Martin Van Buren National Historic Site Boundary Adjustment Act of 2005 - Adjusts the boundary of the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in the State of New York to include approximately 261 acres of land identified as the "Proposed Park Additions" as depicted on the "Boundary Map, Martin Van Buren National Historic Site", dated January 2005 (the map).
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire: (1) approximately 70 acres of land and interests outside the boundary of the Site identified as "53-1-17.2" and "53-1-19.111", as depicted on the map; and (2) in order to preserve the Site's resources and scenic values, land or interests outside the Site's boundary necessary for administrative, maintenance, curatorial, or other park purposes. Revises the Site's boundary to include any such acquired land.
Allows the Secretary to acquire the lands and interests in this Act from a willing seller.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2384 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2384
To adjust the boundary of Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 16, 2005
Mr. Sweeney introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To adjust the boundary of Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, 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 ``Martin Van Buren National Historic
Site Boundary Adjustment Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act:
(1) Historic site.--The term ``historic site'' means the
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in the State of New
York, as authorized by Public Law 93-486 on October 26, 1974.
(2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled
``Boundary Map, Martin Van Buren National Historic Site,''
numbered ``460/80801'' and dated ``January 2005''.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the historic site was established to preserve and
interpret the landscape, structures, and collections of
``Lindenwald,'' in Kinderhook, New York, owned by Martin Van
Buren, the eighth President of the United States (1837-1841)
from 1839 to his death in 1862;
(2) the current boundary, encompassing about 39 acres of
land, does not adequately protect natural and cultural
resources that contribute to the significance of the historic
site;
(3) the conservation easements acquired to preserve the
historic site's key agricultural views no longer offer adequate
protection for those views;
(4) administrative buildings and facilities required for
future operations of the historic site may not be suitable to
be developed within its boundaries due to impacts on historic
or scenic resources; and
(5) a boundary study prepared by the National Park Service
in 2003 identifies about 331 acres of lands that, if acquired,
would help protect the agricultural character and the quality
of the historic setting of the historic site and increase
opportunities for interpretation and education there.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to protect the remaining contributing resources
significant to the historic site;
(2) to preserve a more accurate portrayal of Van Buren's
Lindenwald by reuniting remaining agricultural lands associated
with the house through their acquisition from willing sellers;
(3) to enhance the interpretation of Van Buren's broader
political and agrarian beliefs by enabling public access to key
historic agricultural resources and to protect scenic values
associated with the historic site; and
(4) to enable the National Park Service to establish
administrative facilities to serve the historic site that do
not intrude upon the historic site's resources or scenic
values.
SEC. 4. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE HISTORIC SITE.
(a) Boundary Adjustment.--Effective on the date of enactment of
this Act, the boundary of the historic site is adjusted to include
approximately 261 acres of land identified as the ``Proposed Park
Additions,'' as generally depicted on the map.
(b) Future Acquisitions.--The Secretary may acquire approximately
70 acres of land and interests in land outside the boundary of the
historic site identified as ``53-1-17.2'' and ``53-1-19.111,'' which
are the Columbia County, New York, tax map numbers for those lands, as
generally depicted on the map.
(c) Lands for Administrative Purposes.--In order to preserve the
historic site's resources and scenic values, the Secretary may acquire
land or interests in land outside the boundary of the historic site
necessary for administrative, maintenance, curatorial, or other park
purposes.
(d) Acquisition Authority.--The Secretary may acquire the lands and
interests in lands referred to this section from a willing seller by
donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange.
(e) Revision of Boundary.--Upon acquisition of any land referred to
in subsections (b) and (c), the boundary of the historic site shall be
revised to include the acquired land.
(f) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and available
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park
Service.
(g) Administration.--Land acquired for the historic site by this
section shall be administered as part of the historic site in
accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks.
Executive Comment Requested from Interior.
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