Home > 106th Congressional Bills > H.R. 940 (ih) To establish the Lackawanna Heritage Valley American Heritage Area. [Introduced in House] ...H.R. 940 (ih) To establish the Lackawanna Heritage Valley American Heritage Area. [Introduced in House] ...
H.R.940
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 designate the Lackawanna Valley and the Schuylkill River National
Heritage Areas, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I--LACKAWANNA VALLEY NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Lackawanna Valley National
Heritage Area Act of 2000''.
SEC. 102. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the industrial and cultural heritage of northeastern
Pennsylvania, including Lackawanna County, Luzerne County, Wayne
County, and Susquehanna County, related directly to anthracite and
anthracite-related industries, is nationally significant;
(2) the industries referred to in paragraph (1) include
anthracite mining, ironmaking, textiles, and rail transportation;
(3) the industrial and cultural heritage of the anthracite and
anthracite-related industries in the region described in paragraph
(1) includes the social history and living cultural traditions of
the people of the region;
(4) the labor movement of the region played a significant role
in the development of the Nation, including--
(A) the formation of many major unions such as the United
Mine Workers of America; and
(B) crucial struggles to improve wages and working
conditions, such as the 1900 and 1902 anthracite strikes;
(5)(A) the Secretary of the Interior is responsible for
protecting the historical and cultural resources of the United
States; and
(B) there are significant examples of those resources within
the region described in paragraph (1) that merit the involvement of
the Federal Government to develop, in cooperation with the
Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, and local and governmental entities, programs and
projects to conserve, protect, and interpret this heritage
adequately for future generations, while providing opportunities
for education and revitalization; and
(6) the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority would be an
appropriate management entity for a Heritage Area established in
the region described in paragraph (1).
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Lackawanna Valley National
Heritage Area are--
(1) to foster a close working relationship among all levels of
government, the private sector, and the local communities in the
anthracite coal region of northeastern Pennsylvania and enable the
communities to conserve their heritage while continuing to pursue
economic opportunities; and
(2) to conserve, interpret, and develop the historical,
cultural, natural, and recreational resources related to the
industrial and cultural heritage of the 4-county region described
in subsection (a)(1).
SEC. 103. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the
Lackawanna Valley National Heritage Area established by section
104.
(2) Management entity.--The term ``management entity'' means
the management entity for the Heritage Area specified in section
104(c).
(3) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' means the
management plan for the Heritage Area developed under section
106(b).
(4) Partner.--The term ``partner'' means--
(A) a Federal, State, or local governmental entity; and
(B) an organization, private industry, or individual
involved in promoting the conservation and preservation of the
cultural and natural resources of the Heritage Area.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
the Interior.
SEC. 104. LACKAWANNA VALLEY NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Lackawanna Valley
National Heritage Area.
(b) Boundaries.--The Heritage Area shall be comprised of all or
parts of Lackawanna County, Luzerne County, Wayne County, and
Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, determined in accordance with the
compact under section 105.
(c) Management Entity.--The management entity for the Heritage Area
shall be the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority.
SEC. 105. COMPACT.
(a) In General.--To carry out this title, the Secretary shall enter
into a compact with the management entity.
(b) Contents of Compact.--The compact shall include information
relating to the objectives and management of the area, including--
(1) a delineation of the boundaries of the Heritage Area; and
(2) a discussion of the goals and objectives of the Heritage
Area, including an explanation of the proposed approach to
conservation and interpretation and a general outline of the
protection measures committed to by the partners.
SEC. 106. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF THE MANAGEMENT ENTITY.
(a) Authorities of Management Entity.--The management entity may,
for the purposes of preparing and implementing the management plan, use
funds made available under this title to hire and compensate staff.
(b) Management Plan.--
(1) In general.--The management entity shall develop a
management plan for the Heritage Area that presents comprehensive
recommendations for the conservation, funding, management, and
development of the Heritage Area.
(2) Consideration of other plans and actions.--The management
plan shall--
(A) take into consideration State, county, and local plans;
(B) involve residents, public agencies, and private
organizations working in the Heritage Area; and
(C) include actions to be undertaken by units of government
and private organizations to protect the resources of the
Heritage Area.
(3) Specification of funding sources.--The management plan
shall specify the existing and potential sources of funding
available to protect, manage, and develop the Heritage Area.
(4) Other required elements.--The management plan shall include
the following:
(A) An inventory of the resources contained in the Heritage
Area, including a list of any property in the Heritage Area
that is related to the purposes of the Heritage Area and that
should be preserved, restored, managed, developed, or
maintained because of its historical, cultural, natural,
recreational, or scenic significance.
(B) A recommendation of policies for resource management
that considers and details application of appropriate land and
water management techniques, including the development of
intergovernmental cooperative agreements to protect the
historical, cultural, natural, and recreational resources of
the Heritage Area in a manner that is consistent with the
support of appropriate and compatible economic viability.
