109TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1627

AN ACT

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a

special resources study to evaluate resources along the

coastal region of the State of Delaware and to determine

the suitability and feasibility of establishing a unit of

the National Park System in Delaware.

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 ‘‘Delaware National

5 Coastal Special Resources Study Act’’.
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1 SEC. 2. STUDY.

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior (re3 ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall conduct a

4 special resources study of the national significance, suit5 ability, and feasibility of including sites in the coastal re6 gion of the State of Delaware in the National Park Sys7 tem.

8 (b) INCLUSION OF SITES IN THE NATIONAL PARK

9 SYSTEM.—The study under subsection (a) shall include an

10 analysis and any recommendations of the Secretary con11 cerning the suitability and feasibility of designating 1 or

12 more of the sites along the Delaware coast, including Fort

13 Christina, as a unit of the National Park System that re14 lates to the themes described in section 3.

15 (c) STUDY GUIDELINES.—In conducting the study

16 authorized under subsection (a), the Secretary shall use

17 the criteria for the study of areas for potential inclusion

18 in the National Park System contained in section 8 of

19 Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5).

20 (d) CONSULTATION.—In preparing and conducting

21 the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult

22 with—

23 (1) the State of Delaware;

24 (2) the coastal region communities; and

25 (3) the general public.
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1 SEC. 3. THEMES.

2 The study authorized under section 2 shall evaluate

3 sites along the coastal region of the State of Delaware that

4 relate to—

5 (1) the history of indigenous peoples, which

6 would explore the history of Native American tribes

7 of Delaware, such as the Nanticoke and Lenni

8 Lenape;

9 (2) the colonization and establishment of the

10 frontier, which would chronicle the first European

11 settlers in the Delaware Valley who built fortifica12 tions for the protection of settlers, such as Fort

13 Christina;

14 (3) the founding of a nation, which would docu15 ment the contributions of Delaware to the develop16 ment of our constitutional republic;

17 (4) industrial development, which would inves18 tigate the exploitation of water power in Delaware

19 with the mill development on the Brandywine River;

20 (5) transportation, which would explore how

21 water served as the main transportation link, con22 necting Colonial Delaware with England, Europe,

23 and other colonies;

24 (6) coastal defense, which would document the

25 collection of fortifications spaced along the river and
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S 1627 ES

1 bay from Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island to

2 Fort Miles near Lewes;

3 (7) the last stop to freedom, which would detail

4 the role Delaware has played in the history of the

5 Underground Railroad network; and

6 (8) the coastal environment, which would exam7 ine natural resources of Delaware that provide re8 source-based recreational opportunities such as crab9 bing, fishing, swimming, and boating.

10 SEC. 4. REPORT.

11 Not later than 1 year after funds are made available

12 to carry out this Act under section 5, the Secretary shall

13 submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Re14 sources of the Senate and the Committee on Resources

15 of the House of Representatives a report containing the

16 findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study

17 conducted under section 2.

18 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

19 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

20 as are necessary to carry out this Act.

Passed the Senate November 16, 2005.

Attest:

Secretary.
109TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1627

AN ACT

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conPark System in Delaware. feasibility of establishing a unit of the National Delaware and to determine the suitability and sources along the coastal region of the State of duct a special resources study to evaluate re-