I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2900 

To establish the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area 

in the State of Washington, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 25, 2015 

Mr. REICHERT (for himself and Mr. SMITH of Washington) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish the Mountains to Sound Greenway National 

Heritage Area in the State of Washington, 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 ‘‘Mountains to Sound 

5 Greenway National Heritage Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 

7 The purposes of this Act include— 

8 (1) to recognize the national importance of the 

9 natural and cultural legacies of the area, as dem10 onstrated in the study entitled ‘‘Mountains to Sound 


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1 Greenway National Heritage Area Feasibility 

2 Study’’ dated April 2012; 

3 (2) to recognize the heritage of natural resource 

4 conservation in the Pacific Northwest and in the 

5 Mountains to Sound Greenway; 

6 (3) to preserve, support, conserve, and interpret 

7 the legacy of natural resource conservation and com8 munity stewardship, passed from generation-to-gen9 eration within the Heritage Area; 

10 (4) to promote heritage, cultural, and rec11 reational tourism and to develop educational and 

12 cultural programs for visitors and the general public; 

13 (5) to recognize and interpret important events 

14 and geographic locations representing key develop15 ments in the creation of America, particularly the 

16 settlement of the American West and the stories of 

17 diverse ethnic groups, including Indians and others; 

18 (6) to enhance a cooperative management 

19 framework to assist Federal, State, local, and tribal 

20 governments, the private sector, and citizens resid21 ing in the Heritage Area in conserving, supporting, 

22 managing, enhancing, natural, and recreational sites 

23 in the Heritage Area; 

24 (7) to recognize and interpret the relationship 

25 between land and people, representing broad AmerVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:20 Jul 01, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2900.IH H2900

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1 ican ideals demonstrated through the integrity of ex2 isting resources within the Heritage Area; and 

3 (8) to support working relationships between 

4 public land managers and the community by cre5 ating relevant linkages between the National Park 

6 Service, the Forest Service, other relevant Federal 

7 agencies, Indian tribes, State and local governments 

8 and agencies, and community stakeholders within 

9 and surrounding the Heritage Area in order to pro10 tect, enhance, and interpret cultural and natural re11 sources within the Heritage area. 

12 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

13 In this Act: 

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

15 Area’’ means the Mountains to Sound Greenway Na16 tional Heritage Area established in this Act. 

17 (2) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The term 

18 ‘‘local coordinating entity’’ means the entity selected 

19 by the Secretary under this Act. 

20 (3) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage21 ment plan’’ means the management plan for the 

22 Heritage Area required under section 4. 

23 (4) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map ti24 tled ‘‘Mountains to Sound Greenway National HeritVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:20 Jul 01, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2900.IH H2900

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1 age Area Proposed Boundary’’ numbered 584/ 

2 125,484, and dated August 2014. 

3 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

4 the Secretary of the Interior. 

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

6 of Washington. 

7 (7) TRIBAL.—The term ‘‘tribal’’ means the fed8 erally recognized Indian tribes with usual and accus9 tomed places in the Heritage Area, including the 

10 Snoqualmie, Yakama, Tulalip, Muckleshoot, and 

11 Colville Indian tribes. 

12 SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF THE MOUNTAINS TO SOUND 

13 GREENWAY NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA. 

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

15 State the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Herit16 age Area. 

17 (b) BOUNDARIES.—The Heritage Area shall consist 

18 of land located in King and Kittitas Counties in the State, 

19 as generally depicted on the map. 

20 (c) MAP.—The map shall be on file and available for 

21 public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National 

22 Park Service, the United States Forest Service, and the 

23 local coordinating entity. 

24 (d) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The Secretary 

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1 profit organization to serve as the coordinating entity for 

2 the Heritage Area within 120 days of the enactment of 

3 this Act. 

4 SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 

6 date of the enactment of this Act, the local coordinating 

7 entity shall submit to the Secretary for approval a pro8 posed management plan for the Heritage Area. 

9 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—The management plan shall— 

10 (1) incorporate an integrated and cooperative 

11 approach for the protection, enhancement, and inter12 pretation of the natural, cultural, historic, scenic, 

13 and recreational resources of the Heritage Area; 

14 (2) take into consideration Federal, State, and 

15 local plans; 

16 (3) include— 

17 (A) an inventory of the natural, historical, 

18 cultural, educational, scenic, and recreational 

19 resources of the Heritage Area which relate to 

20 the national importance and themes of the Her21 itage Area that should be conserved and en22 hanced; 

23 (B) a description of strategies and rec24 ommendations for conservation, funding, manVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:20 Jul 01, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2900.IH H2900

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1 agement, and development of the Heritage 

2 Area; 

3 (C) a description of the actions that gov4 ernments, private organizations, and individuals 

5 have agreed to take to protect the natural, cul6 tural, historical, scenic, and recreational re7 sources of the Heritage Area; 

8 (D) a program of implementation for the 

9 management plan by the local coordinating en10 tity, including— 

11 (i) performance goals; and 

12 (ii) commitments for implementation 

13 made by partners; 

14 (E) the identification of sources of funding 

15 for carrying out the management plan; 

16 (F) analysis and recommendations for 

17 means by which Federal, State, and local pro18 grams may best be coordinated to carry out this 

19 section; 

20 (G) an interpretive plan for the Heritage 

21 Area; 

22 (H) recommended policies and strategies 

23 for resource management, including the devel24 opment of intergovernmental and interagency 

25 cooperative agreements to protect the natural, 


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1 cultural, historical, scenic, and recreational re2 sources of the Heritage Area; and 

3 (I) a definition of the roles of the National 

4 Park Service, the Forest Service and other Fed5 eral agencies in the coordination of the Herit6 age Area and in otherwise furthering the pur7 poses of this Act. 

8 (c) DEADLINE.—If a proposed management plan is 

9 not submitted to the Secretary by the date that is 3 years 

10 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the local co11 ordinating entity shall be ineligible to receive additional 

12 funding under this Act until the date on which the Sec13 retary receives and approves the management plan. 

14 (d) APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT

15 PLAN.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

17 after the date of receipt of the proposed manage18 ment plan, the Secretary, in consultation with the 

19 State, shall approve or disapprove the management 

20 plan. 

21 (2) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—In determining 

22 whether to approve the management plan, the Sec23 retary shall consider whether— 

24 (A) the local coordinating entity has af25 forded adequate opportunity, including public 


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1 hearings, for public and governmental involve2 ment in the preparation of the management 

3 plan; and 

4 (B) the resource protection and interpreta5 tion strategies contained in the management 

6 plan, if implemented, would adequately protect 

7 the natural, cultural, historical, scenic, and rec8 reational resources of the Heritage Area. 

9 (e) ACTION FOLLOWING DISAPPROVAL.—If the Sec10 retary disapproves the management plan, the Secretary 

11 shall— 

12 (1) advise the local coordinating entity in writ13 ing of the reasons for the disapproval; 

14 (2) make recommendations to the local coordi15 nating entity for revisions to the management plan; 

16 and 

17 (3) not later than 180 days after the receipt of 

18 any revised management plan from the local coordi19 nating entity, approve or disapprove the revised 

20 management plan. 

21 (f) AMENDMENTS.—The Secretary shall review and 

22 approve or disapprove in the same manner as the original 

23 management plan, each amendment to the management 

24 plan that makes a substantial change to the management 

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1 nating entity shall not carry out any amendment to the 

2 management plan until the date on which the Secretary 

3 has approved the amendment. 

4 SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION. 

5 (a) AUTHORITIES.—For purposes of implementing 

6 the management plan, the Secretary and Forest Service 

7 may— 

8 (1) provide technical assistance for the imple9 mentation of the management plan; 

10 (2) enter into cooperative agreements with the 

11 local coordinating entity, State and local agencies, 

12 and other interested parties to carry out this Act, in13 cluding cooperation and cost sharing as appropriate 

14 to provide more cost-effective and coordinated public 

15 land management; and 

16 (3) the authority of the Secretary to provide 

17 technical assistance under this Act terminates on the 

18 date that is 15 years after the date of the enactment 

19 of this Act. 

20 (b) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY AUTHORITIES.— 

21 For purposes of implementing the management plan, the 

22 local coordinating entity may— 

23 (1) make grants to the State or a political sub24 division of the State, nonprofit organizations, and 

25 other persons; 


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1 (2) enter into cooperative agreements with, or 

2 provide technical assistance to, Federal agencies, the 

3 State or political subdivisions of the State, nonprofit 

4 organizations, and other interested parties; 

5 (3) hire and compensate staff, including individ6 uals with expertise in natural, cultural, historical, 

7 scenic, and recreational resource protection and her8 itage programming; 

9 (4) obtain money or services from any source, 

10 including any money or services that are provided 

11 under any other Federal law or program; 

12 (5) contract for goods or services; and 

13 (6) undertake to be a catalyst for other activi14 ties that— 

15 (A) further the purposes of the Heritage 

16 Area; and 

17 (B) are consistent with the management 

18 plan. 

