I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5305 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess 

the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land as the Kentucky 

Wildlands National Heritage Area, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 5, 2019 

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 

study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land as the Kentucky Wildlands National 

Heritage Area, 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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Kentucky Wildlands 

5 National Heritage Area Study Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
2 

•HR 5305 IH

1 (1) HERITAGE AREA.—The term ‘‘Heritage 

2 Area’’ means the Kentucky Wildlands National Her3 itage Area. 

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

5 the Secretary of the Interior. 

6 (3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

7 of Kentucky. 

8 (4) STUDY AREA.—The term ‘‘study area’’ 

9 means— 

10 (A) the counties in the State of Adair, 

11 Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, 

12 Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Elliott, Floyd, 

13 Green, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, 

14 Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lin15 coln, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, 

16 Metcalfe, Monroe, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, 

17 Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, 

18 Whitley, and Wolfe Counties; and 

19 (B) any other areas in the State that— 

20 (i) have heritage aspects that are 

21 similar to the areas described in paragraph 

22 (1); and 

23 (ii) are adjacent to, or in the vicinity 

24 of, those areas. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
3 

•HR 5305 IH

1 SEC. 3. STUDY. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation 

3 with State and local historic preservation officers, State 

4 and local historical societies, State and local tourism of5 fices, and other appropriate organizations and govern6 mental agencies, shall conduct a study to assess the suit7 ability and feasibility of designating the study area as a 

8 National Heritage Area, to be known as the ‘‘Kentucky 

9 National Heritage Area’’. 

10 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—The study shall include anal11 ysis, documentation, and determinations on whether the 

12 study area— 

13 (1) has an assemblage of natural, historic, and 

14 cultural resources that— 

15 (A) represent distinctive aspects of the her16 itage of the United States; 

17 (B) are worthy of recognition, conserva18 tion, interpretation, and continuing use; and 

19 (C) would be best managed— 

20 (i) through partnerships among public 

21 and private entities; and 

22 (ii) by linking diverse and sometimes 

23 noncontiguous resources and active com24 munities; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
4 

•HR 5305 IH

1 (2) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and 

2 folklife that are a valuable part of the story of the 

3 United States; 

4 (3) provides outstanding opportunities— 

5 (A) to conserve natural, historic, cultural, 

6 or scenic features; and 

7 (B) for recreation and education; 

8 (4) contains resources that— 

9 (A) are important to any identified themes 

10 of the study area; and 

11 (B) retain a degree of integrity capable of 

12 supporting interpretation; 

13 (5) includes residents, business interests, non14 profit organizations, and State and local govern15 ments that— 

16 (A) are involved in the planning of the 

17 Heritage Area; 

18 (B) have developed a conceptual financial 

19 plan that outlines the roles of all participants in 

20 the Heritage Area, including the Federal Gov21 ernment; and 

22 (C) have demonstrated support for the des23 ignation of the Heritage Area; 

24 (6) has a potential management entity to work 

25 in partnership with the individuals and entities deVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:42 Dec 10, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5305.IH H5305

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
5 

•HR 5305 IH

1 scribed in paragraph (5) to develop the Heritage 

2 Area while encouraging State and local economic ac3 tivity; 

4 (7) could impact the rights of private property 

5 owners with respect to their private property; and 

6 (8) has a conceptual boundary map that is sup7 ported by the public. 

8 SEC. 4. REPORT. 

9 Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds 

10 are first made available to carry out this Act, the Sec11 retary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Re12 sources of the House of Representatives and the Com13 mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 

14 a report that describes— 

15 (1) the findings of the study under section 3; 

16 and 

17 (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the 

18 Secretary. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS