IB 

Union Calendar No. 77 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1154 

[Report No. 117–104] 

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. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 

Mr. MCEACHIN (for himself, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mrs. LURIA, and Mr. SCOTT

of Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

JULY 26, 2021 

Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be 

printed 


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•HR 1154 RH

A BILL 

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. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
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•HR 1154 RH

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 ‘‘Great Dismal Swamp 

5 National Heritage Area Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

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

9 Area’’ means the Great Dismal Swamp National 

10 Heritage Area. 

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

12 the Secretary of the Interior. 

13 (3) STATES.—The term ‘‘States’’ means the 

14 States of Virginia and North Carolina. 

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

16 means— 

17 (A) the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, 

18 Portsmouth, and Suffolk in the State of Vir19 ginia; 

20 (B) Isle of Wight County in the State of 

21 Virginia; 

22 (C) Camden, Currituck, Gates, and 

23 Pasquotank counties in the State of North 

24 Carolina; and 

25 (D) any other areas in the States that— 


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1 (i) have heritage aspects that are 

2 similar to the areas described in subpara3 graphs (A), (B), or (C); and 

4 (ii) are adjacent to, or in the vicinity 

5 of, those areas. 

6 SEC. 3. STUDY. 

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

8 with State and local organizations and governmental agen9 cies, Tribal governments, non-profit organizations, and 

10 other appropriate entities, shall conduct a study to assess 

11 the suitability and feasibility of designating the study area 

12 as a National Heritage Area, to be known as the ‘‘Great 

13 Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area’’. 

14 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—The study shall include anal15 ysis, documentation, and determinations on whether the 

16 study area— 

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

18 cultural resources that— 

19 (A) represent distinctive aspects of the 

20 people and cultures of the United States; 

21 (B) are worthy of recognition, conserva22 tion, interpretation, and continuing use; and 

23 (C) would be best managed— 

24 (i) through partnerships among public 

25 and private entities; and 


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1 (ii) by linking diverse and sometimes 

2 noncontiguous resources and active com3 munities; 

4 (2) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and 

5 folklife that are a valuable part of the story of the 

6 United States; 

7 (3) provides outstanding opportunities— 

8 (A) to conserve natural, historic, cultural, 

9 or scenic features; and 

10 (B) for recreation and education; 

11 (4) contains resources that— 

12 (A) are important to any identified themes 

13 of the study area; and 

14 (B) retain a degree of integrity capable of 

15 supporting interpretation; 

16 (5) includes residents, business interests, non17 profit organizations, and State, local, and Tribal 

18 governments, and other appropriate entities that— 

19 (A) are involved in the planning of the 

20 Heritage Area; 

21 (B) have developed a conceptual financial 

22 plan that outlines the roles of all participants in 

23 the Heritage Area, including the Federal Gov24 ernment; and 


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1 (C) have demonstrated support for the des2 ignation of the Heritage Area; 

3 (6) has a potential management entity to work 

4 in partnership with the individuals and entities de5 scribed in paragraph (5) to develop the Heritage 

6 Area while encouraging State and local economic ac7 tivity; and 

8 (7) has a conceptual boundary map that is sup9 ported by the public. 

10 SEC. 4. REPORT. 

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

12 are first made available to carry out this Act, the Sec13 retary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Re14 sources of the House of Representatives and the Com15 mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 

16 a report that describes— 

17 (1) the findings of the study under section 3; 

18 and 

19 (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the 

20 Secretary. 


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Union Calendar No. 77 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1154 

[Report No. 117–104] 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conother purposes. Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area, and for bility of designating certain land as the Great duct a study to assess the suitability and feasiJULY 26, 2021 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS