Trail of the Ancients National Heritage Area Study Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with the Four Corners Heritage Council, to conduct a study to assess the feasibility and suitability of designating the Four Corners region comprised of parts of San Juan County, Utah, Montezuma and Dolores Counties, Colorado, Apache and Navajo Counties, Arizona, and San Juan and McKinley Counties, New Mexico, and parts of the reservations of the Ute Mountain Ute, Navajo, and Hopi Tribes in those States as the "Trail of the Ancients National Heritage Area."
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1414 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1414
To provide for the conduct of a study of the suitability and
feasibility of establishing the Trail of the Ancients National Heritage
Area in the Four Corners region of the States of Utah, Colorado,
Arizona, and New Mexico.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 15, 2005
Mr. Hatch introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the conduct of a study of the suitability and
feasibility of establishing the Trail of the Ancients National Heritage
Area in the Four Corners region of the States of Utah, Colorado,
Arizona, and New Mexico.
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 ``Trail of the Ancients National
Heritage Area Study Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the Four Corners region, 1 of the areas of greatest
archaeological interest in the United States, provides access
to numerous examples of the Ancestral Puebloan culture;
(2) the Four Corners region highlights areas and sites at
which--
(A) the earliest inhabitants were Paleo-Americans,
nomadic people who traveled through and lived in the
area as early as 10,000 B.C.; and
(B) the Ancestral Puebloan Indians lived from
approximately 1 to 1300 A.D.;
(3) the region features sites that chronicle the Ute and
Navajo Indian cultures;
(4) the archaeological sites of the region have been well-
preserved by the semi-arid climate of the region;
(5) national and international recognition of sites in the
region has contributed to the wealth of information about the
people who have inhabited the area;
(6) the region features the Trail of the Ancients Scenic
Byway in the States of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah,
and other designated byways and highways, including San Juan
Skyway in the State of Colorado and the Utah Bicentennial
Highway; and
(7) designating the Trail of the Ancients National Heritage
Area as a unit of the National Park System--
(A) would link many of the cultural and recreation
sites in the region for the benefit of the traveling
public and communities in the region; and
(B) would not--
(i) impose restrictions on private
property; or
(ii) require acquisition of additional
land.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the
Trail of the Ancients National Heritage Area.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(3) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the States of
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
(4) Study area.--The term ``study area'' means the Four
Corner region, consisting of--
(A) portions of--
(i) San Juan County, Utah;
(ii) Montezuma and Dolores Counties,
Colorado;
(iii) Apache and Navajo Counties, Arizona;
and
(iv) San Juan and McKinley Counties, New
Mexico; and
(B) portions of the reservations of the Ute
Mountain Ute, Navajo, and Hopi Tribes, in the States.
SEC. 4. TRAIL OF THE ANCIENTS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA STUDY.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the Four
Corners Heritage Council, shall conduct a study to assess the
feasibility and suitability of designating the study area as the Trail
of the Ancients National Heritage Area.
(b) Requirements.--The study shall include analysis, documentation,
and determinations on whether--
(1) the study area--
(A) has an assemblage of natural, historic,
cultural, educational, scenic, or recreational
resources that--
(i) represent distinctive aspects of the
heritage of the United States worthy of
recognition, conservation, interpretation, and
continuing use; and
(ii) are best managed--
(I) through partnerships among
public and private entities; and
(II) by combining diverse and
sometimes noncontiguous resources and
active communities;
(B) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and
folklife that are a valuable part of the heritage of
the United States;
(C) provides outstanding opportunities to conserve
natural, historical, cultural, or scenic features;
(D) provides outstanding recreational and
educational opportunities; and
(E) has resources important to any identified theme
of the study area that retain a degree of integrity
capable of supporting interpretation;
(2) residents, business interests, nonprofit organizations,
the Federal Government, and State, local, and tribal
governments within the study area--
(A) are involved in the planning of the Heritage
Area;
(B) have demonstrated support for the Heritage
Area; and
(C) have developed a conceptual financial plan that
outlines the roles of all participants (including the
Federal Government) in the management of the Heritage
Area;
(3) there is a potential management entity to work in
partnership with residents, business interests, nonprofit
organizations, and Federal, State, local, and tribal
governments within the study area to develop the Heritage Area
consistent with continued, State, local, and tribal economic
activity; and
(4) a conceptual boundary map has been developed that is
supported by the public.
(c) Consultation.--In conducting the study, the Secretary and the
Four Corners Heritage Council shall consult with appropriate Federal,
State, local, and tribal governments, interested organizations, and
affected communities within the study area.
SEC. 5. REPORT.
Not later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which funds are
made available to carry out the study, the Secretary shall submit to
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the
Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives a report that
describes the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
to carry out this Act.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8387)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
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