**STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK*,* DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE,
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS,
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, CONCERNING S. 289, A
BILL TO ESTABLISH THE JOURNEY THROUGH HALLOWED GROUND NATIONAL HERITAGE
AREA, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.**

# March 20, 2007

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear before your
committee to present the views of the Department of the Interior on S.
289, a bill to establish the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National
Heritage Area.

While a national heritage area feasibility study by the Journey Through
Hallowed Ground Partnership has found the Journey Through Hallowed
Ground National Heritage Area appropriate for designation, we recommend
that the committee defer action on S. 289 and all other proposed
heritage area designations until program legislation is enacted that
establishes guidelines and a process for the designation of national
heritage areas. Last year, the Administration sent to Congress a
legislative proposal to establish guidelines and a process for
designation. Bills were introduced in the 109th Congress (S. 243, H.R.
760 and H.R. 6287) that incorporated the majority of the provisions of
the Administration's proposal, and S. 243 passed the Senate. During the
110th Congress, a similar heritage area program bill, S. 278, has been
introduced, and we look forward to continuing to work with Congress on
this very important issue.

With 37 national heritage areas designated across 27 states, and more
heritage area legislative proposals in the pipeline, the Administration
believes it is critical at this juncture for Congress to enact national
heritage area program legislation. This legislation would provide a
much-needed framework for evaluating proposed national heritage areas,
offering guidelines for successful planning and management, clarifying
the roles and responsibilities of all parties, and standardizing
timeframes and funding for designated areas. Program legislation also
would clarify the expectation that heritage areas would work toward
self-sufficiency by outlining the necessary steps, including appropriate
planning, to achieve that shared goal.

The proposed Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area
would span a region of approximately 175 miles along Route 15 and part
of Route 20, from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania through Maryland and West
Virginia to Charlottesville, Virginia. The region is rich in historic
and natural resources including the homes of Presidents Thomas
Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and Dwight David Eisenhower, and
includes significant Revolutionary and Civil War sites. Revolutionary
War sites include Willow Grove, the temporary headquarters of Generals
Wayne and Muhlenberg; Point of Fork Arsenal; Castle Hill, home of
colonial leader Dr. Thomas Walker; and the Hessian Barracks, used as a
prison for British soldiers. Civil War sites include the battlefields of
Gettysburg, Monocacy, Antietam, Brandy Station, and Chancellorsville,
among others. The region is also crossed by numerous historic trails and
byways relating to the Civil War and other scenic resources. All told,
there are an estimated 7,000 buildings in the area listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, 13 National Historic Landmarks,
and two World Heritage Sites.

S. 289 would establish the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National
Heritage Area and designate the Partnership as the management entity.
The Partnership is a nonprofit corporation that has conducted a
significant number of public meetings, an important requirement for
evaluating local support for the designation of a national heritage
area. The bill prescribes the duties of the management entity, requires
the development of a management plan by the Partnership to be approved
by the Secretary, and includes a 15-year authorization for up to \$1
million dollars per year not to exceed a total of \$10 million. As this
proposed heritage area would transverse four states, we strongly
encourage the Partnership to represent the interests of all four states.

If the committee chooses to move forward with this bill, the Department
would like to work with the committee on some technical corrections to
the bill. In addition, the Department would recommend that the bill be
amended to include an additional requirement for an evaluation to be
conducted by the Secretary, three years prior to the cessation of
federal funding under this act. The evaluation would examine the
accomplishments of the heritage area in meeting the goals of the
management plan; analyze the leveraging and impact of investments to the
heritage area; identify the critical components of the management
structure and sustainability of the heritage area; and recommend what
future role, if any, the National Park Service should have with respect
to the heritage area.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my testimony and I am prepared to answer
any questions that you or other members of the committee might have at
this time.

**STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK*,* DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE,
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND
NATURAL RESOURCES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, CONCERNING S. 817, TO
AMEND THE OMNIBUS PARKS AND PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1996 TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATIONS FOR CERTAIN NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.**

**March 20, 2007**

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear before your
committee to present the views of the Department of the Interior on S.
817, a bill to amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act
of 1996 to provide additional authorizations for certain National
Heritage Areas, and for other purposes.

S. 817 has four main provisions. First, the bill expands the Rivers of
Steel National Heritage Area by an additional county. Second, the bill
makes several technical corrections to the Ohio & Erie Canal National
Heritage Corridor including a name change for the area and the
deauthorization of the Ohio & Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor
Committee, whose duties have already been assumed by a non-profit
management entity. Third, the bill names a new local coordinating entity
for the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, it reauthorizes
federal funding for the area for an additional five years, and gives the
Secretary of the Interior several new authorities. Fourth, the bill
increases the authorization ceiling for four existing national heritage
areas by \$5 million each and requires the Secretary to conduct an
evaluation of each area three years before the cessation of federal
funding.

The Department has no objection to the first three main provisions of S.
817, with several recommended amendments described in this testimony.
The Department is still considering its position with regard to the
provisions in the bill that increase the authorization ceiling for four
existing heritage areas and extend Federal funding for Delaware and
Lehigh National Heritage Corridor . The Department will provide the
Committee with its views on this issue by letter before the Committee's
markup of this bill.

Less than a year ago, there were 27 heritage areas. Today, there are 37.
Our understanding is that national heritage areas are locally driven
grassroots efforts to preserve resources that were intended to operate
independent of Federal funding at the end of the authorization period.
While the National Park Service would continue to support the heritage
areas through technical assistance, the heritage areas were to be
largely self sufficient. This was the understanding, particularly for
those heritage areas created in 1996 and the more recently designated
heritage areas. We are disappointed that heritage areas that are nearing
the end of their authorization period or that are approaching their
authorization ceiling did not better plan for this eventuality. We
appreciate that the sponsors of the bill recognize this concern by
requiring the preparation of a report to examine what role federal
funding should play in the future of these heritage areas.