19 (c) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY DUTIES.—The 

20 local coordinating entity shall— 

21 (1) in accordance with section 4, prepare and 

22 submit a management plan to the Secretary; 

23 (2) assist units of Federal, State, and local gov24 ernment, regional planning organizations, non-profit 


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1 organizations, and other interested parties in car2 rying out the approved management plan by— 

3 (A) carrying out programs and projects 

4 that recognize, protect, and enhance important 

5 resource values in the Heritage Area; 

6 (B) establishing and maintaining interpre7 tive exhibits and programs in the Heritage 

8 Area; 

9 (C) developing recreational and educational 

10 opportunities in the Heritage Area; and 

11 (D) increasing public awareness of, and 

12 appreciation for, the natural, cultural, histor13 ical, scenic, and recreational resources of the 

14 Heritage Area; 

15 (3) consider the interests of diverse units of 

16 government, business, organizations, and individuals 

17 in the Heritage Area in the preparation and imple18 mentation of the management plan; 

19 (4) conduct meetings open the public at least 

20 semiannually regarding the development and imple21 mentation of the management plan; 

22 (5) encourage, by appropriate means, economic 

23 viability that is consistent with the Heritage Area; 


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1 (6) submit a report to the Secretary every five 

2 years after the Secretary has approved the manage3 ment plan, specifying— 

4 (A) the expenses and income of the local 

5 coordinating entity; and 

6 (B) significant grants or contracts made 

7 by the local coordinating entity to any other en8 tity over the 5-year period that describes the 

9 activities, expenses, and income of the local co10 ordinating entity (including grants from the 

11 local coordinating entity to any other entity 

12 during the year that the report is made). 

13 (7) PROHIBITION ON ACQUISITION OF REAL

14 PROPERTY.—The local coordinating entity may not 

15 acquire real property or interest in real property 

16 through condemnation. 

17 (d) USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS.—Nothing in this Act 

18 shall preclude the local coordinating entity from using 

19 Federal funds available under other laws for the purposes 

20 for which those funds were authorized. 

21 SEC. 7. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act affects the au23 thority of a Federal agency to provide technical or finan24 cial assistance under any other law. 


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1 (b) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—Any Fed2 eral agency planning to conduct activities that may have 

3 an impact on the Heritage Area is encouraged to consult 

4 and coordinate the activities with the local coordinating 

5 entity to the maximum extent practicable. 

6 (c) OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Nothing in this 

7 Act— 

8 (1) modifies, alters, or amends any law or regu9 lation authorizing a Federal agency to manage Fed10 eral land under the jurisdiction of the Federal agen11 cy; 

12 (2) limits the discretion of a Federal land man13 ager to implement an approved land use plan within 

14 the boundaries of the Heritage Area; or 

15 (3) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized 

16 use of Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Fed17 eral agency. 

18 SEC. 8. PRIVATE PROPERTY AND REGULATORY PROTEC19 TIONS. 

20 Nothing in this Act— 

21 (1) abridges the rights of any owner of public 

22 or private property, including the right to refrain 

23 from participating in any plan, project, program, or 

24 activity conducted within the Heritage Area; 

25 (2) requires any property owner— 


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1 (A) to allow public access (including access 

2 by Federal, State, or local agencies) to the 

3 property of the property owner; or 

4 (B) to modify public access or use of prop5 erty of the property owner under any other 

6 Federal, State, or local law; 

7 (3) alters any duly adopted land use regulation, 

8 approved land use plan, or other regulatory of any 

9 Federal, State, tribal, or local agency; 

10 (4) conveys any land use or other regulatory 

11 authority to the local coordinating entity, including 

12 but not necessarily limited to development and man13 agement of energy or water or water-related infra14 structure; 

15 (5) authorizes or implies the reservation or ap16 propriation of water or water rights; 

17 (6) diminishes the authority of the State to 

18 manage fish and wildlife, including the regulation of 

19 fishing and hunting within the Heritage Area; 

20 (7) creates any liability, or affects any liability 

21 under any other law, of any private property owner 

22 with respect to any person injured on the private 

23 property; 

24 (8) affects current or future grazing permits, 

25 leases, or allotment on Federal lands; or 


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1 (9) affects the construction, operation, mainte2 nance or expansion of current or future water 

3 projects, including water storage, hydro-electric fa4 cilities, or delivery systems. 

5 SEC. 9. EVALUATION AND REPORT. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 15 years after the 

7 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— 

8 (1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplish9 ments of the Heritage Area; and 

10 (2) prepare a report in accordance with sub11 section (c). 

12 (b) EVALUATION.—An evaluation conducted under 

13 subsection (a)(1) shall— 

14 (1) assess the progress of the local coordinating 

15 entity with respect to— 

16 (A) accomplishing the purposes of the Her17 itage Area; and 

18 (B) achieving the goals and objectives of 

19 the management plan; 

20 (2) analyze the investments of Federal, State, 

21 tribal, and local governments and private entities in 

22 the Heritage Area to determine the impact of the in23 vestments; and 

24 (3) review the management structure, partner25 ship relationships, and funding of the Heritage Area 


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1 for purposes of identifying the critical components 

2 for sustainability of the Heritage Area. 

3 (c) REPORT.—Based on the evaluation conducted 

4 under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall submit to the 

5 Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep6 resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 

7 Resources of the Senate a report that includes rec8 ommendations for the future role of the National Park 

9 Service with respect to the Heritage Area. 

Æ 


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