[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2457 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
2d Session
H. R. 2457
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 14, 2004
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To authorize funds for an educational center for the Castillo de San
Marcos National Monument, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I--CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS NATIONAL MONUMENT PRESERVATION ACT
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Castillo de San Marcos National
Monument Preservation and Education Act''.
SEC. 102. VISITOR CENTER.
(a) Authorization.--Subject to the availability of appropriations
and the project being prioritized in the National Park Services 5-year,
line-item construction program, the Secretary of the Interior (referred
to in this section as the ``Secretary'') may design and construct a
Visitor Center for the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
(referred to in this section as the ``Monument'').
(b) Preferred Alternative.--The Visitor Center authorized in
subsection (a) shall be located and constructed in accordance with the
Preferred Alternative identified in the Record of Decision for the
General Management Plan for the Monument, expected to be signed in
2005.
SEC. 103. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.
The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the City
of St. Augustine, Florida, the Colonial St. Augustine Preservation
Foundation, other Federal, State, and local departments or agencies,
academic institutions, and non-profit entities for the planning and
design, construction, management, and operation of the Visitor Center.
SEC. 104. BOUNDARY EXPANSION.
(a) Property Acquisition.--If the Preferred Alternative for the
Visitor Center authorized by section 102 is located outside the
boundary of the Monument, the Secretary is authorized to acquire the
site for the Visitor Center, from willing sellers, by donation,
purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or by exchange.
(b) Administration of Newly Acquired Land.--Land added to the
Monument pursuant to subsection (a) shall be administered by the
Secretary in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
(c) Boundary Modification.--The boundary of the Monument shall be
modified to reflect the acquisition of land authorized in subsection
(a) after completion of the acquisition.
SEC. 105. PROJECT APPROVAL.
Prior to initiating any planning, design, or construction on the
Visitor Center authorized by section 102, the project must be reviewed
and approved by the National Park Service consistent with partnership
construction guidelines established by that agency.
TITLE II--CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS NATIONAL MONUMENT BOUNDARY
MODIFICATION
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Castillo de San Marcos National
Monument Boundary Adjustment Act of 2004''.
SEC. 202. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The early defense lines for Fort Marion, Florida, today
known as the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, included
defenses extending in a line due west to the Sebastian River, a
distance of about one half mile.
(2) In the 1830's, during the Seminole Wars in Florida,
these defensive lines were maintained, but as Florida became
more settled they fell into disrepair and/or became obsolete.
(3) In 1908 the War Department deeded much of the property
running west to the Sebastian River to the St. Johns County
Board of Public Instruction. The portion of this property
remaining in federal ownership today is occupied by Orange
Street, a City of St. Augustine, Florida street.
(4) For nearly a century, the City of St. Augustine has
maintained and managed Orange Street, a modern city street, and
associated utilities in the Orange Street corridor.
(5) Any archeological remains that are still present on the
property overlaid by Orange Street are adequately protected by
the City's archeological ordinances, and by the City having an
archeologist on staff.
(6) Although the city currently operates Orange Street
under a right-of-way from the National Park Service, from a
management perspective it is appropriate for the City of St.
Augustine to own Orange Street.
SEC. 203. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.
(a) Conveyance of Land.--The Secretary of the Interior shall
convey, without consideration, to the City of St. Augustine, Florida,
all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the lands
known as Orange Street, a portion of the Castillo de San Marcos
National Monument (Monument), consisting of approximately 3.1 acres, as
shown on the map entitled Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
Boundary Adjustment and Correction, numbered 343/80060, and dated April
2003. Upon completion of the conveyance, the Secretary shall revise the
boundary of the Monument to exclude the land conveyed.
(b) Boundary Revision.--Effective on the date of the enactment of
this Act, the boundary of the Monument is revised to include an area of
approximately 0.45 acres, as shown on the map identified in subsection
(a). The Secretary shall administer the lands included in the boundary
as part of the national monument in accordance with applicable laws and
regulations.
Passed the House of Representatives September 13, 2004.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.