritage Area shall be the Delta 
Protection Commission established by section 29735 of 
the California Public Resources Code. 
(e) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) AUTHORITIES.—For purposes of carrying 
out the Heritage Area management plan, the Sec-
retary, acting through the local coordinating entity, 
may use amounts made available under this Act 
to— 
(A) make grants to the State or a political 
subdivision of the State, nonprofit organiza-
tions, and other persons; 
(B) enter into cooperative agreements 
with, or provide technical assistance to, the 
State or a political subdivision of the State, 
nonprofit organizations, and other interested 
parties; 
(C) hire and compensate staff, which shall 
include individuals with expertise in natural, 
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cultural, and historical resources protection, 
and heritage programming; 
(D) obtain money or services from any 
source including any that are provided under 
any other Federal law or program; 
(E) contract for goods or services; and 
(F) undertake to be a catalyst for any 
other activity that furthers the Heritage Area 
and is consistent with the approved Heritage 
Area management plan. 
(2) DUTIES.—The local coordinating entity 
shall— 
(A) in accordance with subsection (f), pre-
pare and submit a Heritage Area management 
plan to the Secretary; 
(B) assist units of local government, re-
gional planning organizations, and nonprofit or-
ganizations in carrying out the approved Herit-
age Area management plan by— 
(i) carrying out programs and projects 
that recognize, protect, and enhance im-
portant resource values in the Heritage 
Area; 
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(ii) establishing and maintaining in-
terpretive exhibits and programs in the 
Heritage Area; 
(iii) developing recreational and edu-
cational opportunities in the Heritage 
Area; 
(iv) increasing public awareness of, 
and appreciation for, natural, historical, 
scenic, and cultural resources of the Herit-
age Area; 
(v) protecting and restoring historic 
sites and buildings in the Heritage Area 
that are consistent with Heritage Area 
themes; 
(vi) ensuring that clear, consistent, 
and appropriate signs identifying points of 
public access, and sites of interest are 
posted throughout the Heritage Area; and 
(vii) promoting a wide range of part-
nerships among governments, organiza-
tions, and individuals to further the Herit-
age Area; 
(C) consider the interests of diverse units 
of government, businesses, organizations, and 
individuals in the Heritage Area in the prepara-
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tion and implementation of the Heritage Area 
management plan; 
(D) conduct meetings open to the public at 
least semiannually regarding the development 
and implementation of the Heritage Area man-
agement plan; 
(E) for any year that Federal funds have 
been received under this Act— 
(i) submit an annual report to the 
Secretary that describes the activities, ex-
penses, and income of the local coordi-
nating entity (including grants to any 
other entities during the year that the re-
port is made); 
(ii) make available to the Secretary 
for audit all records relating to the expend-
iture of the funds and any matching funds; 
and 
(iii) require, with respect to all agree-
ments authorizing expenditure of Federal 
funds by other organizations, that the or-
ganizations receiving the funds make avail-
able to the Secretary for audit all records 
concerning the expenditure of the funds; 
and 
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(F) encourage by appropriate means eco-
nomic viability that is consistent with the Herit-
age Area. 
(3) PROHIBITION
ON
THE
ACQUISITION
OF 
REAL
PROPERTY.—The local coordinating entity 
shall not use Federal funds made available under 
this Act to acquire real property or any interest in 
real property. 
(4) COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT.—The Fed-
eral share of the cost of any activity carried out 
using any assistance made available under this Act 
shall be 50 percent. 
