Designates the Crossroads of the American Revolution Association, Inc. as the Area's management entity. Directs the Association to submit, and to assist local governments, regional planning organizations, and nonprofit entities in implementing, an area management plan which includes strategies for conservation, funding, management, and development of the Area.
Bars the Association from using Federal funds received under this Act to acquire real property, but permits the Association to use any other source of funding, including other Federal funding, intended for the acquisition of real property. Limits Federal funding to 50 percent of any assistance provided.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance to: (1) the Area to develop and implement the management plan; and (2) State or local government or nonprofit organizations for treatment of historical objects or structures eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Authorizes the Superintendent of Morristown National Historical Park to provide operational assistance supporting implementation of the management plan to public and private organizations within the Area, including the Association.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 87 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 87
To establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution National
Heritage Area in the State of New Jersey, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 4, 2005
Mr. Frelinghuysen introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution National
Heritage Area in the State of New Jersey, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Crossroads of the American
Revolution National Heritage Area Act of 2003''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) New Jersey was of critical importance during the
American Revolution due to its strategic location between the
British armies headquartered in New York City and the
Continental Congress sitting in the City of Philadelphia.
(2) General George Washington spent almost half of the
period of the American Revolution personally commanding troops
of the Continental Army in New Jersey including 2 severe winter
encampments at what is now Morristown National Historical Park,
a unit of the National Park System.
(3) It was during the 10 crucial days of the American
Revolution between December 25, 1776, and January 3, 1777, when
General Washington, after retreating across New Jersey from New
York City to Pennsylvania in the face of total defeat for the
Nation's cause, recrossed the Delaware River on Christmas
night, 1776, and won crucial battles at Trenton and Princeton.
Thomas Paine, who accompanied the troops during the retreat,
described the events as, the times that try men's souls.
(4) There are situated in the State of New Jersey the sites
of 296 engagements including several important battles of the
American Revolution, which collectively are of significant
importance to the outcome of the overall conflict and the
history of the United States. Among these are National Historic
Landmarks including Washington's Crossing, the Old Trenton
Barracks, and Princeton, Monmouth and Red Bank Battlefields.
(5) Additional national Historic Landmarks include the
homes of Richard Stockton, Joseph Hewes, John Witherspoon, and
Francis Hopkinson, all signers of the Declaration of
Independence, Elias Boudinout, President of the Continental
Congress and William Livingston, patriot and Governor of New
Jersey from 1776 to 1790.
(6) Portions of the landscapes important to the strategies
of both armies including waterways, mountains, farms, wetlands,
villages and roadways retain integrity of the period of the
American Revolution and offer outstanding opportunities for
conservation, education, and recreation.
(7) The National Register of Historic Places lists 251
buildings and sites in the National Park Service study area for
Crossroads of the American Revolution associated with the
period of the American Revolution.
(8) Civilian populations residing in New Jersey suffered
extreme hardships during the American Revolution due to the
continuous conflict within its borders, foraging armies, and
marauding contingents of loyalist Tories and rebel
sympathizers.
(9) Because of the important role that New Jersey played in
the successful outcome of the American Revolution there is a
Federal interest for the development of a regional framework to
assist the State of New Jersey, other local organizations and
governments, and private citizens to preserve and protect
natural, cultural, and historic resources of the period and to
bring recognition to this important heritage for the
educational and recreational benefit of this and future
generations of Americans.
(10) The National Park Service has conducted a National
Heritage Feasibility Study in the State of New Jersey that
demonstrates the sufficient assemblage of nationally
distinctive natural, cultural, and historic resources necessary
to establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution National
Heritage Area.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are as follows:
(1) To build the capacity of communities, organizations,
and citizens in New Jersey to preserve the special historic
identity of the region and its importance to the Nation.
(2) To foster a close working relationship with all levels
of government, the private sector, and the local communities in
New Jersey.
(3) To provide for the management, preservation,
protection, and interpretation of the natural, historic, and
cultural resources of the region for the educational and
inspirational benefit of future generations.
(4) To strengthen the value of Morristown National
Historical Park as an asset to the region by establishing a
network of related historic resources, protected landscapes,
educational opportunities, and events depicting the
revolutionary landscape of New Jersey.
(5) To strengthen partnerships among Morristown National
Historical Park and other public and privately owned resources
in the heritage area, that together represent the strategic
fulcrum of the American Revolution, as assets in the quality of
life in the region.
