Waco Mammoth National Monument Establishment Act of 2011 - Establishes the Waco Mammoth National Monument in Texas as a unit of the National Park System.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative management agreements with Baylor University and the city of Waco, Texas (the city).
Permits the Secretary to acquire by donation only from the city any land or interest in land owned by the city within the proposed boundary of the Monument.
Requires the Secretary, in consultation with Baylor University and the city, to complete a general management plan for the Monument. Provides for the inclusion in such plan of opportunities for involvement by the University, the city, the state of Texas, and other local and national entities in the development of educational programs for the Monument and for the development and support of the Monument.
Prohibits the use of federal funding to pay the costs of: (1) carrying out a cooperative agreement under this Act, (2) acquiring land for inclusion in the Monument, (3) developing a visitor center, (4) operating or maintaining the Monument, (5) constructing exhibits, or (6) developing the general management plan.
Permits the use of non-federal funding to pay any costs that may be incurred by the Secretary or the National Park Service (NPS) to carry out this Act.
Prohibits anything in this Act from affecting the eligibility of the Monument for federal grants or other financial assistance for which the Monument would have been eligible had System status not been conferred upon it.
Terminates the designation of the Monument as a unit of the System if federal funding is required for the operation and maintenance of the Monument. Requires any land acquired by the Secretary from the city to revert to the city if such designation is terminated.
Prohibits any private property from being made a part of the Monument without the owner's written consent.
Prohibits anything in this Act, the establishment of such national monument, or the management plan from being construed as creating buffer zones outside of such monument.
Bars an activity or use that can be seen or heard from within the Monument from precluding the conduct of that activity or use outside the Monument.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1545 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1545
To establish the Waco Mammoth National Monument in the State of Texas,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 14, 2011
Mr. Flores introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Waco Mammoth National Monument in the State of Texas,
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 ``Waco Mammoth National Monument
Establishment Act of 2011''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the Waco Mammoth Site area is located near the
confluence of the Brazos River and the Bosque River in central
Texas, near the city of Waco;
(2) after the discovery of bones emerging from eroding
creek banks leading to the uncovering of portions of 5
mammoths, Baylor University began investigating the site in
1978;
(3) several additional mammoth remains have been uncovered
making the site the largest known concentration of mammoths
dying from the same event;
(4) the mammoth discoveries have received international
attention; and
(5) Baylor University and the city of Waco, Texas, have
been working together--
(A) to protect the site; and
(B) to develop further research and educational
opportunities at the site.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) City.--The term ``City'' means the city of Waco, Texas.
(2) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' means
the management plan for the Monument prepared under section
5(c)(1).
(3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled
``Proposed Boundary Waco-Mammoth National Monument'', numbered
T21/80,000, and dated April 2009.
(4) Monument.--The term ``Monument'' means the Waco Mammoth
National Monument established by section 4(a).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Texas.
(7) University.--The term ``University'' means Baylor
University in the State.
SEC. 4. WACO MAMMOTH NATIONAL MONUMENT, TEXAS.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the State, as a unit of
the National Park System, the Waco Mammoth National Monument, as
generally depicted on the map.
(b) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and available
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park
Service.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION OF MONUMENT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the Monument in
accordance with--
(1) this Act; and
(2) any cooperative agreements entered into under
subsection (b)(1).
(b) Authorities of Secretary.--
(1) Cooperative agreements.--The Secretary may enter into
cooperative management agreements with the University and the
City, in accordance with section 3(l) of Public Law 91-383 (16
U.S.C. 1a-2(l)).
(2) Acquisition of land.--The Secretary may acquire by
donation from the City any land or interest in land owned by
the City within the proposed boundary of the Monument.
(c) General Management Plan.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the
University and the City, shall complete a general management
plan for the Monument.
(2) Inclusions.--The management plan shall include, at a
minimum--
(A) measures for the preservation of the resources
of the Monument;
(B) requirements for the type and extent of
development and use of the Monument;
(C) identification of the capacity of the Monument
for accommodating visitors; and
(D) opportunities for involvement by the
University, City, State, and other local and national
entities in--
(i) developing educational programs for the
Monument; and
(ii) developing and supporting the
Monument.
(d) Prohibition of Use of Federal Funds.--No Federal funds may be
used to pay the costs of--
(1) carrying out a cooperative agreement under subsection
(b)(1);
(2) acquiring land for inclusion in the Monument under
subsection (b)(2);
(3) developing a visitor center for the Monument;
(4) operating or maintaining the Monument;
(5) constructing exhibits for the Monument; or
(6) developing the general management plan under subsection
(c).
(e) Use of Non-Federal Funds.--Non-Federal funds may be used to pay
any costs that may be incurred by the Secretary or the National Park
Service in carrying out this section.
(f) Effect on Eligibility for Financial Assistance.--Nothing in
this Act affects the eligibility of the Monument for Federal grants or
other forms of financial assistance that the Monument would have been
eligible to apply for had National Park System status not been
conferred to the Monument under this Act.
(g) Termination of National Park System Status.--
(1) In general.--Designation of the Monument as a unit of
the National Park System shall terminate if the Secretary
determines that Federal funds are required to operate and
maintain the Monument.
(2) Reversion.--If the designation of the Monument as a
unit of the National Park System is terminated under paragraph
(1), any land acquired by the Secretary from the City under
subsection (b)(2) shall revert to the City.
SEC. 6. NO BUFFER ZONES.
Nothing in this Act, the establishment of national monument, or the
management plan shall be construed create buffer zones outside of the
national monument.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Discharged.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 112-430.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 112-430.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 297.
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