(C) A program for implementation of the management plan by
the management entity, including--
(i) plans for restoration and construction; and
(ii) specific commitments of the partners for the first
5 years of operation.
(D) An analysis of ways in which local, State, and Federal
programs may best be coordinated to promote the purposes of
this Act.
(E) An interpretation plan for the Heritage Area.
(5) Submission to secretary for approval.--
(A) In general.--Not later than the last day of the 3-year
period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the
management entity shall submit the management plan to the
Secretary for approval.
(B) Effect of failure to submit.--If a management plan is
not submitted to the Secretary by the day referred to in
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall not, after that day,
provide any grant or other assistance under this title with
respect to the Heritage Area until a management plan for the
Heritage Area is submitted to the Secretary.
(c) Duties of Management Entity.--The management entity shall--
(1) give priority to implementing actions specified in the
compact and management plan, including steps to assist units of
government and nonprofit organizations in preserving the Heritage
Area;
(2) assist units of government and nonprofit organizations in--
(A) establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits in
the Heritage Area;
(B) developing recreational resources in the Heritage Area;
(C) increasing public awareness of and appreciation for the
historical, natural, and architectural resources and sites in
the Heritage Area; and
(D) restoring historic buildings that relate to the
purposes of the Heritage Area;
(3) encourage economic viability in the Heritage Area
consistent with the goals of the management plan;
(4) encourage local governments to adopt land use policies
consistent with the management of the Heritage Area and the goals
of the management plan;
(5) assist units of government and nonprofit organizations to
ensure that clear, consistent, and environmentally appropriate
signs identifying access points and sites of interest are placed
throughout the Heritage Area;
(6) consider the interests of diverse governmental, business,
and nonprofit groups within the Heritage Area;
(7) conduct public meetings not less often than quarterly
concerning the implementation of the management plan;
(8) submit substantial amendments (including any increase of
more than 20 percent in the cost estimates for implementation) to
the management plan to the Secretary for the Secretary's approval;
and
(9) for each year in which Federal funds have been received
under this title--
(A) submit a report to the Secretary that specifies--
(i) the accomplishments of the management entity; and
(ii) the expenses and income of the management entity;
(B) make available to the Secretary for audit all records
relating to the expenditure of such funds and any matching
funds; and
(C) require, with respect to all agreements authorizing
expenditure of Federal funds by other organizations, that the
receiving organizations make available to the Secretary for
audit all records concerning the expenditure of such funds.
(d) Use of Federal Funds.--
(1) Funds made available under this title.--The management
entity shall not use Federal funds received under this title to
acquire real property or any interest in real property.
(2) Funds from other sources.--Nothing in this title precludes
the management entity from using Federal funds obtained through law
other than this title for any purpose for which the funds are
authorized to be used.
SEC. 107. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.
(a) Technical and Financial Assistance.--
(1) Provision of assistance.--The Secretary may, at the request
of the management entity, provide technical and financial
assistance to the management entity to develop and implement the
management plan.
(2) Priority in assistance.--In assisting the management
entity, the Secretary shall give priority to actions that assist
in--
(A) conserving the significant historical, cultural, and
natural resources that support the purpose of the Heritage
Area; and
(B) providing educational, interpretive, and recreational
opportunities consistent with the resources and associated
values of the Heritage Area.
(b) Approval and Disapproval of Management Plans.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, shall approve or
disapprove a management plan submitted under this title not later
than 90 days after receipt of the management plan.
(2) Action following disapproval.--
(A) In general.--If the Secretary disapproves a management
plan, the Secretary shall advise the management entity in
writing of the reasons for the disapproval and shall make
recommendations for revisions to the management plan.
(B) Deadline for approval of revision.--The Secretary shall
approve or disapprove a proposed revision within 90 days after
the date on which the revision is submitted to the Secretary.
(c) Approval of Amendments.--
(1) Review.--The Secretary shall review substantial amendments
(as determined under section 106(c)(8)) to the management plan for
the Heritage Area.
(2) Requirement of approval.--Funds made available under this
title shall not be expended to implement the amendments described
in paragraph (1) until the Secretary approves the amendments.
SEC. 108. SUNSET PROVISION.
The Secretary shall not provide any grant or other assistance under
this title after September 30, 2012.
SEC. 109. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this title $10,000,000, except that not more than $1,000,000 may be
appropriated to carry out this title for any fiscal year.
(b) 50-Percent Match.--The Federal share of the cost of activities
carried out using any assistance or grant under this title shall not
exceed 50 percent.
TITLE II--SCHUYLKILL RIVER VALLEY NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Schuylkill River Valley National
Heritage Area Act''.
SEC. 202. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Schuylkill River Valley made a unique contribution to
the cultural, political, and industrial development of the United
States;
(2) the Schuylkill River is distinctive as the first spine of
modern industrial development in Pennsylvania and one of the first
in the United States;
(3) the Schuylkill River Valley played a significant role in
the struggle for nationhood;
(4) the Schuylkill River Valley developed a prosperous and
productive agricultural economy that survives today;
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