(6) To authorize Federal financial and technical assistance
to serve these purposes.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act:
(1) Association.--The term ``Association'' means the
Crossroads of the American Revolution Association, Inc., a
nonprofit corporation in the State of New Jersey.
(2) Boundaries.--The term ``boundaries'' means the
boundaries of the heritage area specified in section 4.
(3) Heritage area.--The term ``heritage area'' means the
Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area as
established in section 4.
(4) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' means
the management plan submitted under section 5.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 4. CROSSROADS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the State of New Jersey
the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area.
(b) Boundaries.--The boundaries of the heritage area shall include
all those lands and waters depicted on a map entitled ``Crossroads of
the American Revolution National Heritage Area'', numbered CRREL80,000
and dated April 2002. The map shall be on file in the appropriate
offices of the National Park Service.
(c) Management Entity.--The management entity for the heritage area
shall be the Association.
SEC. 5. AUTHORITIES, PROHIBITIONS, AND DUTIES OF THE ASSOCIATION.
(a) Duties of the Association.--To further the purposes of the
heritage area, the Association shall--
(1) prepare and submit a management plan for the heritage
area to the Secretary in accordance with section 6;
(2) assist units of local government, regional planning
organizations, and nonprofit organizations in implementing the
approved management plan by--
(A) carrying out programs and projects that
recognize, protect, and enhance important resource
values within the heritage area;
(B) establishing and maintaining interpretive
exhibits and programs within the heritage area;
(C) developing recreational and educational
opportunities in the heritage area;
(D) increasing public awareness of and appreciation
for natural, historic, and cultural resources of the
heritage area;
(E) protecting and restoring historic sites and
buildings in the heritage area that are consistent with
heritage area themes;
(F) ensuring that clear, consistent, and
appropriate signs identifying points of public access
and sites of interest are posted throughout the
heritage area; and
(G) promoting a wide range of partnerships among
governments, organizations, and individuals to further
the purposes of the heritage area;
(3) consider the interests of diverse units of government,
businesses, organizations, and individuals in the heritage area
in the preparation and implementation of the management plan;
(4) conduct Association meetings open to the public at
least semiannually regarding the development and implementation
of the management plan;
(5) submit an annual report to the Secretary for any fiscal
year in which the Association receives Federal funds under this
Act, setting forth its accomplishments, expenses, and income,
including grants to any other entities during the year for
which the report is made;
(6) make available for audit for any fiscal year in which
it receives Federal funds under this Act, all information
pertaining to the expenditure of such funds and any matching
funds, and require in all agreements authorizing expenditures
of Federal funds by other organizations, that the receiving
organizations make available for such audit all records and
other information pertaining to the expenditure of such funds;
(7) encourage by appropriate means economic viability that
is consistent with the purposes of the heritage area; and
(8) maintain its headquarters at Morristown National
Historical Park and in Mercer County.
(b) Authorities.--The Association may, for the purposes of
preparing and implementing the management plan for the heritage area,
use Federal funds made available through this Act to_
(1) make grants to the State of New Jersey, its political
subdivisions, nonprofit organizations and other persons;
(2) enter into cooperative agreements with or provide
technical assistance to the State of New Jersey, its political
jurisdictions, nonprofit organizations, and other interested
parties;
(3) hire and compensate staff which shall include
individuals with expertise in natural, cultural, historic
resources protection, and heritage programming;
(4) obtain money or services from any source, including any
that are provided under any other Federal law or program;
(5) contract for goods or services; and
(6) undertake to be a catalyst for any other activity that
furthers the purposes of the heritage area and is consistent
with the approved management plan.
(c) Prohibitions on the Acquisition of Real Property.--The
Association may not use Federal funds received under this Act to
acquire real property, but may use any other source of funding,
including other Federal funding, intended for the acquisition of real
property.
SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT PLAN.
