Trails Interpretive Center-Council Bluff

(Public Law 101–191; Approved November 29, 1989; 103 Stat. 1697; 16 U.S.C. 1244 note)

SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) FINDINGS.-The Congress finds that—

(1) the nineteenth century American westward movement was an important cultural event in shaping the postcolonial history of the United States;

(2) the nineteenth century American westward movement consisted of journeys along a system of trails across the American continent by pioneers, explorers, religious groups, and scientists; and

(3) additional recognition and interpretation is appropriate in light of the national scope of the nineteenth century American westward movement.

(b) PURPOSES.-The purposes of this Act are

(1) to recognize the system of western trails established in furtherance of the National Trails System Act because of their national historic and cultural significance; and

(2) to provide the public with an interpretive facility devoted to the vital role of the western trails in the development of the United States.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRAILS INTERPRETATION CENTER.

(a) AUTHORIZATION.-In furtherance of the purposes of section 7(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1246(c)), the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the "Secretary”) is authorized to provide for a trails interpretation center (hereinafter referred to as the "center") in the city of Council Bluffs, Iowa, for the purpose of interpreting the history of development and use in the State of Iowa and the adjacent region of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, and the Oregon National Historic Trail.

(b) PLAN AND DESIGN.-(1) Within 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, after consultation with the Governor of Iowa and in cooperation with such other public, municipal, and private entities as may be necessary and appropriate, shall complete a plan and design for the center, including the following:

(A) a detailed description of the design of the facility;

(B) a description of the site;

(C) the method of acquisition;

(D) the estimated cost of acquisition, construction, operation and maintenance; and

(E) the manner and extent to which non-Federal entities shall participate in the acquisition, construction, operation, and maintenance of the center.

(2) In the development of the plan and design for the center the Secretary shall take into consideration the report and plans prepared by The Western Historic Trails, Inc., and shall provide an opportunity for public comment.

(3) Upon completion, the Secretary shall submit the plan to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.

(c) IMPLEMENTATION.-In order to implement the plan and design under subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary is authorized to acquire lands and interests in lands by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, for the construction of the center authorized in subsection (a). Federal funds to carry out this section may only be expended on a two-for-one matching basis with non-Federal funds, services, materials, or lands, fairly valued as determined by the Secretary, or any combination thereof.

(d) AGREEMENT FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CENTER. Before undertaking the construction of the center, the Secretary shall enter into a binding agreement with a qualified nonFederal entity for conveyance by deed or lease from the Secretary of any structure or property acquired and developed as provided for by this Act. Any such agreement shall provide that

(1) the non-Federal entity agree to operate and maintain the center and make no major alteration of the structure or grounds without the express written authorization of the Secretary;

(2) a plan of operations shall be submitted that is satisfactory to the Secretary;

(3) the Secretary shall have access to documents relating to the operation and maintenance of the center;

(4) the Secretary shall have the right of access to the center; and

(5) the United States shall be held harmless from all events arising from the operation and maintenance of the center. (e) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.-The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the State of Iowa, the city of Council Bluffs, and other public or private entities to provide technical assistance with respect to the center.

(f) SATISFACTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION RESTRICTIONS.-Any restrictions, covenants, reversions, limitations, or any other conditions imposed by the Economic Development Administration relating to or affecting the use, transfer, or other disposition of any land which is conveyed to the Secretary for the purpose of developing the center under this section shall be extinguished upon the acceptance of such donation by the Secretary.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated not more than $8,400,000 to carry out this Act.

Pony Express National Historic Trail

(Public Law 102–328; Approved August 3, 1992; 106 Stat. 845; 16 U.S.C. 1244 note)

SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF TRAILS.

[Designated the California National Historic Trail and the Pony Express National Historic Trail. See section 5(a) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)).]

SEC. 2. STUDY PROVISIONS.

