106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 2833
AN ACT
To establish the Yuma Crossing National Heritage
Area.
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 2833
AN ACT
To establish the Yuma Crossing 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; 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 ‘‘man-
agement entity’’ shall mean the Yuma Crossing Na-
tional Heritage Area Board of Directors referred to
section 3(c).
(3) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment 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 im-
portant landmark in America’s westward expansion
during the mid-19th century are of national historic
and cultural significance in terms of their contribu-
tion 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 commu-
nity 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 his-
tory 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 Na-
tional Heritage Area.
(4) The Department of the Interior is respon-
sible for protecting the Nation’s cultural and historic
resources. There are significant examples of these
resources within the Yuma region to merit the in-
volvement of the Federal Government in developing
programs and projects, in cooperation with the
Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area and other
local and governmental bodies, to adequately con-
serve, protect, and interpret this heritage for future
generations while providing opportunities for edu-
cation, revitalization, and economic development.
(5) The city of Yuma, the Arizona State Parks
Board, agencies of the Federal Government, cor-
porate entities, and citizens have completed a study
and master plan for the Yuma Crossing to deter-
mine the extent of its historic resources, preserve
and interpret these historic resources, and assess the
opportunities available to enhance the cultural expe-
rience for region’s visitors and residents.
(6) The Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area
Board of Directors would be an appropriate manage-
ment entity for a heritage area established in the re-
gion.
(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 par-
ticular emphasis on the roll of the crossing as an im-
portant landmark in the westward expansion during
the mid-19th century.
(2) To promote, interpret, and develop the
physical and recreational resources of the commu-
nities surrounding the Yuma Crossing, which has al-
most 500 years of recorded history and outstanding
cultural, historic, and architectural assets, for the
education and benefit of present and future genera-
tions.
(3) To foster a close working relationship with
all levels of government, the private sector, and the
local communities in the Yuma community and em-
power the community to conserve 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 with-
in 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 com-
prised of those portions of the Yuma region totaling ap-
proximately 21 square miles, encompassing over 150 iden-
tified historic, geologic, and cultural resources, and
bounded—
(1) on the west, by the Colorado River (includ-
ing 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 Na-
tional Heritage Area Board of Directors which shall in-
clude representatives from a broad cross-section of the in-
dividuals, agencies, organizations, and governments that
were involved in the planning and development of the Her-
itage Area before the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. COMPACT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out the purposes of this
Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall enter into a com-
pact with the management entity.
(b) COMPONENTS OF COMPACT.—The compact shall
include information relating to the objectives and manage-
ment of the Heritage 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 management 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 coopera-
tive agreements with, States and their political sub-
divisions, private organizations, or any person.
(2) To hire and compensate staff.
(3) To enter into contracts for goods and serv-
ices.
(b) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Taking into consideration
existing State, county, and local plans, the manage-
ment entity shall develop a management plan for the
Heritage Area.
(2) CONTENTS.—The management plan re-
quired by this subsection shall include—
(A) comprehensive recommendations for
conservation, funding, management, and devel-
opment 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 de-
velop the Heritage Area;
(D) an inventory of the resources con-
tained in the Heritage Area, including a list of
any property in the Heritage Area that is re-
lated 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 signifi-
cance;
(E) a recommendation of policies for re-
source management which considers and details
application of appropriate land and water man-
agement 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 restoration and construc-
tion, and specific commitments of the identified
partners for the first 5 years of operation;
(G) an analysis of ways in which local,
State, and Federal programs may best be co-
ordinated to promote the purposes of this Act;
and
(H) an interpretation plan for the Heritage
Area.
(3) SUBMISSION TO SECRETARY.—The manage-
ment 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 Secretary
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, includ-
ing steps to assist units of government, regional
planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations
in preserving the Heritage Area;
(2) assist units of government, regional plan-
ning organizations, and nonprofit organizations
with—