(a) In General.--The management plan for the heritage area shall--
(1) include comprehensive polices, strategies and
recommendations for conservation, funding, management, and
development of the heritage area;
(2) take into consideration existing State, county, and
local plans in the development of the management plan and its
implementation;
(3) include a description of actions that governments,
private organizations, and individuals have agreed to take to
protect the natural, historic, and cultural resources of the
heritage area;
(4) specify the existing and potential sources of funding
to protect, manage, and develop the heritage area in the first
5 years of implementation;
(5) include an inventory of the natural, historical,
cultural, educational, scenic and recreational resources of the
heritage area related to the themes of the heritage area that
should be preserved, restored, managed, developed, or
maintained;
(6) recommend policies and strategies for resource
management which consider and detail the application of
appropriate land and water management techniques including, but
not limited to, the development of intergovernmental and
interagency cooperative agreements to protect the heritage
area's natural, historical, cultural, educational, scenic and
recreational resources;
(7) describe a program of implementation for the management
plan including plans for resource protection, restoration,
construction, and specific commitments for implementation that
have been made by the Association or any government,
organization, or individual for the first 5 years of
implementation;
(8) include an analysis and recommendations for ways in
which local, State, and Federal programs, including the role of
the National Park Service in the heritage area, may best be
coordinated to further the purposes of this Act; and
(9) include an interpretive plan for the heritage area.
(b) Deadline and Termination of Funding.--
(1) Deadline.--The Association shall submit the management
plan to the Secretary for approval within 3 years after funds
are made available for this Act.
(2) Termination of funding.--Upon completion of the 3-year
period in this subsection, further funding pursuant to this Act
shall only be made available to the Association for the
implementation of the management plan upon approval by the
Secretary as provided in Section 7 of this Act.
SEC. 7. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF THE SECRETARY.
(a) Technical and Financial Assistance.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may, upon the request of the
Association provide technical assistance on a reimbursable or
nonreimbursable basis and financial assistance to the heritage
area to develop and implement the approved management plan. The
Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements
with the Association and other public or private entities for
this purpose. In assisting the heritage area, the Secretary
shall give priority to actions that in general assist in--
(A) conserving the significant natural, historic,
cultural, and scenic resources of the heritage area;
and
(B) providing educational, interpretive, and
recreational opportunities consistent with the purposes
of the heritage area.
(2) Other assistance.--Upon request, the Superintendent of
Morristown National Historical Park may provide to public and
private organizations within the heritage area, including the
Association, such operational assistance as appropriate to
support the implementation of the management plan for the
heritage area, subject to the availability of appropriated
funds. The Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative
agreements with public and private organizations for the
purpose of implementing this subsection.
(3) Preservation of historic properties.--The Secretary may
provide assistance to State or local government or nonprofit
organizations for appropriate treatment of historic objects or
structures listed or eligible for listing on the National
Register of Historic Places to further the purposes of this
Act.
(b) Approval and Disapproval of Management Plan.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall approve or disapprove
the management plan not later than 90 days after receiving the
management plan.
(2) Criteria for approval.--In determining to approve the
management plan, the Secretary shall consider whether--
(A) the Board of Directors of the Association is
representative of the diverse interests of the heritage
area including governments, natural and historic
resource protection organizations, education, business,
and recreation;
(B) the Association has afforded adequate
opportunity, including public hearings, for public and
governmental involvement in the preparation of the
management plan;
(C) the resource protection and interpretation
strategies contained in the management plan, if
implemented, would adequately protect the natural,
historic, and cultural resources of the heritage area;
and
(D) the Secretary has received adequate assurances
from the appropriate State and local officials whose
support is needed to ensure the effective
implementation of the State and local aspects of the
management plan.
(3) Action following disapproval.--If the Secretary
disapproves the management plan, the Secretary shall advise the
Association in writing of the reasons therefore and shall make
recommendations for revisions to the management plan. The
Secretary shall approve or disapprove a proposed revision
within 60 days after the date it is submitted.
(4) Approval of amendments.--Substantial amendments to the
management plan shall be reviewed by the Secretary and approved
in the same manner as provided for the original management
plan. The Association shall not use Federal funds authorized by
this Act to implement any amendments until the Secretary has
approved the amendments.
SEC. 8. DUTIES OF OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.
Any Federal agency conducting or supporting activities directly
affecting the heritage area shall--
(1) consult with the Secretary and the Association with
respect to such activities;
(2) cooperate with the Secretary and the Association in
carrying out their duties under this Act and, to the maximum
extent practicable, coordinate such activities with the
carrying out of such duties; and
(3) to the maximum extent practicable, conduct or support
such activities in a manner which the association determines
will not have an adverse effect on the heritage area.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated for the
purposes of 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
Association under this Act.
(b) Matching Funds.--Federal funding provided under this Act may
not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of any assistance or grant
provided or authorized under this Act.
SEC. 10. SUNSET.
The authority of the Secretary to provide assistance under this Act
shall terminate on the day occurring 15 years after the date of the
enactment of the Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.
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