Public Law 102–247

has been inhabited, possibly as far back as 2000 B.C., and encompasses all major cultural periods in the United States Virgin Islands;

contains the only ceremonial ball court ever discovered in the Lesser Antilles, village middens, and burial grounds which can provide evidence for the interpretation of Caribbean life prior to Columbus;

is the only known site where members of the Columbus expeditions set foot on what is now United States territory;

was a focal point of various European attempts to colonize the area during the postColumbian period and contains sites of Spanish, French, Dutch, English, and Danish settlements, including Fort Sale, one of the few remaining earthwork fortifications in the Western Hemisphere;

presents an outstanding opportunity to preserve and interpret Caribbean history and culture, including the impact of European exploration and settlement;

has been a national natural landmark since February 1980 and has been nominated for acquisition as a nationally significant wildlife habitat;

contains the largest remaining mangrove forest in the United States Virgin Islands and a variety of tropical marine and terrestrial ecosystems which should be preserved and kept unimpaired for the benefit of present and future generations; and

is worthy of a comprehensive preservation effort that should be carried out in partnership between the Federal Government and the Government of the United States Virgin Islands.

Establishment.—

In order to preserve, protect, and interpret for the benefit of present and future generations certain nationally significant historical, cultural, and natural sites and resources in the Virgin Islands, there is established the Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve at St. Croix, Virgin Islands (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “park”).

Area Included.—

The park shall consist of approximately 912 acres of land, waters, submerged lands, and interests therein within the area generally depicted on the map entitled “Salt River Study Area—Alternative ‘C’” in the “Alternatives Study and Environmental Assessment for the Columbus Landing Site, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands”, prepared by the National Park Service and dated June 1990. The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, and the Offices of the Lieutenant Governor of St. Thomas and St. Croix, Virgin Islands.

General Authority.—

The Secretary of the Interior (hereafter in this title referred to as the “Secretary”) may acquire land and interests in land within the boundaries of the park by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Government of the United States Virgin Islands from acquiring land or interest in land within the boundaries of the park.

Limitations on Authority.—

Lands, and interests in lands, within the boundaries of the park which are owned by the United States Virgin Islands, or any political subdivision thereof, may be acquired only by donation or exchange. No lands, or interests therein, containing dwellings lying within the park boundary as of July 1, 1991, may be acquired without the consent of the owner, unless the Secretary determines, after consultation with the Government of the United States Virgin Islands, that the land is being developed or proposed to be developed in a manner which is detrimental to the natural, scenic, historic, and other values for which the park was established.

In General.—

The park shall be administered in accordance with this title and with the provisions of law generally applicable to units of the national park system, including, but not limited to, the Act entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes”, approved August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1, 2–4) and the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666; 16 U.S.C. 461–467). In the case of any conflict between the provisions of this Act and such generally applicable provisions of law, the provisions of this Act shall govern.

Cooperative Agreements.—

The Secretary, after consulting with the Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve at St. Croix, Virgin Islands, Commission (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “Commission”) established by section 106 of this title, is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with the United States Virgin Islands, or any political subdivision thereof, for the management of the park and for other purposes.

General Management Plan.—

Training Assistance.—

During the 10-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this title, the Secretary shall, subject to appropriations, provide the funds for the employees of the Government of the United States Virgin Islands directly engaged in the joint management of the park and shall implement, in consultation with die Government of the United States Virgin Islands, a program under which Virgin Islands citizens may be trained in all phases of park operations and management: Provided, however, That in no event shall the Secretary provide more than 50 percent of the funding for such purposes. A primary objective of the program shall be to train employees in the skills necessary for operating and managing a Virgin Islands Territorial Park System.

Establishment.—

There is established a commission to be known as the Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve at St. Croix, Virgin Islands, Commission.

Duties.—

The Commission shall—

Membership.—

The Commission shall be composed of 10 members, as follows:

Initial appointments made under this subsection shall be made within 120 days after the date of enactment of this title, except that the appointments made under paragraph (4) shall be made within 120 days after the date on which the Secretary receives such list.

