Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area Act

Summary: Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area Act - (Sec. 3) Establishes the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area in the state of Washington, consisting of specified land in King and Kittitas counties.  Allows King or Kittitas county to elect at any time to be excluded from the Heritage Area.  Requires the Secretary of the Interior to select the local coordinating entity for the Heritage Area. (Sec. 4) Requires the coordinating entity to submit a proposed management plan to King and Kittitas counties for approval before submitting the plan to the Secretary.  Requires the plan to include: (1) consideration of the state of Washington's government plans; (2) descriptions of partnership collaborations and actions that governments, private organizations, and individuals have agreed to take to protect the area; and (3) recommendations to coordinate federal, state, and local programs, including the role of the National Park Service (NPS). Requires the Secretary to approve or disapprove the plan based on specified criteria, including whether the public and federal, state, tribal, and local governments were afforded an opportunity to be involved in the preparation of plan. Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance to the state, political subdivisions of the state, nonprofit organizations, and other interested parties. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary, within 10 years after enactment of this Act, to submit to Congress a report evaluating the Heritage Area's coordinating entity, private and government investments, management structure, partnerships, and funding. Requires the report to include recommendations for the NPS's future role in the Heritage Area. (Sec. 6) Directs the coordinating entity to report to the Secretary every five years after the Secretary has approved a management plan. Requires the report to specify the entity's expenses and income, as well as grants or contracts made by the coordinating entity to other entities.  Prohibits the coordinating entity from acquiring real property with federal funds or through condemnation. (Sec. 7) Encourages federal agencies planning to conduct activities that may impact the Heritage Area to consult and coordinate with the Secretary and the local coordinating entity to the maximum extent practicable. (Sec. 8) Prohibits this Act from altering the rights of property owners or affecting certain existing federal, state, tribal, or local projects, agreements, or regulatory requirements.  (Sec. 9) Declares that nothing in this Act authorizes the Secretary to allocate or distribute federal funds to the local coordinating entity or to expend federal funds for any purpose other than as specified in this Act.  (Sec. 10) Terminates the Secretary's authority to provide assistance 15 years after enactment of this Act.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mountains to Sound Greenway National 
Heritage Area Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the 
        Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area established 
        in this Act.
            (2) Local coordinating entity.--The term ``local 
        coordinating entity'' means the entity selected by the 
        Secretary under section 3(d).
            (3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map titled ``Mountains 
        to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area Proposed Boundary'', 
        numbered 584/125,484 and dated January 31, 2011.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (5) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of 
        Washington.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF THE MOUNTAINS TO SOUND GREENWAY NATIONAL 
              HERITAGE AREA.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the Mountains to 
Sound Greenway National Heritage Area in the State, to consist of land 
in King and Kittitas counties in the State, as generally depicted on 
the map, unless the county commission of King or Kittitas county elects 
at any time to be excluded from the Heritage Area, in which case that 
county shall not be part of the Heritage Area.
    (b) Map.--The map shall be on file and available to the public in 
the appropriate offices of the National Park Service, United States 
Forest Service, and the local coordinating entity.
    (c) Local Coordinating Entity.--The Secretary shall select a local 
coordinating entity for the Heritage Area.

SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT PLAN.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act and subject to subsection (b)(4), the local 
coordinating entity shall submit to the Secretary for approval a 
proposed management plan for the Heritage Area.
    (b) Requirements.--The management plan shall--
            (1) incorporate an integrated and cooperative approach for 
        the protection, enhancement, management, and interpretation of 
        the natural, cultural, historic, scenic, and recreational 
        resources of the Heritage Area;
            (2) take into consideration State government plans;
            (3) include--
                    (A) an inventory of the resources of the Heritage 
                Area;
                    (B) an inventory of any other property in the 
                Heritage Area that is related to the themes of the 
                Heritage Area, and should be preserved, restored, 
                managed or maintained because of the significance of 
                the property;
                    (C) comprehensive policies, strategies and 
                recommendations for conservation, funding, management, 
                and development of the Heritage Area;
                    (D) a description of actions that governments, 
                private organizations, and individuals have agreed to 
                take to protect the natural, historical and cultural 
                resources of the Heritage Area;
                    (E) a program of implementation for the management 
                plan by the local coordinating entity that includes a 
                description of--
                            (i) actions to facilitate ongoing 
                        collaboration among partners to promote plans 
                        for resource protection, restoration, and 
                        construction; and
                            (ii) specific commitments for 
                        implementation that have been made by the local 
                        coordinating entity or any government, 
                        organization or individual for the first five 
                        years of operation;
                    (F) analysis and recommendations for means by which 
                Federal, State, and local programs, including the role 
                of the National Park Service in the Heritage Area, may 
                best be coordinated to carry out this Act;
                    (G) an interpretative plan for the Heritage Area; 
                and
            (4) be submitted to the county commissions of King and 
        Kittitas counties in the State for approval by the commissions 
        before the management plan is submitted to the Secretary, 
        unless the county has elected not to be part of the Heritage 
        Area.
    (c) Approval or Disapproval of Management Plan.--
            (1) Review.--Not later than 180 days after receiving the 
        management plan for the Heritage Area, the Secretary shall 
        review and, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture 
        and State, approve or disapprove the management plan on the 
        basis of the criteria established under paragraph (2).
            (2) Criteria for approval.--In determining whether to 
        approve a management plan for a Heritage Area, the Secretary 
        shall consider whether--
                    (A) the local coordinating entity represents the 
                diverse interests of the Heritage Area, including 
                governments, natural and historic resource protection 
                organizations, educational institutions, businesses, 
                recreational organizations, and private property 
                owners;
                    (B) the local coordinating entity has afforded 
                adequate opportunity, including public hearings, for 
                the public and Federal, State, tribal, and local 
                governmental involvement in the preparation of the 
                management plan; and
                    (C) the resource protection and interpretation 
                strategies contained in the management plan, if 
                implemented, would adequately protect the natural, 
                historical, and cultural resources of the Heritage 
                Area.
    (d) Disapproval.--
            (1) In general.--If the Secretary disapproves the 
        management plan, the Secretary shall--
                    (A) advise the local coordinating entity in writing 
                of the reasons for the disapproval; and
                    (B) make recommendations to the local coordinating 
                entity for revisions to the management plan.
            (2) Deadline.--Not later than 180 days after receiving a 
        revised management plan, the Secretary shall approve or 
        disapprove the revised management plan.
    (e) Amendments.--
            (1) In general.--An amendment to the management plan that 
        substantially changes the management plan shall be reviewed by 
        the Secretary and approved or disapproved in the same manner as 
        the original management plan.
            (2) County review and approval.--No amendment may be 
        submitted to the Secretary under paragraph (1) until and unless 
        the amendment is first reviewed and approved by the county 
        commissions for King and Kittitas counties in the State (unless 
        that county has elected not to be part of the Heritage Area).
            (3) Implementation.--The local coordinating entity shall 
        not implement an amendment to the management plan until the 
        Secretary approves the amendment.
    (f) Authorities.--The Secretary may provide technical assistance to 
the State, political subdivisions of the State, nonprofit 
organizations, and other interested parties.

SEC. 5. EVALUATION; REPORTING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 10 years after the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Agriculture, shall--
            (1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplishments of the 
        Heritage Area; and
            (2) prepare and submit a report pursuant to subsection (c).
    (b) Evaluation.--An evaluation conducted under this subsection 
shall--
            (1) assess the progress of the local coordinating entity 
        with respect to--
                    (A) accomplishing the purposes of the authorizing 
                legislation for the Heritage Area; and
                    (B) achieving the goals and objectives of the 
                approved management plan for the Heritage Area;
            (2) analyze the Federal, State, tribal, local, and private 
        investments in the Heritage Area to determine the impact of the 
        investments; and
            (3) review the management structure, partnership 
        relationships, and funding of the Heritage Area for purposes of 
        identifying the critical components for sustainability of the 
        Heritage Area.
    (c) Report.--Based on the evaluation conducted under subsection 
(b), the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Natural 
Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate. The report shall include 
recommendations for the future role of the National Park Service with 
respect to the Heritage Area.

SEC. 6. LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.

    (a) Duties.--To further the purposes of the Heritage Area, the 
local coordinating entity shall--
            (1) prepare and submit a management plan for the Heritage 
        Area to the Secretary in accordance with section 4;
            (2) submit a report to the Secretary every five years after 
        the Secretary has approved the management plan, specifying--
                    (A) the expenses and income of the local 
                coordinating entity; and
                    (B) significant grants or contracts made by the 
                local coordinating entity to any other entities during 
                the five-year period.
    (b) Authorities.--To further the purposes of the Heritage Area, the 
local coordinating entity may--
            (1) make grants to the State, or a political subdivision of 
        the State, nonprofit organizations, and other parties within 
        the National Heritage Area;
            (2) enter into cooperative agreements with or provide 
        technical assistance to political jurisdictions, nonprofit 
        organizations, Federal agencies, and other interested parties;
            (3) hire and compensate staff, which shall include 
        individuals with expertise in natural, cultural, and historical 
        resources protection, heritage programming, and economic and 
        community development;
            (4) obtain funds or services that are provided under any 
        Federal law or program not specifically applicable to national 
        heritage areas;
            (5) contract for goods or services;
            (6) support activities that further the Heritage Area and 
        are consistent with the approved management plan;
            (7) assist units of local government, regional planning 
        organizations, and nonprofit organizations in carrying out the 
        approved management plan by--
                    (A) carrying out programs and projects that 
                recognize, protect, and enhance important resource 
                values in the Heritage Area;
                    (B) establishing and maintaining interpretative 
                exhibits and programs in the Heritage Area;
                    (C) developing recreational and educational 
                opportunities in the Heritage Area;
                    (D) increasing public awareness of, and 
                appreciation for, natural, historical, scenic, and 
                cultural resources of the Heritage Area;
                    (E) protecting and restoring historic sites and 
                buildings in the Heritage Area that are consistent with 
                the Heritage Area themes;
                    (F) ensuring that clear, consistent, and 
                appropriate signs identifying points of public access 
                and sites of interest are posted throughout the 
                Heritage Area; and
                    (G) promoting a wide range of partnerships among 
                governments, organizations, and individuals to further 
                the Heritage Area;
            (8) consider the interests of diverse units of government, 
        businesses, organizations, and individuals in the Heritage Area 
        in the preparation and implementation of the management plan;
            (9) conduct meetings open to the public at least 
        semiannually regarding the development and implementation of 
        the management plan;
            (10) for any year that Federal funds have been received by 
        the local coordinating entity--
                    (A) submit to the Secretary an annual report that 
                describes the activities, expenses, and income of the 
                local coordinating entity (including grants to any 
                other entities during the year that the report is 
                made);
                    (B) make available to the Secretary for audit all 
                records relating to the expenditure of the funds and 
                any matching funds; and
                    (C) require, with respect to all agreements 
                authorizing expenditure of Federal funds by other 
                organizations, that the organizations receiving the 
                funds make available to the Secretary for audit all 
                records concerning the expenditure of the funds; and
            (11) encourage by appropriate means economic vitality that 
        is consistent with the Heritage Area.
    (c) Prohibition on Acquisition of Real Property.--The local 
coordinating entity may not acquire real property or interests in real 
property with Federal funds or through condemnation.

SEC. 7. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) In General.--Nothing in this Act affects the authority of a 
Federal agency to provide technical or financial assistance under any 
other law.
    (b) Consultation and Coordination.--Any Federal agency planning to 
conduct activities that may have an impact on the Heritage Area is 
encouraged to consult and coordinate the activities with the Secretary 
and the local coordinating entity to the maximum extent practicable.
    (c) Other Federal Agencies.--Nothing in this Act--
            (1) modifies, alters, or amends any law or regulation 
        authorizing a Federal agency to manage Federal land under the 
        jurisdiction of the Federal agency;
            (2) limits the discretion of a Federal land manager to 
        implement an approved land use plan within the boundaries of 
        the Heritage Area; or
            (3) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized use of 
        Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Federal agency.

SEC. 8. PRIVATE PROPERTY AND REGULATORY PROTECTIONS.

    Nothing in this Act--
            (1) abridges the rights of any property owner (whether 
        public or private), including the right to refrain from 
        participating in any plan, project, program, or activity 
        conducted within the Heritage Area;
            (2) requires any property owner to permit public access 
        (including access by Federal, State, tribal, or local agencies) 
        to the property of the property owner, or to modify public 
        access or use of property of the property owner under any other 
        Federal, State, tribal, or local law;
            (3) alters any duly adopted land use regulation, approved 
        land use plan, or other regulatory authority (such as the 
        authority to make safety improvements or increase the capacity 
        of existing roads or to construct new roads or associated 
        developments) of any Federal, State, tribal, local unit of 
        government or local agency, or conveys any land use or other 
        regulatory authority to any local coordinating entity, 
        including but not necessarily limited to development and 
        management of energy, water or water-related infrastructure;
            (4) alters, modifies, diminishes, or extinguishes the 
        treaty rights of any Indian tribe within the Heritage Area;
            (5) authorizes or implies the reservation or appropriation 
        of water or water rights;
            (6) diminishes the authority of the State to manage fish 
        and wildlife, including the regulation of fishing and hunting 
        within the Heritage Area;
            (7) creates any liability, or affects any liability under 
        any other law, of any private property owner;
            (8) affects current or future grazing permits, leases or 
        allotments on Federal lands; or
            (9) affects the construction, operation, maintenance, 
        improvement or expansion of current or future water projects, 
        including water storage, hydroelectric facilities, or delivery 
        systems.

SEC. 9. CLARIFICATION.

    Nothing in this Act authorizes the Secretary--
            (1) to allocate or distribute Federal funds to the local 
        coordinating entity; or
            (2) to expend Federal funds for any purpose under this Act 
        except for those purposes specifically enumerated to the 
        Secretary under section 3, subsections (c), (d), (e) and (f) of 
        section 4, and section 5.

SEC. 10. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.

    The authority of the Secretary to provide assistance under this Act 
terminates on the date that is 15 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act.