Currently, there are 37 National Heritage Areas designated across 27
states with over 61 million people residing within one of these heritage
areas. Responding to continued community and congressional interest in
studying and designating new national heritage areas, the National Park
System Advisory Board reviewed the program and prepared a report on the
appropriate role of the National Park Service in supporting these areas.
The Advisory Board's 2006 report, *Charting a Future for National
Heritage Areas,* recognized the important role of national heritage
areas in expanding conservation stewardship and in identifying and
preserving significant historic resources. The report also recognized
that national heritage areas need a legislative foundation that
establishes a clear process for designation, administration, and
evaluation.

Among the Advisory Board's specific recommendations for program
legislation was a provision to address the future of national heritage
areas after an area reaches the end of its authorized funding level or
time limits for funding. Before the publication of the Advisory Board
report, most of the discussions on program legislation focused on the
need to establish criteria for designating new areas and managing
existing areas. The Advisory Board recognized that the National Park
Service needed to take a more proactive approach by assisting national
heritage areas in envisioning and planning for a sustainable future. For
this reason, the report included a recommendation that the legislative
foundation for the program require that "three years prior to cessation
of federal funding authority, a study be conducted to recommend the
appropriate level of future National Park Service involvement in the
National Heritage Area including but not limited to future federal
funding".

In July 2006, the Administration transmitted to Congress a legislative
proposal for national heritage area program legislation that included
many of the recommendations of the Advisory Board's report. This
proposal, which was introduced in the 109^th^ Congress as H.R. 6287,
incorporated the requirement for a study three years before cessation of
funding in a slightly different format stating that the areas should
"conduct an evaluation and prepare a report on the accomplishments,
sustainability, and recommendations for the future...". The National
Heritage Area Partnership Act (S. 243) introduced by Senator Craig
Thomas during the 109^th^ Congress and passed by the Senate, and a
similar version of the bill (S. 278) recently introduced during the
110^th^ Congress, also contain similar language. The Administration is
currently working on a similar proposal for heritage area program
legislation to be transmitted to Congress.

S. 817 provides additional funding authorization for the Essex National
Heritage Area, the Ohio & Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor, the
Rivers of Steel National Heritage Corridor, and the South Carolina
National Heritage Corridor, four areas that have almost reached their
authorized \$10,000,000 funding limit. Although the bill would not
provide the areas with an extension of time beyond their sunset date of
2012 for financial assistance, it would authorize an additional \$5
million per area. This extension of federal funding would allow for the
continued operation and management of these national heritage areas,
while providing the Secretary the necessary time to undertake an
evaluation to assess the progress of the area in achieving its
legislative purpose.

These four national heritage areas have a commendable track record of
partnership and project accomplishments and have shown signs of becoming
self-sufficient. The Essex National Heritage Area commemorates 400 years
of seafaring history and tradition and has enabled the Salem Maritime
National Historic Site, a National Park Service unit that is only 9
acres in size, to play a far more prominent role in the region by
harnessing the energy of volunteers in interpretation and fundraising.

The Ohio & Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor preserves 110 miles of
towpath canal, historic communities, and what has been described as a
"biological mosaic of forest, marshes, streams, and lakes." Cuyahoga
National Park, which encompasses 22 miles of the corridor, has taken
advantage of the heritage area as a framework for large-scale regional
collaboration to build partnerships and conserve a range of resources.

The Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area celebrates the region's
industrial legacy through its rich folklife traditions, opening doors to
the past with driving tours, audio CDs, a local radio series, exhibits,
and publications. This area celebrates a portrait of people working in
one of the most important industries at the turn of the century, which
helped form the economy of this country and continues to preserve this
regional culture for the next generation.

The South Carolina National Heritage Corridor helps rural communities
thrive by promoting their place-based resources. For example, a new
Heritage Corridor Farmers Association supports the agricultural heritage
of the area by sponsoring regular promotions, tours and preservation
initiatives.

The proposed evaluation process would document these and other
accomplishments and would give the areas the opportunity to develop a
long-term plan for reducing or eliminating the future financial role of
the National Park Service.

S. 817 has several other provisions. It would provide for a new local
management entity for the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage
Corridor, replacing the existing Federal commission that has served as
the local coordinating entity with a nonprofit corporation, the Delaware
& Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Incorporated. It also authorizes
the new corporation to receive an additional five years of financial
assistance. This recommendation comes in part from a 2006 National Park
Service technical assistance study entitled *Connecting Stories,
Landscapes and People: Exploring the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage
Corridor Partnership,* which analyzed the strengths and challenges of
the heritage area including critical ingredients for sustained success
in the corridor. It identified options for the future including
alternatives for a new management entity, the involvement of state,
county and municipal governments, and the involvement of the National
Park Service.

The Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor has a strong record
of accomplishments including the development of the 165-mile D&L Trail
that forms the spine of the corridor, the innovative Corridor Market
Towns program, the Two Rivers Landing project, which is a model of
sustainable economic development, and the award-winning Lehigh Gap
Wildlife Refuge reclamation project. We believe that the legislative
language for the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor should
be amended to parallel that of the other four areas reauthorized in S.
817. We also believe that the area should build on the existing study to
develop recommendations on the role the National Park Service should
play in the future including the reduction and elimination of federal
funding.

The Department has no objection to the other provisions in the bill
relating to a name change for the Ohio and Erie National Heritage
Corridor and the deauthorization of the Ohio & Erie Canal National
Heritage Corridor Committee, the addition of a county to the Rivers of
Steel National Heritage Area, and other technical corrections to
existing national heritage areas laws.

The Department would welcome the opportunity to work with the committee
to make some technical corrections to section 4 of the bill relating to
the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. In addition, the
Department would like to work with the committee on amending this bill
to include a new section to make some conforming amendments to the
National Coal Heritage Area that were inadvertently left out last
Congress when S. 203 was enacted.

