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[DOCID: f:h4613enr.txt]
H.R.4613
One Hundred Sixth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
the twenty-fourth day of January, two thousand
An Act
To amend the National Historic Preservation Act for purposes of
establishing a national historic lighthouse preservation program.
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 ``National Historic Lighthouse
Preservation Act of 2000''.
SEC. 2. PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC LIGHT STATIONS.
Title III of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C.
470w, 470w-6) is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``SEC. 308. HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATION.
``(a) In General.--In order to provide a national historic light
station program, the Secretary shall--
``(1) collect and disseminate information concerning historic
light stations, including historic lighthouses and associated
structures;
``(2) foster educational programs relating to the history,
practice, and contribution to society of historic light stations;
``(3) sponsor or conduct research and study into the history of
light stations;
``(4) maintain a listing of historic light stations; and
``(5) assess the effectiveness of the program established by
this section regarding the conveyance of historic light stations.
``(b) Conveyance of Historic Light Stations.--
``(1) Process and policy.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of the enactment of this section, the Secretary and the
Administrator shall establish a process and policies for
identifying, and selecting, an eligible entity to which a historic
light station could be conveyed for education, park, recreation,
cultural, or historic preservation purposes, and to monitor the use
of such light station by the eligible entity.
``(2) Application review.--The Secretary shall review all
applications for the conveyance of a historic light station, when
the agency with administrative jurisdiction over the historic light
station has determined the property to be `excess property' as that
term is defined in the Federal Property Administrative Services Act
of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 472(e)), and forward to the Administrator a
single approved application for the conveyance of the historic
light station. When selecting an eligible entity, the Secretary
shall consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer of the
State in which the historic light station is located.
``(3) Conveyance of historic light stations.--(A) Except as
provided in subparagraph (B), the Administrator shall convey, by
quitclaim deed, without consideration, all right, title, and
interest of the United States in and to the historic light station,
subject to the conditions set forth in subsection (c) after the
Secretary's selection of an eligible entity. The conveyance of a
historic light station under this section shall not be subject to
the provisions of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 11301 et seq.) or section 416(d) of the Coast Guard
Authorization Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-383).
``(B)(i) Historic light stations located within the exterior
boundaries of a unit of the National Park System or a refuge within
the National Wildlife Refuge System shall be conveyed or sold only
with the approval of the Secretary.
``(ii) If the Secretary approves the conveyance of a historic
light station referenced in this paragraph, such conveyance shall
be subject to the conditions set forth in subsection (c) and any
other terms or conditions the Secretary considers necessary to
protect the resources of the park unit or wildlife refuge.
``(iii) If the Secretary approves the sale of a historic light
station referenced in this paragraph, such sale shall be subject to
the conditions set forth in subparagraphs (A) through (D) and (H)
of subsection (c)(1) and subsection (c)(2) and any other terms or
conditions the Secretary considers necessary to protect the
resources of the park unit or wildlife refuge.
``(iv) For those historic light stations referenced in this
paragraph, the Secretary is encouraged to enter into cooperative
agreements with appropriate eligible entities, as provided in this
Act, to the extent such cooperative agreements are consistent with
the Secretary's responsibilities to manage and administer the park
unit or wildlife refuge, as appropriate.
``(c) Terms of Conveyance.--
``(1) In general.--The conveyance of a historic light station
shall be made subject to any conditions, including the reservation
of easements and other rights on behalf of the United States, the
Administrator considers necessary to ensure that--
``(A) the Federal aids to navigation located at the
historic light station in operation on the date of conveyance
remain the personal property of the United States and continue
to be operated and maintained by the United States for as long
as needed for navigational purposes;
``(B) there is reserved to the United States the right to
remove, replace, or install any Federal aid to navigation
located at the historic light station as may be necessary for
navigational purposes;
``(C) the eligible entity to which the historic light
station is conveyed under this section shall not interfere or
allow interference in any manner with any Federal aid to
navigation, nor hinder activities required for the operation
and maintenance of any Federal aid to navigation, without the
express written permission of the head of the agency
responsible for maintaining the Federal aid to navigation;
``(D) the eligible entity to which the historic light
station is conveyed under this section shall, at its own cost
and expense, use and maintain the historic light station in
accordance with this Act, the Secretary of the Interior's
Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, 36 CFR part
68, and other applicable laws, and any proposed changes to the
historic light station shall be reviewed and approved by the
Secretary in consultation with the State Historic Preservation
Officer of the State in which the historic light station is
located, for consistency with 36 CFR part 800.5(a)(2)(vii), and
the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation,
36 CFR part 67.7;
``(E) the eligible entity to which the historic light
station is conveyed under this section shall make the historic
light station available for education, park, recreation,
cultural or historic preservation purposes for the general
public at reasonable times and under reasonable conditions;
``(F) the eligible entity to which the historic light
station is conveyed shall not sell, convey, assign, exchange,
or encumber the historic light station, any part thereof, or
any associated historic artifact conveyed to the eligible
entity in conjunction with the historic light station
conveyance, including but not limited to any lens or lanterns,
unless such sale, conveyance, assignment, exchange or
encumbrance is approved by the Secretary;
``(G) the eligible entity to which the historic light
station is conveyed shall not conduct any commercial activities
at the historic light station, a
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ny part thereof, or in
connection with any associated historic artifact conveyed to
the eligible entity in conjunction with the historic light
station conveyance, in any manner, unless such commercial
activities are approved by the Secretary; and
``(H) the United States shall have the right, at any time,
to enter the historic light station conveyed under this section
without notice, for purposes of operating, maintaining, and
inspecting any aid to navigation and for the purpose of
ensuring compliance with this subsection, to the extent that it
is not possible to provide advance notice.
