Thomas Cole National Historic Site Establishment Act of 1995

Summary: Thomas Cole National Historic Site Establishment Act of 1995 - Establishes the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, New York, as a unit of the National Park System. 
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to:  (1) acquire specified lands and interests within the Site's boundaries and personal property associated with and appropriate for the interpretation of the site; (2) enter into cooperative agreements with the State of New York, the Thomas Cole Foundation, and other public and private entities to facilitate public understanding and enjoyment of the lives and works of the Hudson River artists through activities related to the preservation, interpretation, and use of the Site and with the Greene County Historical Society to provide for the establishment of a library and research center at the Site; and (3) display, and accept for display, works of art associated with Thomas Cole and other Hudson River artists. 
Directs the Secretary to:  (1) administer the Site in accordance with this Act and all laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System; and (2) develop and submit to specified congressional committees a general management plan for the site, including recommendations for regional wayside exhibits. 
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Thomas Cole National Historic Site 
Establishment Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the Hudson River school of landscape painting was 
        inspired by Thomas Cole and was characterized by a group of 
        19th century landscape artists who recorded and celebrated the 
        landscape and wilderness of America, particularly in the Hudson 
        River Valley region in the State of New York;
            (2) Thomas Cole has been recognized as America's most 
        prominent landscape and allegorical painter in the mid-19th 
        century;
            (3) the Thomas Cole House in Greene County, New York is 
        listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been 
        designated as a National Historic Landmark;
            (4) within a 15 mile radius of the Thomas Cole House, an 
        area that forms a key part of the rich cultural and natural 
        heritage of the Hudson River Valley region, significant 
        landscapes and scenes painted by Thomas Cole and other Hudson 
        River artists survive intact;
            (5) the State of New York has established the Hudson River 
        Valley Greenway to promote the preservation, public use, and 
        enjoyment of the natural and cultural resources of the Hudson 
        River Valley region; and
            (6) establishment of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site 
        will provide opportunities for the illustration and 
        interpretation of cultural themes of the heritage of the United 
        States and unique opportunities for education, public use, and 
        enjoyment.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to preserve and interpret the home and studio of Thomas 
        Cole for the benefit, inspiration, and education of the people 
        of the United States;
            (2) to help maintain the integrity of the setting in the 
        Hudson River Valley region that inspired artistic expression;
            (3) to coordinate the interpretive, preservation, and 
        recreational efforts of Federal, State, and other entities in 
        the Hudson Valley region in order to enhance opportunities for 
        education, public use, and enjoyment; and
            (4) to broaden understanding of the Hudson River Valley 
        region and its role in American history and culture.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act:
            (1) Historic site.--The term ``historic site'' means the 
        Thomas Cole National Historic Site established by section 4.
            (2) Hudson river artists.--The term ``Hudson River 
        artists'' means artists who belonged to the Hudson River school 
        of landscape painting.
            (3) Plan.--The term ``plan'' means the general management 
        plan developed pursuant to section 6(d).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.

    (a) In General.--There is established, as a unit of the National 
Park System, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, in the State of 
New York.
    (b) Description.--The historic site shall consist of the home and 
studio of Thomas Cole, comprising approximately 3.4 acres, located at 
218 Spring Street, in the village of Catskill, New York, as generally 
depicted on the boundary map numbered TCH/80002, and dated March 1992.

SEC. 5. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY.

    (a) Real Property.--The Secretary is authorized to acquire lands, 
and interests in lands, within the boundaries of the historic site by 
donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange.
    (b) Personal Property.--The Secretary may also acquire by the same 
methods as provided in subsection (a), personal property associated 
with, and appropriate for, the interpretation of the historic site: 
Provided, That the Secretary may acquire works of art associated with 
Thomas Cole and other Hudson River artists only by donation or purchase 
with donated funds.

SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF SITE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the historic site 
in accordance with this Act and all laws generally applicable to units 
of the National Park System, including the Act entitled ``An Act To 
establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes'', approved 
August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1, 2-4), and the Act entitled ``An Act to 
provide for the preservation of historic American sites, buildings, 
objects, and antiquities of national significance, and for other 
purposes'', approved August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).
    (b) Cooperative Agreements.--
            (1) In general.--To further the purposes of this Act, the 
        Secretary may consult with and enter into cooperative 
        agreements with the State of New York, the Thomas Cole 
        Foundation, and other public and private entities to facilitate 
        public understanding and enjoyment of the lives and works of 
        the Hudson River artists through the development, presentation, 
        and funding of art exhibits, resident artist programs, and 
        other appropriate activities related to the preservation, 
        interpretation, and use of the historic site.
            (2) Library and research center.--The Secretary may enter 
        into a cooperative agreement with the Greene County Historical 
        Society to provide for the establishment of a library and 
        research center at the historic site.
    (c) Exhibits.--The Secretary may display, and accept for the 
purposes of display, works of art associated with Thomas Cole and other 
Hudson River artists, as may be necessary for the interpretation of the 
historic site.
    (d) General Management Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 2 complete fiscal years 
        after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
        develop a general management plan for the historic site.
            (2) Submission to congress.--On the completion of the plan, 
        the plan shall be submitted to the Committee on Energy and 
        Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Public 
        Lands and Resources of the House of Representatives.
            (3) Regional wayside exhibits.--The plan shall include 
        recommendations for regional wayside exhibits, to be carried 
        out through cooperative agreements with the State of New York 
        and other public and private entities.
            (4) Preparation.--The plan shall be prepared in accordance 
        with section 12(b) of the Act entitled ``An Act to improve the 
        administration of the national park system by the Secretary of 
        the Interior, and to clarify the authorities applicable to the 
        system, and for other purposes'', approved August 18, 1970 (16 
        U.S.C. 1a-1 through 1a-7).

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to carry out this Act.