In conclusion, the Department notes the critical need for program
legislation to establish a framework for the designation of national
heritage areas and a process to evaluate the success of heritage areas
in carrying out their approved management plan while also planning for
their future as they approach the limits of their funding
authorizations.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my testimony and I am prepared to answer
any questions that you or other members of the committee might have at
this time.

**STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE,
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS OF
THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, CONCERNING S. 257,
TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO
DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING THE COLUMBIA-PACIFIC NATIONAL
HERITAGE AREA IN THE STATES OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON.**

# March 20, 2007

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to provide the Department of
the Interior's views on S. 257, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of establishing
the Columbia-Pacific National Heritage Area in the states of Washington
and Oregon.

The Department supports enactment of S. 257 with amendments that are
described later in this statement. These amendments would make the study
requirements in S. 257 fully consistent with the criteria for National
Heritage Area studies that were included in the Administration's
proposal for National Heritage Area program legislation that was
transmitted to Congress last July. Bills were introduced in the 109^th^
Congress (S. 243, H.R. 760 and H.R. 6287) that incorporated the majority
of the provisions of the Administration's proposal, and S. 243 passed
the Senate. During the 110^th^ Congress, a similar heritage area program
bill, S. 278, has been introduced, and we look forward to continuing to
work with Congress on this very important issue.

[]{.mark}

While the Department supports the authorization of this study, we also
believe that any funding requested should be directed first toward
completing previously authorized studies.

With 37 national heritage areas designated across 27 states, and more
heritage area legislative proposals in the pipeline, the Administration
believes it is critical at this juncture for Congress to enact national
heritage area program legislation. This legislation would provide a
much-needed framework for evaluating proposed national heritage areas,
offering guidelines for successful planning and management, clarifying
the roles and responsibilities of all parties, and standardizing
timeframes and funding for designated areas. Program legislation also
would clarify the expectation that heritage areas would work toward
self-sufficiency by outlining the necessary steps, including appropriate
planning, to achieve that shared goal.

Where the mighty Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, a unique
confluence of American history unfolds. For many millennia, the broad,
fog-shrouded, and dangerous Columbia River served as the home to the
Chinookan people. Over the years, the Chinook, Clatsop, Willapa,
Wiakakum and Cathlamet people developed a rich and complex society based
upon trade and the use of the abundant natural resources. These people
continue to live and work to keep their culture alive throughout the
region.

The entrance yielded to 18^th^ Century maritime and continental
explorers after Captain Sir Frances Drake and Captain Cook sailed off
the coast in search of the fabled Northwest Passage. In 1792, the first
ship under United States command in the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia
Rediviva, was the first non-native ship to enter the mouth of the great
river of the west. Captain Robert Gray named the four-mile-wide river
after his ship. Two months later, one of British Captain George
Vancouver's ships sailed up the Columbia River and claimed both banks of
the river for England. This created international tensions over disputed
territory that would remain unresolved for over 50 years.

International commerce flourished as American and European ships sought
to trade with the Chinook for furs. Ships would travel around Cape Horn,
trade for furs along the Columbia, then sail to China where the furs
would be traded for silk, spices, porcelain, and other goods.

In 1805, thirteen years after Captain Gray first entered the Columbia
River, the Lewis and Clark Expedition made the first overland journey to
the mouth of the Columbia, reaching their destination of the Pacific
Ocean. The Expedition wintered at Fort Clatsop and successfully returned
home. The Corps of Discovery's arrival and stay is commemorated at the
sites of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park and at state park
sites in Washington and Oregon, which are working in partnership with
the National Park Service to preserve and interpret the Corps of
Discovery story.

In 1811, John Jacob Astor established the first permanent American
settlement west of the Rocky Mountains, in Astoria. At the outbreak of
the War of 1812, Astoria was sold to the British Hudson's Bay Company
and was not returned to America until the late 1820's. After more than
50 years of contentious British and American ownership, possession of
the region was not resolved until both banks of the Columbia became
undisputed United States territory in 1846. Today, Astoria is known for
its Historic Districts with Victorian and Craftsman-style homes stacked
along its steep hillsides with an active working waterfront.

The natural geography of the Columbia River provided a ready-made
homeland defense for Native Americans. At the start of the Civil War,
the United States Army followed the example of the native people and
constructed forts and coastal defenses at the mouth of the Columbia.
Fort Stevens, Fort Columbia and Fort Canby (at Cape Disappointment)
remained in continuous operation guarding the Columbia River entrance
from the Civil War through the end of World War II.

The confluence of the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean has become known
as the "Graveyard of the Pacific." Hundreds of ships lay wrecked at the
entrance and along the nearby coast. In order to further trade and
commerce, the United States has worked for nearly 150 years to make
navigation of the Columbia River safe for mariners. Today, the United
States Coast Guard serves as the sentinels of the river, where every
year they protect thousands of lives and millions of dollars in
property.

For the last 200 years, people from all over the world have settled in
communities of the region to work in the industries in the area --
fishing, canneries, ship outfitting, timber harvesting, milling and
transportation, and international trade. These resource-based industries
have played and will continue to play a significant role in the region's
heritage.

The rich history of this region is set against a backdrop of rugged
scenic beauty. It includes the headlands at Ecola and Cape
Disappointment State parks, old growth forests in the Willapa National
Wildlife Refuge, abundant wildlife in the Lewis and Clark and Julia
Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuges, and miles of gentle beaches on
the Long Beach Peninsula and at Seaside, Oregon.

The study authorized by S. 257 would cover four counties close to the
confluence of the Columbia River and the Pacific Oceans where there is a
strong, broad-based local support for protecting and promoting these
resources. It is estimated to cost between \$200,000 and \$300,000.

