II

Calendar No. 171

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 140

[Report No. 106–89]

To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the State of New

York as an affiliated area of the National Park System, and for other

purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JANUARY 19, 1999

Mr. MOYNIHAN (for himself and Mr. SCHUMER) introduced the following bill;

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

JUNE 24, 1999

Reported by Mr. MURKOWSKI, with amendments

[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]

A BILL

To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the

State of New York as an affiliated area of the National

Park System, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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•S 140 RS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Thomas Cole National

3 Historic Site Designation Act’’.

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

5 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

6 (1) the Hudson River school of landscape paint7 ing was inspired by Thomas Cole and was character8 ized by a group of 19th century landscape artists

9 who recorded and celebrated the landscape and wil10 derness of the United States, particularly in the

11 Hudson River Valley region in the State of New

12 York;

13 (2) Thomas Cole is recognized as the United

14 States’s most prominent landscape and allegorical

15 painter of the mid-19th century;

16 (3) located in Greene County, New York, the

17 Thomas Cole House, also known as Thomas Cole’s

18 Cedar Grove, is listed on the National Register of

19 Historic Places and has been designated as a Na20 tional Historic Landmark;

21 (4) within a 15-mile radius of the Thomas Cole

22 House, an area that forms a key part of the rich

23 cultural and natural heritage of the Hudson River

24 Valley region, significant landscapes and scenes

25 painted by Thomas Cole and other Hudson River

26 artists, such as Frederic Church, survive intact;
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1 (5) the State of New York has established the

2 Hudson River Valley Greenway to promote the pres3 ervation, public use, and enjoyment of the natural

4 and cultural resources of the Hudson River Valley

5 region; and

6 (6) establishment of the Thomas Cole National

7 Historic Site will provide—

8 (A) opportunities for the illustration and

9 interpretation of cultural themes of the heritage

10 of the United States; and

11 (B) unique opportunities for education,

12 public use, and enjoyment.

13 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—

14 (1) to preserve and interpret the Thomas Cole

15 House and studio for the benefit, inspiration, and

16 education of the people of the United States;

17 (2) to help maintain the integrity of the setting

18 in the Hudson River Valley region that inspired ar19 tistic expression;

20 (3) to coordinate the interpretive, preservation,

21 and recreational efforts of Federal, State, and other

22 entities in the Hudson Valley region in order to en23 hance opportunities for education, public use, and

24 enjoyment; and
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•S 140 RS

1 (4) to broaden understanding of the Hudson

2 River Valley region and its role in the history and

3 culture of the United States.

4 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

5 In this Act:

6 (1) HISTORIC SITE.—The term ‘‘historic site’’

7 means the Thomas Cole National Historic Site es8 tablished by section 4.

9 (2) HUDSON RIVER ARTIST.—The term ‘‘Hud10 son River artist’’ means an artist associated with the

11 Hudson River school of landscape painting.

12 (3) PLAN.—The term ‘‘plan’’ means the general

13 management plan developed under section 6(d).

14 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means

15 the Secretary of the Interior.

16 (5) SOCIETY.—The term ‘‘Society’’ means the

17 Greene County Historical Society of Greene County,

18 New York, that owns the Thomas Cole House, stu19 dio, and other property comprising the historic site.

20 SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HIS21 TORIC SITE.

22 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established, as an af23 filiated area of the National Park System, the Thomas

24 Cole National Historic Site in the State of New York.
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1 (b) DESCRIPTION.—The historic site shall consist of

2 the Thomas Cole House and studio, comprising approxi3 mately 3.4 acres, located at 218 Spring Street in the vil4 lage of Catskill, New York, as generally depicted on the

5 boundary map numbered TCH/80002, and dated March

6 1992.

7 SEC. 5. RETENTION OF OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF

8 HISTORIC SITE BY GREENE COUNTY HISTOR9 ICAL SOCIETY.

10 Under a cooperative agreement entered into under

11 section 6(b)(1), the Greene County Historical Society of

12 Greene County, New York, shall own, manage, manage,

13 administer and operate the historic site.

14 SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.

15 (a) APPLICABILITY OF NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM

16 LAWS.—Under a cooperative agreement entered into

17 under subsection (b)(1), the historic site shall be adminis18 tered by the Society in a manner consistent with this Act

19 and all laws generally applicable to units of the National

20 Park System, including—

21 (1) the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to establish a Na22 tional Park Service, and for other purposes’’, ap23 proved August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and

24 (2) the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the

25 preservation of historic American sites, buildings,
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1 objects, and antiquities of national significance, and

2 for other purposes’’, approved August 21, 1935 (16

3 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).

4 (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—

5 (1) ASSISTANCE TO SOCIETY.—The Secretary

6 may enter into cooperative agreements with the

7 Society—

8 (A) to preserve the Thomas Cole House

9 and other structures in the historic site; and

10 (B) to assist with education programs and

11 research and interpretation of the Thomas Cole

12 House and associated landscapes in the historic

13 site.

14 (2) OTHER ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may

15 enter into cooperative agreements with the State of

16 New York, the Society, the Thomas Cole Founda17 tion, and other public and private entities to—

18 (A) further the purposes of this Act; and

19 (B) develop, present, and fund art exhibits,

20 resident artist programs, and other appropriate

21 activities related to the preservation, interpreta22 tion, and use of the historic site.

23 (c) ARTIFACTS AND PROPERTY.—

24 (1) PERSONAL PROPERTY GENERALLY.—The

25 Secretary may acquire personal property associated
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1 with, and appropriate for, the interpretation of the

2 historic site.

3 (2) WORKS OF ART.—The Secretary may ac4 quire works of art associated with Thomas Cole and

5 other Hudson River artists for the purpose of dis6 play at the historic site.

7 (c) ACQUISITION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY.—The Sec8 retary may acquire personal property associated with, and

9 appropriate for, the interpretation of the historic site.

10 (d) GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.—

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than September

12 30, 2000, under a cooperative agreement entered

13 into under section 6(b)(1), the Society, with the as14 sistance of the Secretary, shall develop a general

15 management plan for the historic site.

16 (2) CONTENTS OF PLAN.—The plan shall in17 clude recommendations for regional wayside exhibits,

18 to be carried out through cooperative agreements

19 with the State of New York and other public and

20 private entities.

21 (3) AUTHORITY.—The plan shall be prepared in

22 accordance with section 12(b) of Public Law 91–383

23 (16 U.S.C. 1a–7(b)).
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1 (4) SUBMISSION OF PLAN.—On the completion

2 of the plan, the Secretary shall provide a copy of the

3 plan to—

4 (A) the Committee on Energy and Natural

5 Resources of the Senate; and

6 (B) the Committee on Resources of the

7 House of Representatives.

8 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

9 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

10 as are necessary to carry out this Act.

Calendar No. 171

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 140

[Report No. 106–89]

A BILL

To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic

purposes.area of the National Park System, and for otherSite in the State of New York as an affiliated

JUNE 24, 1999

Reported with amendments