(f) HERITAGE AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the local coordi-
nating entity shall submit to the Secretary for ap-
proval a proposed Heritage Area management plan. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The Heritage Area man-
agement plan shall— 
(A) incorporate an integrated and coopera-
tive approach to agricultural resources and ac-
tivities, flood protection facilities, and other 
public infrastructure; 
(B) emphasize the importance of the re-
sources described in subparagraph (A); 
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(C) take into consideration State and local 
plans; 
(D) include— 
(i) an inventory of— 
(I) the resources located in the 
core area described in subsection (b); 
and 
(II) any other property in the 
core area that— 
(aa) is related to the themes 
of the Heritage Area; and 
(bb) should be preserved, re-
stored, managed, or maintained 
because of the significance of the 
property; 
(ii) comprehensive policies, strategies 
and recommendations for conservation, 
funding, management, and development of 
the Heritage Area; 
(iii) a description of actions that gov-
ernments, private organizations, and indi-
viduals have agreed to take to protect the 
natural, historical and cultural resources of 
the Heritage Area; 
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(iv) a program of implementation for 
the Heritage Area management plan by 
the local coordinating entity that includes 
a description of— 
(I) actions to facilitate ongoing 
collaboration among partners to pro-
mote plans for resource protection, 
restoration, and construction; and 
(II) specific commitments for im-
plementation that have been made by 
the local coordinating entity or any 
government, organization, or indi-
vidual for the first 5 years of oper-
ation; 
(v) the identification of sources of 
funding for carrying out the Heritage Area 
management plan; 
(vi) analysis and recommendations for 
means by which local, State, and Federal 
programs, including the role of the Na-
tional Park Service in the Heritage Area, 
may best be coordinated to carry out this 
Act; and 
(vii) an interpretive plan for the Her-
itage Area; and 
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(E) recommend policies and strategies for 
resource management that consider and detail 
the application of appropriate land and water 
management techniques, including the develop-
ment of intergovernmental and interagency co-
operative agreements to protect the natural, 
historical, cultural, educational, scenic, and rec-
reational resources of the Heritage Area. 
(3) RESTRICTIONS.—The Heritage Area man-
agement plan submitted under this subsection 
shall— 
(A) ensure participation by appropriate 
Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies, in-
cluding the Delta Stewardship Council, special 
districts, natural and historical resource protec-
tion and agricultural organizations, educational 
institutions, businesses, recreational organiza-
tions, community residents, and private prop-
erty owners; and 
(B) not be approved until the Secretary 
has received certification from the Delta Protec-
tion Commission that the Delta Stewardship 
Council has reviewed the Heritage Area man-
agement plan for consistency with the plan 
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adopted by the Delta Stewardship Council pur-
suant to State law. 
(4) DEADLINE.—If a proposed Heritage Area 
management plan is not submitted to the Secretary 
by the date that is 3 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the local coordinating entity shall 
be ineligible to receive additional funding under this 
Act until the date that the Secretary receives and 
approves the Heritage Area management plan. 
(5) APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF HERITAGE 
AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of receipt of the Heritage 
Area management plan under paragraph (1), 
the Secretary, in consultation with the State, 
shall approve or disapprove the Heritage Area 
management plan. 
(B) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—In deter-
mining whether to approve the Heritage Area 
management plan, the Secretary shall consider 
whether— 
(i) the local coordinating entity is rep-
resentative of the diverse interests of the 
Heritage Area, including governments, nat-
ural and historic resource protection orga-
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nizations, educational institutions, busi-
nesses, and recreational organizations; 
(ii) the local coordinating entity has 
afforded adequate opportunity, including 
public hearings, for public and govern-
mental involvement in the preparation of 
the Heritage Area management plan; and 
(iii) the resource protection and inter-
pretation strategies contained in the Herit-
age Area management plan, if imple-
mented, would adequately protect the nat-
ural, historical, and cultural resources of 
the Heritage Area. 
(C) ACTION FOLLOWING DISAPPROVAL.—If 
the Secretary disapproves the Heritage Area 
management plan under subparagraph (A), the 
Secretary shall— 
(i) advise the local coordinating entity 
in writing of the reasons for the dis-
approval; 
(ii) make recommendations for revi-
sions to the Heritage Area management 
plan; and 
(iii) not later than 180 days after the 
receipt of any proposed revision of the 
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Heritage Area management plan from the 
local coordinating entity, approve or dis-
approve the proposed revision. 