S. 257 contains most, but not all, of the criteria for National Heritage
Area studies that the National Park Service believes is essential for
evaluating the feasibility of designating a National Heritage Area. The
bill omits criteria related to the identification of a local
coordinating entity and its roles and responsibilities. It also omits
criteria related to development of a conceptual boundary map. We would
be pleased to work with the committee to develop amendments that would
address these matters.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my testimony. I would be pleased to answer
any questions you or other members of the committee may have.

STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE ON
NATIONAL PARKS OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES,
CONCERNING S. 444, TO ESTABLISH THE SOUTH PARK NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA IN
THE STATE OF COLORADO, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

# MARCH 20, 2007 

Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the
opportunity to appear before you today to present the Department of the
Interior's views on S. 444, a bill to establish the South Park National
Heritage Area in the State of Colorado.

Park County, Colorado prepared a feasibility study for the South Park
National Heritage Area that determined that the South Park region is
appropriate for designation. The Park Service is reviewing this
feasibility study. Nevertheless, we recommend that the committee defer
action on S. 444 and all other proposed heritage area designations until
program legislation is enacted that establishes guidelines and a process
for the designation of national heritage areas. Last year, the
Administration sent to Congress a legislative proposal to establish
guidelines and a process for designation. Bills were introduced in the
109th Congress (S. 243, H.R. 760 and H.R. 6287) that incorporated the
majority of the provisions of the Administration's proposal, and S. 243
passed the Senate. During the 110th Congress, a similar heritage area
program bill, S. 278, has been introduced, and we look forward to
continuing to work with Congress on this very important issue.

With 37 national heritage areas designated across 27 states, and more
heritage area legislative proposals in the pipeline, the Administration
believes it is critical at this juncture for Congress to enact national
heritage area program legislation. This legislation would provide a
much-needed framework for evaluating proposed national heritage areas,
offering guidelines for successful planning and management, clarifying
the roles and responsibilities of all parties, and standardizing
timeframes and funding for designated areas. Program legislation also
would clarify the expectation that heritage areas would work toward
self-sufficiency by outlining the necessary steps, including appropriate
planning, to achieve that shared goal.

S. 444 would establish the South Park National Heritage Area to
recognize the outstanding and nationally significant assemblage of
natural, scenic, recreational and cultural resources found within South
Park, which encompasses the largest mountain shortgrass grassland ever
documented.

S. 444 contains safeguards to protect private property owners, including
a prohibition on the use of federal funding to acquire real property or
any interest in real property. The bill imposes no new provisions to
provide for public use and access to private property or any new
liabilities to property owners. The bill also does not modify or enlarge
the authority of the federal, State, or local governments to regulate
land use.

S. 444 would designate the Park County Tourism and Community Development
Office, in conjunction with the South Park National Heritage Area Board
of Directors as the management entity and outlines their duties. The
Park County Tourism and Development Office has played a key leadership
role in the conservation and interpretation of South Park\'s resources
since the area was designated a Colorado State Heritage Area in 1997.
The Board of Directors represents a broad spectrum of individuals,
agencies, organizations and governments who have been actively engaged
in the planning for the NHA. The bill authorizes the development of a
management plan for the NHA within three years of the enactment of this
Act, or risk becoming ineligible for federal funding until a plan is
submitted to the Secretary.

A feasibility study for the South Park National Heritage Area has been
prepared by Park County, Colorado, which addresses the ten interim
criteria used to assess National Heritage Area designations. That study
determined that the area is appropriate for designation.

South Park, a high mountain valley, or park, averages 9,000 feet in
elevation and rises to more than 14,000 feet in the surrounding Mosquito
and Tarryall Mountain ranges. These mountain ranges contain some of the
most extensive bristlecone pine forests in North America and 41 rare
plant species, three of which are found no where else in the world. The
Tarryall Mountains also contain the Lost Creek Scenic Area National
Natural Landmark, where geological forces have sculpted natural spires,
pinnacles, narrow gorges, and subterranean channels that cause Lost
Creek to disappear and reappear at least nine times on its cascading
journey through the park.

The mountainous region in the southwest corner of South Park also
includes Porcupine Cave, one of the richest and most diverse
paleontological sites in North America. At an elevation of 9.400 feet,
Porcupine Cave contains a vertebrate faunal collection from the Middle
Pleistocene Era in North America.

Entering South Park from 10,000 foot Kenosha Pass, visitors experience
one of the most dramatic and scenic views within the Rocky Mountains.
Encompassing nearly 1 million acres, this unique high elevation steppe
constitutes the most extensive montane shortgrass grassland ever
recorded. South Park also contains a unique wetland ecosystem containing
15 rare plants, nine rare insects, and two globally rare plant
communities

Evidence of Native American habitation can be traced back nearly 11,000
years to the end of the last ice age. South Park's high mountains, clear
streams, expansive grasslands, and abundant wildlife also attracted
pioneering settlers westward.

South Park represented one of the last frontiers in the settlement of
the continental United States, with hopeful prospectors arriving in the
mid-19^th^ century. Between 1859 and 1949, more than \$250 million in
gold and silver were produced within the Fairplay-Alma Mining District.
At 14,157 feet, the Present Help is the highest mine ever to operate in
the United States. Numerous other historic sites, mining towns, mills,
and cultural landscapes exist within South Park including the Snowstorm
Dredge, the last intact gold dredge in Colorado, currently on the list
of Colorado's Most Endangered Places.

Ranchers soon followed the miners into South Park, hoping to graze their
cattle on the rich grasslands and capitalize on the hearty appetites of
the miners. Many followed the famous Goodnight-Loving Trail up from
Young County, Texas and eastern Colorado. The highest concentration of
historic ranches can be found along the Tarryall River Corridor where a
recent survey identified more than 32 historic sites associated with
frontier ranching.

An hour's drive from the Denver Metro area, South Park also offers
abundant recreational opportunities. The South Park basin contains
portions of two wilderness areas - Lost Creek and Buffalo Peaks --
located on the Pike and San Isabel National Forests. The towering
Mosquito Mountain range offers the only place in the United States where
climbers can ascend four peaks above 14,000 feet in a single day. In
addition, South Park contains over 45 miles of Gold Medal Trout streams
available to anglers. At least six different driving tours have been
developed to help travelers learn more about the cultural and natural
heritage of South Park. Park County has identified four interpretive
themes to assist communities and other partners with their education
programs.

Support for the South Park National Heritage Area comes from a broad
spectrum of local, State and national governmental and non-profit
organizations. In addition, all State and federal land management
agencies with operations within South Park have endorsed the NHA and
stated their willingness to work collaboratively with the management
entity. In addition, a National Heritage Area Partnership has been
established, including 21 distinct entities such as the Central
Cattleman's Association and all local governments in Park County, to
help achieve the Congressionally authorized conservation and education
responsibilities.

If the committee chooses to move forward with this bill, the Department
would recommend that the bill be amended to include an additional
requirement for an evaluation to be conducted by the Secretary, three
years prior to the cessation of federal funding under this act. The
evaluation would examine the accomplishments of the heritage area in
meeting the goals of the management plan; analyze the leveraging and
impact of investments to the heritage area; identify the critical
components of the management structure and sustainability of the
heritage area; and recommend what future role, if any, the National Park
Service should have with respect to the heritage area.

We also recommend that the bill be amended to remove paragraph 6(a)(2)
which would authorize the management entity to use federal funds to
acquire conservation easements, paragraph 6(d)(2) which would require
100 percent federal funding prior to completion of the management plan,
and to change the termination authority in Section 11 to expire 15 years
after enactment. In addition, we would like to work with the
Subcommittee to ensure that the management planning process is
coordinated with the affected federal land management entities. These
amendments would make S. 444 consistent with other, similar, national
heritage area establishment bills and would allow the management entity
to use the limited funds available for purposes other than acquiring
potentially costly land interests.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my prepared remarks. I would be pleased to
answer any questions you or other members of the Subcommittee may have.

STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE ON
NATIONAL PARKS OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES,
CONCERNING S. 126, TO MODIFY THE BOUNDARY OF MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

# MARCH 20, 2007 

Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the
opportunity to appear before you today to present the Department of the
Interior's views on S. 126, a bill to modify the boundary of Mesa Verde
National Park.

The Department supports S. 126. This bill would adjust the boundary of
Mesa Verde National Park (park) by adding to the park a total of
approximately 360 acres, located near the park entrance. This land
includes 324 acres currently owned by the Henneman family and 38 acres
owned by the Mesa Verde Foundation. The Secretary is authorized to
acquire the land by donation, purchase from a willing seller with
donated or appropriated funds, or by exchange.

We estimate that \$45,000 would be required for closing and survey costs
for the Henneman property. Acquisition is estimated to cost
approximately \$1.5 million. At this time, operational costs are
estimated to be minimal and are not expected to exceed approximately
\$20,000 per year. This acquisition would have to compete with other
Park Service priorities for funds.

Mesa Verde was authorized as our nation's tenth national park in 1906
and currently includes 52,122 acres. The resources preserved at Mesa
Verde include more than 4,000 known archeological sites, three million
objects in the park's collections, and natural resources that provided a
rich environment and supported the lives of the Ancestral Puebloans who
lived there for more than 700 years.

The Henneman and Mesa Verde Foundation properties are adjacent to the
current park boundary and in full view from the entrance road into the
park. The property forms the foreground of the view of Point Lookout,
the promontory which Congress added to the park in 1931. In addition to
its strategic position at the park's entrance, the Henneman property
possesses Ancestral Puebloan sites, a several-hundred-year-old
pinyon-juniper forest, a major wildlife corridor and important winter
habitat, and the largest recorded population of the globally imperiled
Gray's Townsend daisy, a few of which are found within the current park
boundary.

The Hennemans approached Mesa Verde National Park in 2002 with their
desire to protect their property through its inclusion in the park.
Currently, the Henneman property could be developed and is zoned for
subdivision into 10-acre lots and the Hennemans have received written
offers from a developer interested in constructing a high-end RV park
and convention center on the property. Rather than selling for
development, the Hennemans have entered into a contract to sell their
property to The Conservation Fund by November 15, 2007, contingent upon
passage of this boundary legislation and the availability of funds to
acquire the property.

The Mesa Verde Foundation has been working with the park to provide a
visitor information center adjacent to the collections facility being
designed by the National Park Service for construction. The facility
will be located in part on the Foundation property. The Foundation
intends to donate their 38-acre parcel to the park, but cannot do so
until the land has been included within the park boundary.

We understand that the Hennemans have discussed their desire to include
their property in the park with the Montezuma County Commissioners. The
commissioners' position was neutral, stating that this is a
landowner-initiated project, and it is the right of the landowner to
exercise their property rights as they desire. They have also talked
with their neighbors about the proposal and no opposition has been
voiced.

We recommend one amendment to correct the map reference in the bill. In
section 3, paragraph 1 strike "entitled '2006 Proposed Mesa Verde
National Park Boundary Adjustment'." and insert "entitled 'Mesa Verde
National Park Proposed Boundary Adjustment' numbered 307/80,180, and
dated March 1, 2007."

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony. I would be happy to answer
any questions you or other members of the subcommittee might have.

**STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL
PARKS OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES,
CONCERNING S. 637, TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO CONDUCT
A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE SUITABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING THE
CHATTAHOOCHEE TRACE NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA
AND GEORGIA.**

# MARCH 20, 2007

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to provide the Department of
the Interior's views on S. 637, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to conduct a study to determine the suitability and feasibility
of establishing the Chattahoochee Trace National Heritage Corridor in
the states of Alabama and Georgia.

