Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Act of 2000
PL 106-319 (H.R.2833), enacted 10/19/2000

114 STAT. 1280 
PUBLIC LAW 106-319—OCT. 19, 2000 
Public Law 106-319 
106th Congress 
Oct. 19, 2000 
[H.R. 2833] 
Yuma Crossing 
National 
Heritage Area 
Act of 2000. 
16 u s e 461 note. 
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 estabUshed 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 
PUBLIC LAW 106-319—OCT. 19, 2000 
114 STAT. 1281 
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. 
114 STAT. 1282 
PUBLIC LAW 106-319—OCT. 19, 2000 
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; 
PUBLIC LAW 106-319—OCT. 19, 2000 
114 STAT. 1283 
(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 >ears 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 
114 STAT. 1284 
PUBLIC LAW 106-319—OCT. 19, 2000 
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 
PUBLIC LAW 106-319—OCT. 19, 2000 
114 STAT. 1285 
50 percent of the total cost of any assistance or grant provided 
or authorized under this Act. 
Approved October 19, 2000. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2833 (S. 1998): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 106-740 (Comm. on Resources). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 106-340 accompanying S. 1998 (Comm. on Energy and 
Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000): 
July 25, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 5, considered and passed Senate.