II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1708 

To establish the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Historical 

Park, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 13, 2011 

Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. BROWN of Massachusetts, Mr. KERRY, and Mr. 

WHITEHOUSE) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley 

National Historical Park, 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 ‘‘John H. Chafee Black5 stone River Valley National Historical Park Establish6 ment Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 

8 The purpose of this Act is to establish the John H. 

9 Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Historical 

10 Park— 


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1 (1) to help preserve, protect, and interpret the 

2 nationally significant resources in the Blackstone 

3 River Valley that exemplify the industrial heritage of 

4 the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley Na5 tional Heritage Corridor for the benefit and inspira6 tion of future generations; 

7 (2) to support the preservation, protection, and 

8 interpretation of the urban, rural, and agricultural 

9 landscape features (including the Blackstone River 

10 and Canal) of the region that provide an overarching 

11 context for the industrial heritage of the National 

12 Heritage Corridor; 

13 (3) to educate the public about— 

14 (A) the industrial history of the National 

15 Heritage Corridor; and 

16 (B) the significance of the National Herit17 age Corridor to the past and present; and 

18 (4) to support and enhance the network of part19 ners who will continue to engage in the protection, 

20 improvement, management, and operation of key re21 sources and facilities throughout the National Herit22 age Corridor. 

23 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

24 In this Act: 


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1 (1) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en2 titled ‘‘John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley Na3 tional Historical Park’’, numbered NEFA962/ 

4 111015, and dated October 2011. 

5 (2) NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR.—The 

6 term ‘‘National Heritage Corridor’’ means the John 

7 H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Herit8 age Corridor. 

9 (3) PARK.—The term ‘‘Park’’ means the John 

10 H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Histor11 ical Park established under section 4. 

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

13 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di14 rector of the National Park Service. 

15 (5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 

16 the States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

17 SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF JOHN H. CHAFEE BLACKSTONE 

18 RIVER VALLEY NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK. 

19 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 

20 States a unit of the National Park System, to be known 

21 as the ‘‘John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National 

22 Historical Park’’. 

23 (b) BOUNDARIES.—The Park shall be comprised of 

24 the following sites and districts, as generally depicted on 

25 the map: 


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1 (1) Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark 

2 District. 

3 (2) Slatersville Historic District. 

4 (3) Ashton Historic District. 

5 (4) Whitinsville Historic District. 

6 (5) Hopedale Village Historic District. 

7 (6) Blackstone River and the tributaries of 

8 Blackstone River. 

9 (7) Blackstone Canal. 

10 (c) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The map shall be avail11 able for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the 

12 National Park Service. 

13 (d) ACQUISITION OF LAND.—The Secretary may ac14 quire land or interests in land within the boundaries of 

15 the Park by— 

16 (1) donation; 

17 (2) purchase with donated or appropriated 

18 funds; or 

19 (3) exchange. 

20 (e) ADMINISTRATION.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall admin22 ister the Park in accordance with— 

23 (A) this Act; 

24 (B) the laws generally applicable to units 

25 of the National Park System, including— 


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1 (i) the National Park Service Organic 

2 Act (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and 

3 (ii) the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 

4 U.S.C. 461 et seq.); and 

5 (C) any cooperative agreements entered 

6 into under subsection (f). 

7 (2) GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 

8 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years 

9 after the date on which funds are made avail10 able to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall 

11 prepare a general management plan for the 

12 Park— 

13 (i) in consultation with the States; 

14 and 

15 (ii) in accordance with— 

16 (I) any cooperative agreements 

17 entered into under subsection (f); and 

18 (II) section 12(b) of the National 

19 Park System General Authorities Act 

20 (16 U.S.C. 1a–7(b)). 

21 (B) REQUIREMENTS.—To the maximum 

22 extent practicable, the plan prepared under sub23 paragraph (A) shall consider ways to use pre24 existing or planned visitor facilities and recVerDate Mar 15 2010 04:09 Oct 14, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1708.IS S1708

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1 reational opportunities developed in the Na2 tional Heritage Corridor, including— 

3 (i) the Blackstone Valley Visitor Cen4 ter in Pawtucket, Rhode Island; 

5 (ii) the Captain Wilbur Kelly House 

6 at Blackstone River State Park in Lincoln, 

7 Rhode Island; 

8 (iii) the Museum of Work and Culture 

9 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island; 

10 (iv) the River Bend Farm/Blackstone 

11 River and Canal Heritage State Park in 

12 Uxbridge, Massachusetts; and 

13 (v) the Worcester Blackstone Visitor 

14 Center, located at the former Washburn & 

15 Moen wire mill facility in Worcester, Mas16 sachusetts. 

17 (f) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary 

18 may enter into cooperative agreements with the States, po19 litical subdivisions of the States, nonprofit organizations 

20 (including the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage 

21 Corridor, Inc.), and private property owners to provide 

22 technical assistance and interpretation in the Park and the 

23 National Heritage Corridor. 

24 (g) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—Subject to the avail25 ability of appropriations, the Secretary may provide finanVerDate Mar 15 2010 04:09 Oct 14, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1708.IS S1708

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1 cial assistance, on a matching basis, for the conduct of 

2 resource protection activities in the National Heritage 

3 Corridor. 

4 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

5 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

6 as are necessary to carry out this Act. 

Æ 


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