II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 211 

To establish the Susquehanna Gateway National Heritage Area in the State 

of Pennsylvania, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 21, 2015 

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

to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish the Susquehanna Gateway National Heritage 

Area in the State of Pennsylvania, 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 ‘‘Susquehanna Gateway 

5 National Heritage Area Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

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

9 Area’’ means the Susquehanna Gateway National 

10 Heritage Area established by section 3(a). 


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1 (2) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The term 

2 ‘‘local coordinating entity’’ means the local coordi3 nating entity for the Heritage Area designated by 

4 section 4(a). 

5 (3) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage6 ment plan’’ means the plan developed by the local 

7 coordinating entity under section 5(a). 

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

9 the Secretary of the Interior. 

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

11 of Pennsylvania. 

12 SEC. 3. SUSQUEHANNA GATEWAY NATIONAL HERITAGE 

13 AREA. 

14 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Sus15 quehanna Gateway National Heritage Area in the State. 

16 (b) BOUNDARIES.—The Heritage Area shall include 

17 Lancaster and York Counties, Pennsylvania. 

18 SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY. 

19 (a) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The Susque20 hanna Heritage Corporation, a nonprofit organization es21 tablished under the laws of the State, shall be the local 

22 coordinating entity for the Heritage Area. 

23 (b) AUTHORITIES OF LOCAL COORDINATING ENTI24 TY.—The local coordinating entity may, for purposes of 


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1 preparing and implementing the management plan, use 

2 Federal funds made available under this Act— 

3 (1) to prepare reports, studies, interpretive ex4 hibits and programs, historic preservation projects, 

5 and other activities recommended in the manage6 ment plan for the Heritage Area; 

7 (2) to make grants to the State, political sub8 divisions of the State, nonprofit organizations, and 

9 other persons; 

10 (3) to enter into cooperative agreements with 

11 the State, political subdivisions of the State, non12 profit organizations, and other organizations; 

13 (4) to hire and compensate staff; 

14 (5) to obtain funds or services from any source, 

15 including funds and services provided under any 

16 other Federal program or law; and 

17 (6) to contract for goods and services. 

18 (c) DUTIES OF LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—To 

19 further the purposes of the Heritage Area, the local co20 ordinating entity shall— 

21 (1) prepare a management plan for the Herit22 age Area in accordance with section 5; 

23 (2) give priority to the implementation of ac24 tions, goals, and strategies set forth in the manageVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:21 Jan 25, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S211.IS S211

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1 ment plan, including assisting units of government 

2 and other persons in— 

3 (A) carrying out programs and projects 

4 that recognize and protect important resource 

5 values in the Heritage Area; 

6 (B) encouraging economic viability in the 

7 Heritage Area in accordance with the goals of 

8 the management plan; 

9 (C) establishing and maintaining interpre10 tive exhibits in the Heritage Area; 

11 (D) developing heritage-based recreational 

12 and educational opportunities for residents and 

13 visitors in the Heritage Area; 

14 (E) increasing public awareness of and ap15 preciation for the natural, historic, and cultural 

16 resources of the Heritage Area; 

17 (F) restoring historic buildings that are— 

18 (i) located in the Heritage Area; and 

19 (ii) related to the themes of the Herit20 age Area; and 

21 (G) installing throughout the Heritage 

22 Area clear, consistent, and appropriate signs 

23 identifying public access points and sites of in24 terest; 


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1 (3) consider the interests of diverse units of 

2 government, businesses, tourism officials, private 

3 property owners, and nonprofit groups within the 

4 Heritage Area in developing and implementing the 

5 management plan; 

6 (4) conduct public meetings at least semiannu7 ally regarding the development and implementation 

8 of the management plan; and 

9 (5) for any fiscal year for which Federal funds 

10 are received under this Act— 

11 (A) submit to the Secretary an annual re12 port that describes— 

13 (i) the accomplishments of the local 

14 coordinating entity; 

15 (ii) the expenses and income of the 

16 local coordinating entity; and 

17 (iii) the entities to which the local co18 ordinating entity made any grants; 

19 (B) make available for audit all records re20 lating to the expenditure of the Federal funds 

21 and any matching funds; and 

22 (C) require, with respect to all agreements 

23 authorizing the expenditure of Federal funds by 

24 other organizations, that the receiving organizaVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:21 Jan 25, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S211.IS S211

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1 tions make available for audit all records relat2 ing to the expenditure of the Federal funds. 