(D) AMENDMENTS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
approve or disapprove each amendment to 
the Heritage Area management plan that 
the Secretary determines makes a substan-
tial change to the Heritage Area manage-
ment plan. 
(ii) USE
OF
FUNDS.—The local co-
ordinating entity shall not use Federal 
funds authorized by this Act to carry out 
any amendments to the Heritage Area 
management plan until the Secretary has 
approved the amendments. 
(g) RELATIONSHIP
TO OTHER FEDERAL AGEN-
CIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act affects 
the authority of a Federal agency to provide tech-
nical or financial assistance under any other law. 
(2) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—The 
head of any Federal agency planning to conduct ac-
tivities that may have an impact on the Heritage 
Area is encouraged to consult and coordinate the ac-
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tivities with the Secretary and the local coordinating 
entity to the maximum extent practicable. 
(3) OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Nothing in 
this Act— 
(A) modifies, alters, or amends any law or 
regulation authorizing a Federal agency to 
manage Federal land under the jurisdiction of 
the Federal agency; 
(B) limits the discretion of a Federal land 
manager to implement an approved land use 
plan within the boundaries of the Heritage 
Area; or 
(C) modifies, alters, or amends any author-
ized use of Federal land under the jurisdiction 
of a Federal agency. 
(h) PRIVATE PROPERTY AND REGULATORY PROTEC-
TIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
nothing in this Act— 
(A) abridges the rights of any property 
owner (whether public or private), including the 
right to refrain from participating in any plan, 
project, program, or activity conducted within 
the Heritage Area; 
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(B) requires any property owner to permit 
public access (including access by Federal, 
State, 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, or local law; 
(C) alters any duly adopted land use regu-
lation, approved land use plan, or other regu-
latory authority of any Federal, State or local 
agency, or conveys any land use or other regu-
latory authority to the local coordinating entity; 
(D) authorizes or implies the reservation 
or appropriation of water or water rights; 
(E) diminishes the authority of the State 
to manage fish and wildlife, including the regu-
lation of fishing and hunting within the Herit-
age Area; or 
(F) creates any liability, or affects any li-
ability under any other law, of any private 
property owner with respect to any person in-
jured on the private property. 
(2) OPT OUT.—An owner of private property 
within the Heritage Area may opt out of partici-
pating in any plan, project, program, or activity car-
ried out within the Heritage Area under this Act, if 
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the property owner provides written notice to the 
local coordinating entity. 
(i) EVALUATION; REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years be-
fore the date on which authority for Federal funding 
terminates for the Heritage Area, the Secretary 
shall— 
(A) conduct an evaluation of the accom-
plishments of the Heritage Area; and 
(B) prepare a report in accordance with 
paragraph (3). 
(2) EVALUATION.—An evaluation conducted 
under paragraph (1)(A) shall— 
(A) assess the progress of the local coordi-
nating entity with respect to— 
(i) accomplishing the purposes of this 
Act for the Heritage Area; and 
(ii) achieving the goals and objectives 
of the approved Heritage Area manage-
ment plan; 
(B) analyze the Federal, State, local, and 
private investments in the Heritage Area to de-
termine the leverage and impact of the invest-
ments; and 
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(C) review the management structure, 
partnership relationships, and funding of the 
Heritage Area for purposes of identifying the 
critical components for sustainability of the 
Heritage Area. 
(3) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Based on the evalua-
tion conducted under paragraph (1)(A), the 
Secretary shall prepare a report that includes 
recommendations for the future role of the Na-
tional Park Service, if any, with respect to the 
Heritage Area. 
(B) REQUIRED ANALYSIS.—If the report 
prepared under subparagraph (A) recommends 
that Federal funding for the Heritage Area be 
reauthorized, the report shall include an anal-
ysis of— 
(i) ways in which Federal funding for 
the Heritage Area may be reduced or 
eliminated; and 
(ii) the appropriate time period nec-
essary to achieve the recommended reduc-
tion or elimination. 
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