II 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1629 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource 

study of the archeological site and surrounding land of the New Philadelphia town site in the State of Illinois, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 6, 2009 

Mr. BURRIS introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 

special resource study of the archeological site and surrounding land of the New Philadelphia town site in the 

State of Illinois, 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 ‘‘New Philadelphia, Illi5 nois, Study Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 


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1 (1) Frank McWhorter, an enslaved man, bought 

2 his freedom and the freedom of 15 family members 

3 by mining for crude niter in Kentucky caves and 

4 processing the mined material into saltpeter; 

5 (2) New Philadelphia, founded in 1836 by 

6 Frank McWhorter, was the first town established by 

7 a free African-American before the Civil War; 

8 (3) the first railroad constructed in the area of 

9 New Philadelphia bypassed New Philadelphia, which 

10 led to the decline of New Philadelphia; and 

11 (4) the New Philadelphia site— 

12 (A) is covered by farmland; and 

13 (B) does not contain any original buildings 

14 of the town or the McWhorter farm and home 

15 that are visible above ground. 

16 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

17 In this Act: 

18 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

19 the Secretary of the Interior. 

20 (2) STUDY AREA.—The term ‘‘Study Area’’ 

21 means the New Philadelphia archeological site and 

22 the surrounding land in the State of Illinois. 

23 SEC. 4. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. 

24 (a) STUDY.—The Secretary shall conduct a special 

25 resource study of the Study Area. 


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1 (b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under sub2 section (a), the Secretary shall— 

3 (1) evaluate the national significance of the 

4 Study Area; 

5 (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 

6 designating the Study Area as a unit of the National 

7 Park System; 

8 (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 

9 protection, and interpretation of the Study Area 

10 by— 

11 (A) Federal, State, or local governmental 

12 entities; or 

13 (B) private and nonprofit organizations; 

14 (4) consult with— 

15 (A) interested Federal, State, or local gov16 ernmental entities; 

17 (B) private and nonprofit organizations; or 

18 (C) any other interested individuals; and 

19 (5) identify cost estimates for any Federal ac20 quisition, development, interpretation, operation, and 

21 maintenance associated with the alternatives consid22 ered under paragraph (3). 

23 (c) APPLICABLE LAW.—The study required under 

24 subsection (a) shall be conducted in accordance with sec25 tion 8 of Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5). 


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1 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 

2 on which funds are first made available for the study 

3 under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the 

4 Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep5 resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 

6 Resources of the Senate a report containing— 

7 (1) the results of the study; and 

8 (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the 

9 Secretary. 

Æ 


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