3 (d) PROHIBITION ON ACQUISITION OF REAL PROP4 ERTY.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—The local coordinating entity 

6 shall not use Federal funds received under this Act 

7 to acquire real property or any interest in real prop8 erty. 

9 (2) OTHER SOURCES.—Nothing in this Act pre10 cludes the local coordinating entity from using Fed11 eral funds from other sources for authorized pur12 poses, including the acquisition of real property or 

13 any interest in real property. 

14 SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 

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

16 date on which funds are first made available to carry out 

17 this Act, the local coordinating entity shall prepare and 

18 submit to the Secretary a management plan for the Herit19 age Area. 

20 (b) CONTENTS.—The management plan for the Her21 itage Area shall— 

22 (1) include comprehensive policies, strategies, 

23 and recommendations for the conservation, funding, 

24 management, and development of the Heritage Area; 


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1 (2) take into consideration existing State, coun2 ty, and local plans; 

3 (3) specify the existing and potential sources of 

4 funding to protect, manage, and develop the Herit5 age Area; 

6 (4) include an inventory of the natural, historic, 

7 cultural, educational, scenic, and recreational re8 sources of the Heritage Area relating to the themes 

9 of the Heritage Area that should be preserved, re10 stored, managed, developed, or maintained; and 

11 (5) include an analysis of, and recommenda12 tions for, ways in which Federal, State, and local 

13 programs, may best be coordinated to further the 

14 purposes of this Act, including recommendations for 

15 the role of the National Park Service in the Heritage 

16 Area. 

17 (c) DISQUALIFICATION FROM FUNDING.—If a pro18 posed management plan is not submitted to the Secretary 

19 by the date that is 3 years after the date on which funds 

20 are first made available to carry out this Act, the local 

21 coordinating entity may not receive additional funding 

22 under this Act until the date on which the Secretary re23 ceives the proposed management plan. 

24 (d) APPROVAL AND DISAPPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT

25 PLAN.— 


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

2 after the date on which the local coordinating entity 

3 submits the management plan to the Secretary, the 

4 Secretary shall approve or disapprove the proposed 

5 management plan. 

6 (2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In determining whether 

7 to approve or disapprove the management plan, the 

8 Secretary shall consider whether— 

9 (A) the local coordinating entity is rep10 resentative of the diverse interests of the Herit11 age Area, including governments, natural and 

12 historic resource protection organizations, edu13 cational institutions, businesses, and rec14 reational organizations; 

15 (B) the local coordinating entity has pro16 vided adequate opportunities (including public 

17 meetings) for public and governmental involve18 ment in the preparation of the management 

19 plan; 

20 (C) the resource protection and interpreta21 tion strategies contained in the management 

22 plan, if implemented, would adequately protect 

23 the natural, historic, and cultural resources of 

24 the Heritage Area; and 


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1 (D) the management plan is supported by 

2 the appropriate State and local officials, the co3 operation of which is needed to ensure the ef4 fective implementation of the State and local 

5 aspects of the management plan. 

6 (3) DISAPPROVAL AND REVISIONS.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary dis8 approves a proposed management plan, the Sec9 retary shall— 

10 (i) advise the local coordinating entity, 

11 in writing, of the reasons for the dis12 approval; and 

13 (ii) make recommendations for revi14 sion of the proposed management plan. 

15 (B) APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL.—The 

16 Secretary shall approve or disapprove a revised 

17 management plan not later than 180 days after 

18 the date on which the revised management plan 

19 is submitted. 

20 (e) APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall review 

22 and approve or disapprove substantial amendments 

23 to the management plan in accordance with sub24 section (d). 


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1 (2) FUNDING.—Funds appropriated under this 

2 Act may not be expended to implement any changes 

3 made by an amendment to the management plan 

4 until the Secretary approves the amendment. 

