What This Bill Does
This bill establishes Fort San Gerónimo del Boquerón in Puerto Rico as an affiliated area of the National Park System. An affiliated area is a historic site connected to the National Park System but managed differently than a typical national park.
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Who It Affects
- The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (the organization that will manage the fort)
- The Secretary of the Interior (the federal official overseeing the agreement)
- Private property owners adjacent to the fort
- Visitors and residents near Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Key Provisions
- The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture will serve as the management entity responsible for the fort (Sec. 3(d))
- The Secretary of the Interior may provide technical assistance and enter into agreements to help fund marketing, marking, interpretation and preservation of the fort (Sec. 3(e))
- The Secretary cannot buy property at the fort or take over its day-to-day operations and maintenance (Sec. 3(f))
- The Secretary and management entity must develop a management plan within 3 years of receiving funding (Sec. 3(g))
- This law does not affect the land use rights of private property owners next to the fort (Sec. 3(g))
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What Changes
Fort San Gerónimo del Boquerón becomes officially recognized as part of the National Park System as an affiliated area. The fort will be governed by both this law and the general rules that apply to National Park System sites. The federal government can offer financial and technical support, but the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture remains the primary manager.
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Important Definitions
- **Affiliated area:** A historic site connected to the National Park System established by this law
- **Fort San Gerónimo del Boquerón:** The fort and grounds listed on the National Register of Historic Places (a list of important buildings and sites) located near Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
- **Secretary:** The Secretary of the Interior
- **Management entity:** The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture
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Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
Calendar No. 646
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 359
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
NOVEMBER 7, 2023
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources
NOVEMBER 21, 2024
Reported by Mr. MANCHIN, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
AN ACT
To establish Fort San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n in Puerto
Rico as an affiliated area of the National Park System,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fort San Gero´nimo
4
Preservation Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
6
In this Act:
7
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•HR 359 RS
(1) FORT SAN GERO´NIMO DEL BOQUERO´N.—
1
The term ‘‘Fort San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n’’ (also
2
known as ‘‘Fortı´n de San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n’’)
3
means the fort and grounds listed on the National
4
Register of Historic Places and located near Old San
5
Juan, Puerto Rico.
6
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
7
the Secretary of the Interior.
8
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF AFFILIATED AREA.
9
(a) IN GENERAL.—Fort San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n
10
in Puerto Rico is established as an affiliated area of the
11
National Park System.
12
(b) DESCRIPTION OF AFFILIATED AREA.—The affili-
13
ated area shall consist of the area generally depicted on
14
the map titled ‘‘Fort San Gero´nimo Proposed Affiliated
15
Area’’, numbered 910/176698, and dated July 2021.
16
(c) ADMINISTRATION.—The affiliated area shall be
17
managed in accordance with—
18
(1) this Act; and
19
(2) any law generally applicable to units of the
20
National Park System.
21
(d) MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—The Institute of Puerto
22
Rican Culture shall be the management entity for the af-
23
filiated area.
24
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•HR 359 RS
(e)
COOPERATIVE
AGREEMENTS.—The
Secretary
1
may provide technical assistance and enter into coopera-
2
tive agreements with the management entity for the pur-
3
pose of providing financial assistance for the marketing,
4
marking, interpretation, and preservation of the affiliated
5
area.
6
(f) LIMITED ROLE OF THE SECRETARY.—Nothing in
7
this section authorizes the Secretary to acquire property
8
at the affiliated area or to assume managerial or financial
9
responsibility for the operation, maintenance, or manage-
10
ment of the affiliated area.
11
(g) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—
12
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta-
13
tion with the management entity, shall develop a
14
management plan for the affiliated area.
15
(2) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than 3 years
16
after the date on which funds are first made avail-
17
able to carry out this section, the Secretary shall
18
submit the management plan developed under para-
19
graph (1) to the Committee on Natural Resources of
20
the House of Representatives and the Committee on
21
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.
22
(h) PRIVATE PROPERTY PROTECTION.—Nothing in
23
this Act affects the land use rights of private property
24
owners adjacent to Fort San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n.
25
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•HR 359 RS
(i) NO BUFFER ZONES.—
1
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act shall be
2
construed to create buffer zones outside of Fort San
3
Gero´nimo del Boquero´n.
4
(2) ACTIVITY
OR
USE
OUTSIDE
FORT
SAN
5
GERO´NIMO DEL BOQUERO´N.—The fact that an activ-
6
ity or use can be seen, heard, or detected from with-
7
in Fort San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n shall not pre-
8
clude, limit, control, regulate, or determine the con-
9
duct or management of activities or uses outside of
10
Fort San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n.
11
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
12
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fort San Gero´nimo
13
Preservation Act’’.
14
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
15
In this Act:
16
(1) AFFILIATED
AREA.—The term ‘‘affiliated
17
area’’ means the affiliated area established by section
18
3(a).
19
(2) FORT SAN GERO´NIMO DEL BOQUERO´N.—The
20
term ‘‘Fort San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n’’ (also known
21
as ‘‘Fortı´n de San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n’’) means
22
the fort and grounds listed on the National Register
23
of Historic Places and located near Old San Juan,
24
Puerto Rico.
25
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•HR 359 RS
(3) MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—The term ‘‘manage-
1
ment entity’’ means the management entity for the af-
2
filiated area designated by section 3(d).
3
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
4
the Secretary of the Interior.
5
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF AFFILIATED AREA.
6
(a) IN GENERAL.—Fort San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n
7
in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is established as an
8
affiliated area of the National Park System.
9
(b) DESCRIPTION OF AFFILIATED AREA.—The affili-
10
ated area shall consist of the area generally depicted on the
11
map entitled ‘‘Fort San Gero´nimo Proposed Affiliated
12
Area’’, numbered 910/176698, and dated July 2021.
13
(c) ADMINISTRATION.—The affiliated area shall be
14
managed in accordance with—
15
(1) this Act; and
16
(2) any law generally applicable to units of the
17
National Park System.
18
(d) MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—The Institute of Puerto
19
Rican Culture shall be the management entity for the affili-
20
ated area.
21
(e) AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary—
22
(1) may provide technical assistance and enter
23
into cooperative agreements with the management en-
24
tity for the purpose of providing financial assistance
25
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•HR 359 RS
for the marketing, marking, interpretation, and pres-
1
ervation of the affiliated area; and
2
(2) shall enter into an agreement with the man-
3
agement entity that describes the roles and respon-
4
sibilities for the management of the affiliated area
5
consistent with the policies and standards that apply
6
to units of the National Park System.
7
(f) LIMITED ROLE OF THE SECRETARY.—Nothing in
8
this section authorizes the Secretary—
9
(1) to acquire property at the affiliated area; or
10
(2) to assume managerial or financial responsi-
11
bility for the operation, maintenance, or management
12
of the affiliated area.
13
(g) PRIVATE PROPERTY PROTECTION.—Nothing in
14
this Act affects the land use rights of private property own-
15
ers adjacent to Fort San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n.
16
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Calendar No. 646
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 359
AN ACT
To establish Fort San Gero´nimo del Boquero´n in
Puerto Rico as an affiliated area of the National
Park System, and for other purposes.
NOVEMBER 21, 2024
Reported with an amendment
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