# Fort San Gerónimo Preservation Act

This bill designates Fort San Gerónimo del Boquerón, a historic fort located near Old San Juan in Puerto Rico, as an affiliated area of the National Park System. Think of this as giving the fort an official connection to America's national parks, which brings it recognition and potential support, but with some important limitations.

The fort will be managed by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture rather than the federal government directly. This is a key point: the federal government isn't taking over the site or spending money to run it day-to-day. Instead, the Secretary of the Interior can offer technical help and enter into agreements to provide financial assistance for specific purposes like marketing the site, putting up interpretive signs, and preserving the structure. Essentially, the federal government becomes a potential partner and funding source rather than the primary operator.

The bill includes strong protections for private property owners nearby. It explicitly states that the affiliated area status doesn't affect how people can use their own land adjacent to the fort, and it prevents the creation of "buffer zones" around the site that could restrict activities outside the fort's boundaries. This means neighbors won't face new restrictions on what they can do with their property just because the fort is now part of the National Park System.

Within three years of receiving funding, the Secretary of the Interior must work with the Puerto Rican cultural institute to develop a management plan for the site and report it to Congress. This plan will guide how the fort is preserved and presented to visitors going forward.

Fort San Gerónimo Preservation Act

González-Colón, Jenniffer

Fort San Ger&oacute;nimo Preservation Act This bill establishes the Fort San Ger&oacute;nimo del Boquer&oacute;n in Puerto Rico as an affiliated area of the National Park System, which shall consist of the fort and grounds listed on the National Register of Historic Places and located near Old San Juan. The bill makes the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture the management entity for the affiliated area. The Department of the Interior shall develop a management plan for the affiliated area.