The Department supports enactment of S. 637. Last year, the
Administration sent to Congress a legislative proposal to establish
guidelines and a process for designation. Bills were introduced in the
109th Congress (S. 243, H.R. 760 and H.R. 6287) that incorporated the
majority of the provisions of the Administration's proposal, and S. 243
passed the Senate. During the 110th Congress, a similar heritage area
program bill, S. 278, has been introduced, and we look forward to
continuing to work with Congress on this very important issue.

With 37 national heritage areas designated across 27 states, and more
heritage area legislative proposals in the pipeline, the Administration
believes it is critical at this juncture for Congress to enact national
heritage area program legislation. This legislation would provide a
much-needed framework for evaluating proposed national heritage areas,
offering guidelines for successful planning and management, clarifying
the roles and responsibilities of all parties, and standardizing
timeframes and funding for designated areas. Program legislation also
would clarify the expectation that heritage areas would work toward
self-sufficiency by outlining the necessary steps, including appropriate
planning, to achieve that shared goal.

The study would focus on an area known as the Chattahoochee Trace, which
lies in the lower Chattahoochee Valley in the states of Alabama and
Georgia. This area includes eighteen counties, seven in Alabama and
eleven in Georgia, which are located near or adjacent to the
Chattahoochee River in the lower halves of the two states. The
Chattahoochee Trace has an abundance of cultural, natural, recreational,
and scenic resources. Much of the area's history revolves around the
Chattahoochee River, which has long served as a food source,
transportation route, and an engine for commerce. Centuries before the
arrival of European settlers, the lower Chattahoochee Valley was
inhabited by Native Americans that relied on the river for everyday
life. The abundance of prehistoric archaeological sites indicates that
humans lived along the banks of the river and its tributaries dating
back thousands of years. From approximately 350 to 600 A.D., Kolomoki,
near the present day town of Blakely, was one of the most populous
settlements north of Mexico. Today, the seven mounds at Kolomoki are one
of the impressive archeological sites that reflect upon the
Chattahoochee Trace's ancient past.

The area is layered with many other facets of American history. In the
late seventeenth century Spanish monks built the mission and fort of
Apalachicola on the west bank of the Chattahoochee River, in present day
Russell County, Alabama, about fifteen miles south of Columbus, Georgia.
In the early eighteenth century, merchants from French Louisiana began
trading with the Native Americans in the lower Chattahoochee Valley,
ushering in an era of great economic activity. In the years that
followed, commercial enterprises flourished, including cotton
plantations, textile mills, and riverboat companies. In the antebellum
period, the river-borne cotton trade led to the emergence of a
prosperous agricultural economy that was, regrettably, dependent on
slave labor for its growth. During this era, the river served as the
lower Chattahoochee Valley\'s outlet to the world, connecting the
plantations in the region with the international cotton market via New
Orleans and ultimately Liverpool, England.

Heading into the twentieth century, hydroelectric power, which was first
used in Columbus in 1882, emerged as an important industry in the lower
Chattahoochee Valley. By the 1920s, dams on the Chattahoochee River near
Columbus were providing electricity to thousands of customers, and the
area quickly came to be recognized for its role in power generation.
Columbus was so well-known for its hydroelectricity industry that it was
dubbed the \"electric city\" in the early 1900s. One turbine at the
Eagle and Phenix Mills powerhouse, installed in 1898, still produces
electricity today.

The scenic beauty of the river has been showcased in such places as
Columbus and Phenix City, Alabama, where recent redevelopment projects
have emphasized a re-orientation towards the river. A significant period
of urban renewal and revitalization began in the mid 1990s and continues
today. With these improvements, residents and businesses began moving
back to formerly blighted areas. Examples of such municipal projects
include the construction of the Columbus Riverwalk Park, the new Port
Columbus Civil War Naval Museum, and the initial implementation of
Phenix City's riverfront revitalization plan.

Swimming, fishing, scenic drives, and strolls on the riverbank are just
a few of the many recreational activities available to visitors to the
Chattahoochee Trace. In the twentieth century, the creation of large
lakes along the river further enhanced the Chattahoochee River\'s
recreational opportunities. For example, Lake Eufaula, near Fort Gaines,
Georgia, features 640 miles of shoreline. Last year, the lake attracted
approximately 4.5 million visitors that engaged in such popular
activities as camping, hunting, boating, and trophy fishing. The lake is
managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and features several
adjacent protected lands, including the Eufaula National Wildlife
Refuge, Lakepoint State Park in Alabama, and Florence Marina and George
T. Bagby State Parks in Georgia.

Since 1970, the Historic Chattahoochee Commission (Commission) has been
responsible for administering a variety of programs throughout the
Chattahoochee Trace. For the first eight years of its existence, the
Commission operated as an agency of the State of Alabama. In 1978, the
Georgia General Assembly and the Alabama Legislature passed identical
legislation to establish an interstate compact for operation of the
Commission. Among its many functions, the Commission is responsible for
promoting tourism, historic preservation, and recreational development
throughout the Chattahoochee Trace. Through the years the Commission has
undertaken a number of important projects to further its goals,
including a historical markers program, development of theme-based
tours, a photographic folk life project, production of educational
materials, historical architectural surveys, and the distribution of
preservation grants.

The study that would be conducted under S. 637 is estimated to cost
between \$200,000 and \$300,000. Mr. Chairman that concludes my
testimony. I will be pleased to answer any questions you or other
members of the committee may have.

**STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE,
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS,
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, CONCERNING S. 500 AND
H.R. 512, BILLS TO ESTABLISH THE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE POTENTIAL
CREATION OF A NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN LATINO COMMUNITY TO
DEVELOP A PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF A
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN LATINO COMMUNITY IN WASHINGTON, DC**

**March 20, 2007**

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the
opportunity to appear before you today to present the Department of the
Interior's views on S. 500 and H.R. 512, bills to establish the
Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the
American Latino Community (Commission) to develop a plan of action for
the establishment and maintenance of a National Museum of the American
Latino Community in Washington, D.C.

