I

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3898

To establish the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park in New

Bedford, Massachusetts, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 24, 1994

Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts (for himself, Mr. MOAKLEY, Mr. MARKEY, Mr.

STUDDS, Mr. BLUTE, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. TORKILDSEN, Mr. MEEHAN,

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr. OLVER, and Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural

Resources

A BILL

To establish the New Bedford Whaling National Historical

Park in New Bedford, Massachusetts, 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. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

4 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—

5 (1) the New Bedford National Historic Land6 mark District and associated historic sites as de7 scribed in section 3(b), including the Schooner

8 Ernestina, are National Historic Landmarks and are
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1 listed on the National Register of Historic Places as

2 historic sites associated with the history of whaling

3 in the United States;

4 (2) the city of New Bedford was the 19th cen5 tury capital of the world’s whaling industry and re6 tains significant architectural features, archival ma7 terials, and museum collections illustrative of this

8 period;

9 (3) New Bedford’s historic resources provide

10 opportunities for illustrating and interpreting the

11 whaling industry’s contribution to the economic, so12 cial, and environmental history of the United States

13 and provide opportunities for public use and enjoy14 ment; and

15 (4) the National Park System presently con16 tains no sites commemorating whaling and its con17 tribution to American history.

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

19 (1) to preserve, protect, and interpret the re20 sources that comprise the New Bedford Whaling Na21 tional Historical Park, including its architecture,

22 setting, and associated archival and museum collec23 tions;

24 (2) to collaborate with the city of New Bedford

25 and with local historical, cultural, and preservation
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1 organizations to further the purposes of the park;

2 and

3 (3) to provide opportunities for the inspirational

4 benefit and education of the American people.

5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

6 For the purposes of this Act:

7 (1) The term ‘‘park’’ means the New Bedford

8 Whaling National Historical Park established by

9 section 3.

10 (2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary

11 of the Interior.

12 SEC. 3. NEW BEDFORD WHALING NATIONAL HISTORICAL

13 PARK.

14 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—In order to preserve for the

15 benefit and inspiration of the people of the United States

16 as a national historical park certain districts, structures,

17 and relics located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and as18 sociated with the history of whaling and related social and

19 economic themes in America, there is established the New

20 Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.

21 (b) BOUNDARIES.—(1) The boundaries of the park

22 shall be those generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Pro23 posed Park Boundaries (Map 4)’’, in the document pub24 lished by the National Park Service entitled ‘‘Special Re25 source Study, New Bedford, Massachusetts’’, dated No-
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1 vember 1993. Such map will be on file and available for

2 public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National

3 Park Service. The boundaries shall include the following:

4 (A) The area included within the New Bedford

5 National Historic Landmark District, known as the

6 Bedford Landing Waterfront Historic District, as

7 listed within the National Register of Historic Places

8 and in the Massachusetts State Register of Historic

9 Places.

10 (B) The National Historic Landmark Schooner

11 Ernestina, with its home port in New Bedford.

12 (C) The land along the eastern boundary of the

13 New Bedford National Historic Landmark District

14 over to the east side of MacArthur Drive from the

15 Route 6 overpass on the north to an extension of

16 School Street on the south.

17 (D) The land north of Elm Street in New Bed18 ford, bounded by Acushnet Avenue on the west,

19 Route 6 (ramps) on the north, MacArthur Drive on

20 the east, and Elm Street on the south.

21 (2) In addition to these sites, areas and relics, the

22 Secretary may assist in the interpretation and preserva23 tion of the following:

24 (A) The southwest corner of the State Pier.
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1 (B) Waterfront Park, immediately south of land

2 adjacent to the State Pier.

3 (C) The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden

4 Museum, located at 396 County Street.

5 (D) The Wharfinger Building, located on Piers

6 3 and 4.

7 (E) The Bourne Counting House, located on

8 Merrill’s Wharf.

9 SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION OF PARK.

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—The park shall also be adminis11 tered by the Secretary in accordance with this Act and

12 in accordance with the provisions of law generally applica13 ble to units of the national park system, including the Act

14 entitled ‘‘An Act to establish a National Park Service, and

15 for other purposes’’, approved August 25, 1916 (39 Stat.

16 535; 16 U.S.C. 1, 2, 3, and 4) and the Act of August

17 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666; 16 U.S.C. 461–467).

18 (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary

19 may consult and enter into cooperative agreements with

20 the New Bedford National Park Citizens’ Partnership and

21 other interested entities and individuals to provide for ap22 propriate activities related to the preservation, develop23 ment, interpretation, and use of the park.

24 (c) ACQUISITION OF REAL AND PERSONAL PROP25 ERTY AND SERVICES.—The Secretary may acquire by do-
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1 nation, exchange, lease or purchase with donated or appro2 priated funds personal property and lands and improve3 ments in New Bedford, Massachusetts, for the purposes

4 of the park.

5 (d) OTHER PROPERTY, FUNDS, AND SERVICES.—

6 The Secretary may accept and use donated funds, prop7 erty, and services to carry out this Act.

8 SEC. 5. GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.

9 Not later than the end of the second fiscal year begin10 ning after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary

11 shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of

12 the House of Representatives and the Committee on En13 ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a general man14 agement plan for the park and shall implement such plan.

15 The plan shall be prepared in accordance with section

16 12(b) of the Act of August 18, 1970, and other applicable

17 law.

18 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

19 There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as

20 may be necessary to carry out this Act.

Æ