Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Act of 1997

Summary: Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Act of 1997 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to provide technical and financial assistance to:  (1) identify, conserve, restore, and interpret natural, recreational, historical, and cultural resources within the Chesapeake Bay watershed; (2) identify and utilize such sources as Chesapeake Bay Gateways sites for enhancing public education of and access to the Bay; (3) link such Gateways sites with trails, roads, byways, and other connections; (4) develop and establish Chesapeake Bay Watertrails comprising water routes and connections to the Gateways sites and other land resources within the watershed; and (5) create a network of Gateways sites and Watertrails, including within such network State or Federal parks or refuges, historic seaports, and archaeological, cultural, historical, or recreational sites. 
Directs the Secretary to establish a Chesapeake Bay Gateways Grants Assistance Program. 
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Chesapeake Bay Gateways and 
Watertrails Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Chesapeake bay gateways sites.--The term ``Chesapeake 
        Bay Gateways sites'' means the Chesapeake Bay Gateways sites 
        identified under section 5(a)(2).
            (2) Chesapeake bay gateways and watertrails network.--The 
        term ``Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network'' means 
        the network of Chesapeake Bay Gateways sites and Chesapeake Bay 
        Watertrails created under section 5(a)(5).
            (3) Chesapeake bay watershed.--The term ``Chesapeake Bay 
        Watershed'' shall have the meaning determined by the Secretary.
            (4) Chesapeake bay watertrails.--The term ``Chesapeake Bay 
        Watertrails'' means the Chesapeake Bay Watertrails established 
        under section 5(a)(4).
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior (acting through the Director of the National 
        Park Service).

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure and a 
        resource of international significance;
            (2) the region within the Chesapeake Bay watershed 
        possesses outstanding natural, cultural, historical, and 
        recreational resources that combine to form nationally 
        distinctive and linked waterway and terrestrial landscapes;
            (3) there is a need to study and interpret the connection 
        between the unique cultural heritage of human settlements 
        throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and the waterways and 
        other natural resources that led to the settlements and on 
        which the settlements depend; and
            (4) as a formal partner in the Chesapeake Bay Program, the 
        Secretary has an important responsibility--
                    (A) to further assist regional, State, and local 
                partners in efforts to increase public awareness of and 
                access to the Chesapeake Bay;
                    (B) to help communities and private landowners 
                conserve important regional resources; and
                    (C) to study, interpret, and link the regional 
                resources with each other and with Chesapeake Bay 
                Watershed conservation, restoration, and education 
                efforts.

SEC. 4. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to identify opportunities for increased public access 
        to and education about the Chesapeake Bay;
            (2) to provide financial and technical assistance to 
        communities for conserving important natural, cultural, 
        historical, and recreational resources within the Chesapeake 
        Bay Watershed; and
            (3) to link appropriate national parks, waterways, 
        monuments, parkways, wildlife refuges, other national historic 
        sites, and regional or local heritage areas into a network of 
        Chesapeake Bay Gateways sites and Chesapeake Bay Watertrails.

SEC. 5. CHESAPEAKE BAY GATEWAYS AND WATERTRAILS NETWORK.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall provide technical and 
financial assistance, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, State 
and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and the private 
sector--
            (1) to identify, conserve, restore, and interpret natural, 
        recreational, historical, and cultural resources within the 
        Chesapeake Bay Watershed;
            (2) to identify and utilize the collective resources as 
        Chesapeake Bay Gateways sites for enhancing public education of 
        and access to the Chesapeake Bay;
            (3) to link the Chesapeake Bay Gateways sites with trails, 
        tour roads, scenic byways, and other connections as determined 
        by the Secretary;
            (4) to develop and establish Chesapeake Bay Watertrails 
        comprising water routes and connections to Chesapeake Bay 
        Gateways sites and other land resources within the Chesapeake 
        Bay Watershed; and
            (5) to create a network of Chesapeake Bay Gateways sites 
        and Chesapeake Bay Watertrails.
    (b) Components.--Components of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and 
Watertrails Network may include--
            (1) State or Federal parks or refuges;
            (2) historic seaports;
            (3) archaeological, cultural, historical, or recreational 
        sites; or
            (4) other public access and interpretive sites as selected 
        by the Secretary.

SEC. 6. CHESAPEAKE BAY GATEWAYS GRANTS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a Chesapeake Bay 
Gateways Grants Assistance Program to aid State and local governments, 
local communities, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector in 
conserving, restoring, and interpreting important historic, cultural, 
recreational, and natural resources within the Chesapeake Bay 
Watershed.
    (b) Criteria.--The Secretary shall develop appropriate eligibility, 
prioritization, and review criteria for grants under this section.
    (c) Matching Funds and Administrative Expenses.--A grant under this 
section--
            (1) shall not exceed 50 percent of eligible project costs;
            (2) shall be made on the condition that non-Federal 
        sources, including in-kind contributions of services or 
        materials, provide the remainder of eligible project costs; and
            (3) shall be made on the condition that not more than 10 
        percent of all eligible project costs be used for 
        administrative expenses.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$3,000,000 for each fiscal year.