5 SEC. 6. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act affects the au7 thority of a Federal agency to provide technical or finan8 cial assistance under any other law. 

9 (b) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—The head 

10 of any Federal agency planning to conduct activities that 

11 may have an impact on the Heritage Area is encouraged 

12 to consult and coordinate the activities with the Secretary 

13 and the local coordinating entity to the extent practicable. 

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

15 Act— 

16 (1) modifies, alters, or amends any law or regu17 lation authorizing a Federal agency to manage Fed18 eral land under the jurisdiction of the Federal agen19 cy; 

20 (2) limits the discretion of a Federal land man21 ager to implement an approved land use plan within 

22 the boundaries of the Heritage Area; or 

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

24 use of Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Fed25 eral agency. 


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1 SEC. 7. PRIVATE PROPERTY AND REGULATORY PROTEC2 TIONS. 

3 Nothing in this Act— 

4 (1) abridges the rights of any property owner 

5 (whether public or private), including the right to re6 frain from participating in any plan, project, pro7 gram, or activity conducted within the Heritage 

8 Area; 

9 (2) requires any property owner to permit pub10 lic access (including access by Federal, State, or 

11 local agencies) to the property of the property 

12 owner, or to modify public access or use of property 

13 of the property owner under any other Federal, 

14 State, or local law; 

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

16 approved land use plan, or other regulatory author17 ity of any Federal, State, or local agency, or conveys 

18 any land use or other regulatory authority to the 

19 local coordinating entity; 

20 (4) authorizes or implies the reservation or ap21 propriation of water or water rights; 

22 (5) diminishes the authority of the State to 

23 manage fish and wildlife, including the regulation of 

24 fishing and hunting within the Heritage Area; or 

25 (6) creates any liability, or affects any liability 

26 under any other law, of any private property owner 


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1 with respect to any person injured on the private 

2 property. 

3 SEC. 8. EVALUATION; REPORT. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years before the 

5 date on which authority for Federal funding terminates 

6 for the Heritage Area, the Secretary shall— 

7 (1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplish8 ments of the Heritage Area; and 

9 (2) prepare a report in accordance with sub10 section (c). 

11 (b) EVALUATION.—An evaluation conducted under 

12 subsection (a)(1) shall— 

13 (1) assess the progress of the local coordinating 

14 entity with respect to— 

15 (A) accomplishing the purposes of this Act 

16 for the Heritage Area; and 

17 (B) achieving the goals and objectives of 

18 the approved management plan for the Heritage 

19 Area; 

20 (2) analyze the Federal, State, local, and pri21 vate investments in the Heritage Area to determine 

22 the leverage and impact of the investments; and 

23 (3) review the management structure, partner24 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.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Based on the evaluation con5 ducted under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall 

6 prepare a report that includes recommendations for 

7 the future role of the National Park Service, if any, 

8 with respect to the Heritage Area. 

9 (2) REQUIRED ANALYSIS.—If the report pre10 pared under paragraph (1) recommends that Fed11 eral funding for the Heritage Area be reauthorized, 

12 the report shall include an analysis of— 

13 (A) ways in which Federal funding for the 

14 Heritage Area may be reduced or eliminated; 

15 and 

16 (B) the appropriate time period necessary 

17 to achieve the recommended reduction or elimi18 nation. 

19 (3) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—On completion 

20 of the report, the Secretary shall submit the report 

21 to— 

22 (A) the Committee on Energy and Natural 

23 Resources of the Senate; and 

24 (B) the Committee on Natural Resources 

25 of the House of Representatives. 


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1 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro3 priated to carry out this Act $10,000,000, of which not 

4 more than $1,000,000 may be authorized to be appro5 priated for any fiscal year. 

6 (b) COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT.—The Federal 

7 share of the cost of any activity carried out using funds 

8 made available under this Act shall be not more than 50 

9 percent. 

10 SEC. 10. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY. 

11 The authority of the Secretary to provide financial 

12 assistance under this Act terminates on the date that is 

13 15 years after the date of enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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