The Department has no objection to the concept of establishing a
commission to study the potential creation of a national museum for the
American Latino community, and we suggest that a technical correction be
made to S. 500 to make it consistent with the House-passed companion
bill, H.R. 512. We note that other agencies, such as the Smithsonian
Institution, may be able to provide more insight on the benefits as well
as the significant budget implications of establishing and operating a
separate museum in this time of constrained budgets. We suggest that the
General Services Administration (GSA) rather than the Department of the
Interior provide the administrative support, since it is our
understanding that the GSA has an office set up to provide such services
for other commissions.

S. 500 and H.R. 512 would establish a Commission to study and report on
the potential creation of a museum, the availability and cost of
collections to be acquired and housed in the museum, possible locations,
the organizational structure from which the museum should operate, and
how to engage the American Latino Community in the development and
design of a museum. The Commission would consist of 23 voting and
non-voting members appointed by the President and Congressional
leadership. The legislation would require that the Commission convene a
national conference on the museum no later than 18 months after the
commission members are selected and submit recommendations for a
legislative plan to create and construct the museum based on the
findings of its study no later than 24 months after the date of the
Commission's first meeting. The bill would require the Secretary of the
Interior to provide administrative services, facilities, and funds
necessary for the operation of the Commission with funds made available
prior to any meetings of the Commission.

We suggest that S. 500 and H.R. 512 be amended to drop the requirement
that the Secretary of the Interior provide administrative services,
facilities, and funds necessary for the operation of the Commission as
well as determine the daily rate of compensation for Commission members.
The Department does not have available funds to provide such support. We
suggest, alternatively, that the General Services Administration (GSA)
provide such administrative support. We recommend a technical correction
be made to S.500 to specify the Committees to receive the report
containing the Commission\'s recommendations for a plan of action and
the report on issues.

We appreciate that both S. 500 and H.R. 512 have been improved over the
past versions of the legislation by providing the Commission with a full
opportunity to consider a wide variety of potentially appropriate and
worthy locations for the museum and directing the Commission to consult
with the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine
Arts during such consideration. This requirement supports the purpose
and follows guidelines provided by the "Memorials and Museums Master
Plan," described further below. Previous proposals contained provisions
limiting the study to specific sites to be considered including
locations on or near the National Mall.

The location for a museum is of paramount importance to all federal
agencies, including the Department of the Interior, the National Capital
Planning Commission, and the Commission of Fine Arts. In September 2001,
the Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission,
and the Department of the Interior through the Secretary's National
Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, adopted the Memorials and Museums
Master Plan (2M Plan) to guide the location of new memorials, museums,
and related structures in the Nation's Capital. The 2M Plan states that
future memorials and museums should be precluded from being located in
"The Reserve," an area described as the great cross-axis of the National
Mall extending from the United States Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial
and from the White House to the Jefferson Memorial. Congress concurred
with the need to protect The Reserve from overdevelopment, calling this
area "a substantially completed work of civic art," and, on November 13,
2003, with enactment of amendments to the Commemorative Works Act, The
Reserve was established by statute. The amendments also preclude
commemorative works which are primarily designed as museums from being
located on parkland in Area I or in East Potomac Park. In addition, the
National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, in
partnership with the National Park Service and other key federal and
local agencies, are developing a National Capital Framework Plan that
will facilitate use of some of the 2M Plan sites for nationally
significant museums and memorials. Both the 2M Plan and the National
Capital Framework Plan will provide useful guidance to the new
Commission.

The National Park Service is proud to be the steward of monuments along
Virginia Avenue to commemorate Spanish General Bernardo de Galvez, ally
to the American colonies during the American Revolution, and four South
American heroes, Simon Bolivar, Jose de San Martin, Benito Pablo Juarez,
and Jose Gervasio Artigas. All five statues were memorial gifts to the
people of the United States from the people of Spain, Venezuela,
Argentina, Mexico and Uruguay to recognize these liberators of Bolivia,
Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, Mexico, and Uruguay.
These memorials celebrate the bonds between our nations; and while
American Latinos have the opportunity to trace their ancestry back to
these origins, there is no permanent historical context in Washington,
D.C. that provides an opportunity to focus on the significant cultural
events and contributions representing these citizens of the United
States.

We support, in concept, the proposal to further the education and
interpretation of significant segments of American history and culture,
however, we feel strongly that this Commission move forward in a way
that does not contravene the thoughtful and comprehensive plans
undertaken to govern the growth of the Nation's Capital or weaken the
protections which Congress has provided to the National Mall.

If the subcommittee decides to move S. 500 instead of H.R. 512, we
recommend that the technical correction be made to S. 500 to make it
consistent with the House-passed companion bill, H.R. 512. Mr. Chairman,
this concludes my prepared testimony. I would be pleased to answer any
questions you or other members of the subcommittee may have.

STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE ON
NATIONAL PARKS OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES,
CONCERNING S. 443, TO ESTABLISH THE SANGRE DE CRISTO NATIONAL HERITAGE
AREA IN THE STATE OF COLORADO, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

# MARCH 20, 2007 

Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the
opportunity to appear before you today to present the Department of the
Interior's views on S. 443, a bill to establish the Sangre de Cristo
National Heritage Area in the State of Colorado.

Two grassroots organizations, the Los Amigos Caminos Antiguos Scenic and
Historic Byway and the Sangre de Cristo NHA Steering Committee,
collaborated on a 2005 study which found the Sangre de Cristo region
appropriate for designation. Nevertheless, we recommend that the
committee defer action on S. 443 and all other proposed heritage area
designations until program legislation is enacted that establishes
guidelines and a process for the designation of national heritage areas.
Last year, the Administration sent to Congress a legislative proposal to
establish guidelines and a process for designation. Bills were
introduced in the 109th Congress (S. 243, H.R. 760 and H.R. 6287) that
incorporated the majority of the provisions of the Administration's
proposal, and S. 243 passed the Senate. During the 110th Congress, a
similar heritage area program bill, S. 278, has been introduced, and we
look forward to continuing to work with Congress on this very important
issue.