Terms.—

The members appointed under paragraphs (3) and (4) shall be appointed for terms of 4 years. A member of the Commission appointed for a definite term may serve after the expiration of the member’s term until a successor is appointed. A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made and shall be filled within 60 days after the expiration of the term.

Chair.—

The Chair of the Commission shall alternate annually between the Secretary and the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands. All other officers of the Commission shall be elected by a majority of the members of the Commission to serve for terms established by the Commission.

Meetings.—

The Commission shall meet on a regular basis

Federal Register, publication.

or at the call of the Chair. Notice of meetings and agenda shall be published in the Federal Register and local newspapers having a distribution that generally covers the United States Virgin Islands. Commission meetings shall be held at locations and in such a manner as to ensure adequate public involvement.

Expenses.—

Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation as such, but the Secretary may pay each member of the Commission travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with section 5703 of title 5, United States Code. Members of the Commission who are full-time officers or employees of the United States or the Virgin Islands Government may not receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their service on the Commission. The Secretary shall provide the Commission with a budget for travel expenses and staff, and guidelines by which expenditures shall be accounted for.

Federal Advisory Committee Act.—

Except with respect to the provisions of section 14(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and except as otherwise provided in this title, the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall apply to the Commission.

Termination.—

The Commission shall terminate 10 years after the date of enactment of this title unless the Secretary determines that it is necessary to continue consulting with the Commission in carrying out the purposes of this title.

the term “insular area” means any of the following: American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Virgin Islands;

the term “disaster” means a declaration of a major disaster by the President after September 1, 1989, pursuant to section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170); and

the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.

reconstruct essential public facilities damaged by disasters in the insular areas that occurred prior to the date of the enactment of this Act; and

enhance the survivability of essential public facilities in the event of disasters in the insular areas,

Upon the declaration by the President of a disaster in an

President.

insular area, the President, acting through the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, shall assess, in cooperation with the Secretary and chief executive of such insular area, the capability of the insular government to respond to the disaster, including the capability to assess damage; coordinate activities with Federal agencies, particularly the Federal Emergency Management Agency; develop recovery plans, including recommendations for enhancing the survivability of essential infrastructure; negotiate and manage reconstruction contracts; and prevent the misuse of funds. If the President finds that the insular government lacks any of these or other capabilities essential to the recovery effort, then the President shall provide technical assistance to the insular area which the President deems necessary for the recovery effort.

One year following the declaration by the President of a

Reports.

disaster in an insular area, the Secretary, in consultation with the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, shall submit to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs a report on the status of the recovery effort, including an audit of Federal funds expended in the recovery effort and recommendations on how to improve public health and safety, survivability of infrastructure, recovery efforts, and effective use of funds in the event of future disasters.

The Secretary of the Interior shall undertake a comprehensive study, or as appropriate review and update existing studies, to determine the current and long-term water, power, and wastewater needs of American Samoa. Such study shall be conducted in consultation with the American Samoa government, and in consultation with those Federal agencies which have recent experience with the water, power and wastewater needs of American Samoa.

The Secretary of the Interior shall report the results of this study to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the United States House of Representatives, before December 31, 1992. The report shall include—

In furtherance of the objectives of the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985 (Public Law 99–239) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, a Freely Associated State Air Carrier shall not be precluded from providing transportation, between a place in the United States and a place in a state in free association with the United States or between two places in such a freely associated state, by air of persons (and their personal effects) and property procured, contracted for, or otherwise obtained by any executive department or other agency or instrumentality of the United States for its own account or in furtherance of the purposes or pursuant to the terms of any contract, agreement, or other special arrangement made or entered into under which payment is made by the United States or payment is made from funds appropriated, owned, controlled, granted, or conditionally granted, or utilized by or otherwise established for the account of the United States, or shall be furnished to or for the account of any foreign nation, or any international agency, or other organization of whatever nationality, without provisions for reimbursement.

The term “Freely Associated State Air Carrier” shall apply exclusively to a carrier referred to in Article IX(5)(b) of the Federal Programs and Services Agreement concluded pursuant to Article II of Title Two and Section 232 of the Compact of Free Association.