The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the Secretary) shall undertake a study of the land and water route used to carry mail from Sacramento to San Francisco, California, to determine the feasibility and suitability of designation of such route as a component of the Pony Express National Historic Trail designated by section 1 of this Act. Upon completion of the study, if the Secretary determines such route is a feasible and suitable addition to the Pony Express National Historic Trail, the Secretary shall designate the route as a component of the Pony Express National Historic Trail. The Secretary shall publish notice of such designation in the Federal Register and shall submit the study along with his findings to the Committee on Natural Resources of the United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate.

National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Casper,

Wyoming

(Public Law 105–290; Approved October 27, 1998; 112 Stat. 2782; 16 U.S.C. 1244 note)

SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) FINDINGS.-The Congress finds and declares the following: (1) The City of Casper, Wyoming, is nationally significant as the only geographic location in the western United States where four congressionally recognized historic trails (the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, the California Trail, and the Pony Express Trail), the Bridger Trail, the Bozeman Trail, and many Indian routes converged.

(2) The historic trails that passed through the Casper area are a distinctive part of the national character and possess important historical and cultural values representing themes of migration, settlement, transportation, and commerce that shaped the landscape of the West.

(3) The Bureau of Land Management has not yet established a historic trails interpretive center in Wyoming or in any adjacent State to educate and focus national attention on the history of the mid-19th century immigrant trails that crossed public lands in the Intermountain West.

(4) At the invitation of the Bureau of Land Management, the City of Casper and the National Historic Trails Foundation, Inc. (a nonprofit corporation established under the laws of the State of Wyoming) entered into a memorandum of understanding in 1992, and have since signed an assistance agreement in 1993 and a cooperative agreement in 1997, to create, manage, and sustain a National Historic Trails Interpretive Center to be located in Casper, Wyoming, to professionally interpret the historic trails in the Casper area for the benefit of the public.

(5) The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center authorized by this Act is consistent with the purposes and objectives of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.), which directs the Secretary of the Interior to protect, interpret, and manage the remnants of historic trails on public lands.

(6) The State of Wyoming effectively joined the partnership to establish the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center through a legislative allocation of supporting funds, and the citizens of the City of Casper have increased local taxes to meet their financial obligations under the assistance agreement and the cooperative agreement referred to in paragraph (4).

(7) The National Historic Trails Foundation, Inc. has secured most of the $5,000,000 of non-Federal funding pledged by State and local governments and private interests pursuant to the cooperative agreement referred to in paragraph (4).

(8) The Bureau of Land Management has completed the engineering and design phase of the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, and the National Historic Trails Foundation, Inc. is ready for Federal financial and technical assistance to construct the Center pursuant to the cooperative agreement referred to in paragraph (4).

(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are the following:

(1) To recognize the importance of the historic trails that passed through the Casper, Wyoming, area as a distinctive aspect of American heritage worthy of interpretation and preservation.

(2) To assist the City of Casper, Wyoming, and the National Historic Trails Foundation, Inc. in establishing the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center to memorialize and interpret the significant role of those historic trails in the history of the United States.

(3) To highlight and showcase the Bureau of Land Management's stewardship of public lands in Wyoming and the West.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS INTERPRETIVE CENTER.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.-The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (in this section referred to as the "Secretary"), shall establish in Casper, Wyoming, a center for the interpretation of the historic trails in the vicinity of Casper, including the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, the California Trail, and the Pony Express Trail, the Bridger Trail, the Bozeman Trail, and various Indian routes. The Center shall be known as the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center (in this section referred to as the "Center").

(b) FACILITIES.-The Secretary, subject to the availability of appropriations, shall construct, operate, and maintain facilities for the Center

(1) on land provided by the City of Casper, Wyoming;

(2) in cooperation with the City of Casper and the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center Foundation, Inc. (a nonprofit corporation established under the laws of the State of Wyoming); and

(3) in accordance with

(A) the Memorandum of Understanding entered into on March 4, 1993, by the city, the foundation, and the Wyoming State Director of the Bureau of Land Management; and

(B) the cooperative agreement between the foundation and the Wyoming State Director of the Bureau of Land Management, numbered K910A970020.

(c) DONATIONS.-Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may accept, retain, and expend donations of funds, property, or services from individuals, foundations, corporations, or