With 37 national heritage areas designated across 27 states, and more
heritage area legislative proposals in the pipeline, the Administration
believes it is critical at this juncture for Congress to enact national
heritage area program legislation. This legislation would provide a
much-needed framework for evaluating proposed national heritage areas,
offering guidelines for successful planning and management, clarifying
the roles and responsibilities of all parties, and standardizing
timeframes and funding for designated areas. Program legislation also
would clarify the expectation that heritage areas would work toward
self-sufficiency by outlining the necessary steps, including appropriate
planning, to achieve that shared goal.

S. 443 would establish the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area (NHA)
to recognize the outstanding and nationally significant natural,
cultural, scenic and recreational resources found within the San Luis
Valley of Colorado. The Department testified, in a hearing before this
subcommittee, on S. 2037, a similar bill, in the 109^th^ Congress.

S. 443 contains safeguards to protect private property, including a
prohibition on the use of federal funds to acquire real property. The
bill proposes no new restrictions with regard to public use and access
to private property and does not convey any water right or water
restrictions to the federal government.

S. 443 designates the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area Board of
Directors as the management entity and outlines their duties. The Board
represents a broad spectrum of the valley's residents, organizations,
and agencies that were involved in the planning for the NHA. The bill
also authorizes the development of a management plan within three years
of enactment and authorizes the use of federal funds to develop and
implement that plan. If the plan is not submitted within three years of
enactment of this Act, the Heritage Area becomes ineligible for federal
funding until a plan is submitted to the Secretary. Additionally, the
Secretary may, at the request of the management entity, provide
technical assistance and enter into cooperative agreements with other
public and private entities.

Exceeding 7,700 feet in elevation, the San Luis Valley is flanked by the
Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountains and the geology and climatology
within the valley have contributed to the formation of America's tallest
Sand Dunes, part of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

The Rio Grande, the second largest river in North America, has its
headwaters within the proposed NHA and twists its way through the San
Luis Valley on a 1,900-mile journey, offering outstanding scenic and
recreational opportunities, including trout fishing, rafting, and
tubing. The availability of water in this largely arid and alpine
environment tends to concentrate the abundant wildlife in highly visible
and public preserves creating exceptional wildlife and bird watching
opportunities.

The area's rich natural resources include one National Park, three
National Wildlife Refuges, one National Forest, two National Forest
Wilderness Areas, six Areas of Critical Environmental Concern
administered by the Bureau of Land Management, and 15 State Wildlife
Areas. The cultural resources associated with the proposed national
heritage are equally impressive. The San Luis Valley with its abundant
natural resources may have been inhabited by native peoples including
the Ute, Navajo, Apache, Tiwa, Tewa, Comanche, Kiowa, and Arapaho for
more than 12,000 years.

More recently, the San Luis Valley served as a crossroads for European
exploration and settlement. Spanish explorers and Franciscan priests
first entered the valley in 1776 in an attempt to strengthen Spain's
weak hold on her remote empire. Captain Zebulon Montgomery Pike camped
in the shadows of the Sangre de Cristo Range along the banks of the
Conejos River and was captured by Spanish soldiers, arrested for
trespassing on Spanish soil, and escorted to Mexico for questioning. His
campsite is commemorated as a National Historic Landmark along with 22
other properties that are listed on the National Register of Historic
Places.

Extensive Mexican land grants triggered the initial settlement of the
area as families from northern New Mexico found enough water to support
their sheep and water their crops. The proposed NHA contains the oldest
continuously occupied town in Colorado, (San Luis), the oldest parish
(Our Lady of Guadalupe), the oldest church (San Acacio), and the first
water right (San Luis People's Ditch).

The Hispanic cultural traditions associated with this first wave of
European settlement can still be found in this isolated and
predominantly agricultural region of Colorado where a version of 17^th^
century Spanish is still spoken by about 35% of the population.

The feasibility of recognizing the area's impressive cultural and
natural resources as a national heritage area was the subject of a study
produced in 2005 by two grassroots organizations, the Los Amigos Caminos
Antiguos Scenic and Historic Byway, in conjunction with the Sangre de
Cristo NHA Steering Committee.

The feasibility study was largely based upon the results of a symposium
held in the fall of 2002 where scientists, historians, and
anthropologists from interested colleges as well as local ranchers,
community leaders, and tribal elders presented papers on the history,
natural resources and local culture of the San Luis Valley. The
feasibility study identified four interpretive themes for the NHA and
addressed the ten interim criteria that the National Park Service has
developed for designation of national heritage areas. The study
concluded that the area's cultural and natural resources met those
criteria.

All local governments within the proposed area have passed resolutions
in support of the establishment of the proposed NHA. Moreover, State and
federal land managers within the proposed NHA have expressed a
willingness to work with the management entity in accomplishing their
congressionally authorized conservation and education responsibilities.

If the committee chooses to move forward with this bill, the Department
would recommend that the bill be amended to include an additional
requirement for an evaluation to be conducted by the Secretary, three
years prior to the cessation of federal funding under this act. The
evaluation would examine the accomplishments of the heritage area in
meeting the goals of the management plan; analyze the leveraging and
impact of investments to the heritage area; identify the critical
components of the management structure and sustainability of the
heritage area; and recommend what future role, if any, the National Park
Service should have with respect to the heritage area.

We also recommend that the bill be amended to remove paragraph 5(d)(2)
which would require 100 percent federal funding prior to completion of
the management plan and to change the termination authority in Section
11 to expire 15 years after enactment. In addition, we would like to
work with the Subcommittee to ensure that the management planning
process is coordinated with the affected federal land management
entities. These amendments would make S. 443 consistent with other,
similar, national heritage area establishment bills.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my prepared remarks. I would be pleased to
answer any questions you or other members of the Subcommittee may have.