H. R. 1154 

One Hundred Seventeenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-two 

An Act 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability 

and feasibility of designating certain land as the Great Dismal Swamp National 

Heritage Area, and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Great Dismal Swamp National 

Heritage Area Act’’. 

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) HERITAGE AREA.—The term ‘‘Heritage Area’’ means the 

Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area. 

(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

of the Interior. 

(3) STATES.—The term ‘‘States’’ means the States of Virginia and North Carolina. 

(4) STUDY AREA.—The term ‘‘study area’’ means— 

(A) the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and 

Suffolk in the State of Virginia; 

(B) Isle of Wight County in the State of Virginia; 

(C) Camden, Currituck, Gates, and Pasquotank counties in the State of North Carolina; and 

(D) any other areas in the States that— 

(i) have heritage aspects that are similar to the 

areas described in subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C); and 

(ii) are adjacent to, or in the vicinity of, those 

areas. 

SEC. 3. STUDY. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation with State 

and local organizations and governmental agencies, Tribal governments, non-profit organizations, and other appropriate entities, 

shall conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of 

designating the study area as a National Heritage Area, to be 

known as the ‘‘Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area’’. 

(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The study shall include analysis, documentation, and determinations on whether the study area— 

(1) has an assemblage of natural, historic, and cultural 

resources that— 

(A) represent distinctive aspects of the people and cultures of the United States; 
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(B) are worthy of recognition, conservation, interpretation, and continuing use; and 

(C) would be best managed— 

(i) through partnerships among public and private 

entities; and 

(ii) by linking diverse and sometimes noncontiguous resources and active communities; 

(2) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and folklife that 

are a valuable part of the story of the United States; 

(3) provides outstanding opportunities— 

(A) to conserve natural, historic, cultural, or scenic 

features; and 

(B) for recreation and education; 

(4) contains resources that— 

(A) are important to any identified themes of the study 

area; and 

(B) retain a degree of integrity capable of supporting 

interpretation; 

(5) includes residents, business interests, nonprofit 

organizations, and State, local, and Tribal governments, and 

other appropriate entities that— 

(A) are involved in the planning of the Heritage Area; 

(B) have developed a conceptual financial plan that 

outlines the roles of all participants in the Heritage Area, 

including the Federal Government; and 

(C) have demonstrated support for the designation of 

the Heritage Area; 

(6) has a potential management entity to work in partnership with the individuals and entities described in paragraph 

(5) to develop the Heritage Area while encouraging State and 

local economic activity; and 

(7) has a conceptual boundary map that is supported by 

the public. 

SEC. 4. REPORT. 

Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are 

first made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall 

submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 

Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources of the Senate a report that describes— 

(1) the findings of the study under section 3; and 
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(2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.