``(2) Maintenance of aid to navigation.--Any eligible entity to
which a historic light station is conveyed under this section shall
not be required to maintain any Federal aid to navigation
associated with a historic light station, except any private aids
to navigation permitted under section 83 of title 14, United States
Code, to the eligible entity.
``(3) Reversion.--In addition to any term or condition
established pursuant to this subsection, the conveyance of a
historic light station shall include a condition that the historic
light station, or any associated historic artifact conveyed to the
eligible entity in conjunction with the historic light station
conveyance, including but not limited to any lens or lanterns, at
the option of the Administrator, shall revert to the United States
and be placed under the administrative control of the
Administrator, if--
``(A) the historic light station, any part thereof, or any
associated historic artifact ceases to be available for
education, park, recreation, cultural, or historic preservation
purposes for the general public at reasonable times and under
reasonable conditions which shall be set forth in the eligible
entity's application;
``(B) the historic light station or any part thereof ceases
to be maintained in a manner that ensures its present or future
use as a site for a Federal aid to navigation;
``(C) the historic light station, any part thereof, or any
associated historic artifact ceases to be maintained in
compliance with this Act, the Secretary of the Interior's
Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, 36 CFR part
68, and other applicable laws;
``(D) the eligible entity to which the historic light
station is conveyed, sells, conveys, assigns, exchanges, or
encumbers the historic light station, any part thereof, or any
associated historic artifact, without approval of the
Secretary;
``(E) the eligible entity to which the historic light
station is conveyed, conducts any commercial activities at the
historic light station, any part thereof, or in conjunction
with any associated historic artifact, without approval of the
Secretary; or
``(F) at least 30 days before the reversion, the
Administrator provides written notice to the owner that the
historic light station or any part thereof is needed for
national security purposes.
``(d) Description of Property.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall prepare the legal
description of any historic light station conveyed under this
section. The Administrator, in consultation with the Commandant,
United States Coast Guard, and the Secretary, may retain all right,
title, and interest of the United States in and to any historical
artifact, including any lens or lantern, that is associated with
the historic light station and located at the light station at the
time of conveyance. Wherever possible, such historical artifacts
should be used in interpreting that station. In cases where there
is no method for preserving lenses and other artifacts and
equipment in situ, priority should be given to preservation or
museum entities most closely associated with the station, if they
meet loan requirements.
``(2) Artifacts.--Artifacts associated with, but not located
at, the historic light station at the time of conveyance shall
remain the personal property of the United States under the
administrative control of the Commandant, United States Coast
Guard.
``(3) Covenants.--All conditions placed with the quitclaim deed
of title to the historic light station shall be construed as
covenants running with the land.
``(4) Submerged lands.--No submerged lands shall be conveyed
under this section.
``(e) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' shall mean the
Administrator of General Services.
``(2) Historic light station.--The term `historic light
station' includes the light tower, lighthouse, keepers dwelling,
garages, storage sheds, oil house, fog signal building, boat house,
barn, pumphouse, tramhouse support structures, piers, walkways,
underlying and appurtenant land and related real property and
improvements associated therewith; provided that the `historic
light station' shall be included in or eligible for inclusion in
the National Register of Historic Places.
``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' shall mean:
``(A) any department or agency of the Federal Government;
or
``(B) any department or agency of the State in which the
historic light station is located, the local government of the
community in which the historic light station is located,
nonprofit corporation, educational agency, or community
development organization that--
``(i) has agreed to comply with the conditions set
forth in subsection (c) and to have such conditions
recorded with the deed of title to the historic light
station; and
``(ii) is financially able to maintain the historic
light station in accordance with the conditions set forth
in subsection (c).
``(4) Federal aid to navigation.--The term `Federal aid to
navigation' shall mean any device, operated and maintained by the
United States, external to a vessel or aircraft, intended to assist
a navigator to determine position or safe course, or to warn of
dangers or obstructions to navigation, and shall include, but not
be limited to, a light, lens, lantern, antenna, sound signal,
camera, sensor, electronic navigation equipment, power source, or
other associated equipment.
``(5) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of
the Interior.''.
SEC. 3. SALE OF HISTORIC LIGHT STATIONS.
Title III of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C.
470w, 470w-6), as amended by section 2 of this Act, is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 309. HISTORIC LIGHT STATION SALES.
``(a) In General.--In the event no applicants are approved for the
conveyance of a historic light station pursuant to section 308, the
historic light station shall be offered for sale. Terms of such sales
shall be developed by the Administrator of General Services and
consistent with the requirements of section 308, subparagraphs (A)
through (D) and (H) of subsection (c)(1), and subsection (c)(2).
Conveyance documents shall include all necessary covenants to protect
the historical integrity of the historic light station and ensure that
any Federal aid to navigation located at the historic light station is
operated and maintained by the United States for as long as needed for
that purpose.
``(b) Net Sale Proceeds.--Net sale proceeds from the disposal of a
historic light station--
``(1) located on public domain lands shall be transferred to
the National Maritime Heritage Grant Program, establis
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hed by the
National Maritime Heritage Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-451) within
the Department of the Interior; and
``(2) under the administrative control of the Coast Guard shall
be credited to the Coast Guard's Operating Expenses appropriation
account, and shall be available for obligation and expenditure for
the maintenance of light stations remaining under the
administrative control of the Coast Guard, such funds to remain
available until expended and shall be available in addition to
funds available in the Operating Expense appropriation for this
purpose.''.
SEC. 4. FUNDING.
There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of
the Interior such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.
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