Gold Hill-Wakamatsu Preservation Act

Bill: 111-s-1596
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Agricultural practices and innovations
California
Historic sites and heritage areas
Land transfers

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Gold Hill-Wakamatsu Preservation Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to acquire the Gold Hill Ranch in Coloma, California, that was the location of the founding of Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony in 1869, in exchange for consideration not to exceed a specified amount.
 
Instructs that acquisition of Gold Hill Ranch be only from willing sellers and not through eminent domain.
 
Requires the American River Conservancy and the Gold Hill Wakamatsu Colony Foundation, for the consideration required by this Act, to contribute any private funds or state or federal grants received by the Conservancy and the Foundation to acquire the Ranch. 
 
Allows the Secretary, upon acquiring the Wakamatsu Colony site, to work with the Conservancy and the Foundation to develop a visitor center that provides for the interpretation of: (1) the Wakamatsu Colony; (2) early pioneer history; and (3) the contribution of traditional Japanese crops and practices to California's extensive agricultural economy. 
 
Requires the costs of construction of the visitor center and the conduct of restoration activities at the Ranch to be leveraged by amounts received by the Conservancy and the Foundation as private funds and state or federal grants provided for such purposes. 

action_date: 2010-09-27
text: 
Gold Hill-Wakamatsu Preservation Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire the Gold Hill Ranch in Coloma, California, including any interest in the Ranch, by purchase from a willing seller with donated or appropriated funds, donation, or exchange. 
 
 Authorizes the Secretary to enter into a cooperative agreement with public or nonprofit entities to interpret the history of the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony and related pioneer history associated with Japanese immigration to the area, including the history of traditional Japanese crops and farming practices and the contribution of those practices to the agricultural economy of California. Permits such agreement to include provisions for the development of a visitor center to further public education and interpretation of the Ranch. 
 
Authorizes appropriations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-09-27
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 594.
action_date: 2010-09-27
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-308.
action_date: 2010-09-27
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-308.
action_date: 2010-08-05
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2010-05-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-645.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9004-9005)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate