I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 670 

To establish the Bronzeville-Black Metropolis National Heritage Area in the 

State of Illinois, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 1, 2021 

Mr. RUSH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish the Bronzeville-Black Metropolis National 

Heritage Area 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 ‘‘Bronzeville-Black Me5 tropolis National Heritage Area Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

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

9 Area’’ means the Bronzeville-Black Metropolis Na10 tional 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 Illinois. 

12 SEC. 3. BRONZEVILLE-BLACK METROPOLIS NATIONAL HER13 ITAGE AREA. 

14 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the 

15 Bronzeville-Black Metropolis National Heritage Area in 

16 the State. 

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

18 of the region in the city of Chicago, Illinois, bounded as 

19 follows: 

20 (1) 18th Street on the North to 22nd Street on 

21 the South, from Lake Michigan on the East to 

22 Wentworth Avenue on the West. 

23 (2) 22nd Street on the North to 35th Street on 

24 the South, from Lake Michigan on the East to the 

25 Dan Ryan Expressway on the West. 


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1 (3) 35th Street on the North to 47th Street on 

2 the South, from Lake Michigan on the East to the 

3 B&O Railroad (Stewart Avenue) on the West. 

4 (4) 47th Street on the North to 55th Street on 

5 the South, from Cottage Grove Avenue on the East 

6 to the Dan Ryan Expressway on the West. 

7 (5) 55th Street on the North to 67th Street on 

8 the South, from State Street on the West to Cottage 

9 Grove Avenue/South Chicago Avenue on the East. 

10 (6) 67th Street on the North to 71st Street on 

11 the South, from Cottage Grove Avenue/South Chi12 cago Avenue on the West to the Metra Railroad 

13 tracks on the East. 

14 SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY. 

15 (a) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The Black Me16 tropolis National Heritage Area Commission shall be the 

17 local coordinating entity for the Heritage Area. 

18 (b) AUTHORITIES OF LOCAL COORDINATING ENTI19 TY.—The local coordinating entity may, for purposes of 

20 preparing and implementing the management plan, use 

21 Federal funds made available under this Act— 

22 (1) to prepare reports, studies, interpretive ex23 hibits and programs, historic preservation projects, 

24 and other activities recommended in the manage25 ment plan for the Heritage Area; 


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1 (2) to make grants to the State, political sub2 divisions of the State, nonprofit organizations, and 

3 other persons; 

4 (3) to enter into cooperative agreements with 

5 the State, political subdivisions of the State, non6 profit organizations, and other organizations; 

7 (4) to hire and compensate staff; 

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

9 including funds and services provided under any 

10 other Federal program or law; and 

11 (6) to contract for goods and services. 

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

13 further the purposes of the Heritage Area, the local co14 ordinating entity shall— 

15 (1) prepare a management plan for the Herit16 age Area in accordance with section 5; 

17 (2) give priority to the implementation of ac18 tions, goals, and strategies set forth in the manage19 ment plan, including assisting units of government 

20 and other persons in— 

21 (A) carrying out programs and projects 

22 that recognize and protect important resource 

23 values in the Heritage Area; 


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1 (B) encouraging economic viability in the 

2 Heritage Area in accordance with the goals of 

3 the management plan; 

4 (C) establishing and maintaining interpre5 tive exhibits in the Heritage Area; 

6 (D) developing heritage-based recreational 

7 and educational opportunities for residents and 

8 visitors in the Heritage Area; 

9 (E) increasing public awareness of and ap10 preciation for the natural, historic, and cultural 

11 resources of the Heritage Area; 

12 (F) restoring historic buildings that are— 

13 (i) located in the Heritage Area; and 

14 (ii) related to the themes of the Herit15 age Area; and 

16 (G) installing throughout the Heritage 

17 Area clear, consistent, and appropriate signs 

18 identifying public access points and sites of in19 terest; 

20 (3) consider the interests of diverse units of 

21 government, businesses, tourism officials, private 

22 property owners, and nonprofit groups within the 

23 Heritage Area in developing and implementing the 

24 management plan; 


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1 (4) conduct public meetings at least semiannu2 ally regarding the development and implementation 

3 of the management plan; and 

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

5 are received under this Act— 

6 (A) submit to the Secretary an annual re7 port that describes— 

8 (i) the accomplishments of the local 

9 coordinating entity; 

10 (ii) the expenses and income of the 

11 local coordinating entity; and 

12 (iii) the entities to which the local co13 ordinating entity made any grants; 

14 (B) make available for audit all records re15 lating to the expenditure of the Federal funds 

16 and any matching funds; and 

17 (C) require, with respect to all agreements 

18 authorizing the expenditure of Federal funds by 

19 other organizations, that the receiving organiza20 tions make available for audit all records relat21 ing to the expenditure of the Federal funds. 

22 SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 

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

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

25 this Act, the local coordinating entity shall prepare and 


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1 submit to the Secretary a management plan for the Herit2 age Area. 

3 (b) CONTENTS.—The management plan for the Her4 itage Area shall— 

5 (1) include comprehensive policies, strategies, 

6 and recommendations for the conservation, funding, 

7 management, and development of the Heritage Area; 

8 (2) take into consideration existing State and 

9 local plans; 

10 (3) specify the existing and potential sources of 

11 funding to protect, manage, and develop the Herit12 age Area; 

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

14 cultural, educational, scenic, and recreational re15 sources of the Heritage Area relating to the themes 

16 of the Heritage Area that should be preserved, re17 stored, managed, developed, or maintained; and 

18 (5) include an analysis of, and recommenda19 tions for, ways in which Federal, State, and local 

20 programs, may best be coordinated to further the 

21 purposes of this Act, including recommendations for 

22 the role of the National Park Service in the Heritage 

23 Area. 

24 (c) DISQUALIFICATION FROM FUNDING.—If a pro25 posed management plan is not submitted to the Secretary 


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

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

3 coordinating entity may not receive additional funding 

4 under this Act until the date on which the Secretary re5 ceives the proposed management plan. 

6 (d) APPROVAL AND DISAPPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT

7 PLAN.— 

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

9 after the date on which the local coordinating entity 

10 submits the management plan to the Secretary, the 

11 Secretary shall approve or disapprove the proposed 

12 management plan. 

13 (2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In determining whether 

14 to approve or disapprove the management plan, the 

15 Secretary shall consider whether— 

16 (A) the local coordinating entity is rep17 resentative of the diverse interests of the Herit18 age Area, including governments, natural and 

19 historic resource protection organizations, edu20 cational institutions, businesses, and rec21 reational organizations; 

22 (B) the local coordinating entity has pro23 vided adequate opportunities (including public 

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1 ment in the preparation of the management 

2 plan; 

3 (C) the resource protection and interpreta4 tion strategies contained in the management 

5 plan, if implemented, would adequately protect 

6 the natural, historic, and cultural resources of 

7 the Heritage Area; and 

8 (D) the management plan is supported by 

9 the appropriate State and local officials, the co10 operation of which is needed to ensure the ef11 fective implementation of the State and local 

12 aspects of the management plan. 

13 (3) DISAPPROVAL AND REVISIONS.— 

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary dis15 approves a proposed management plan, the Sec16 retary shall— 

17 (i) advise the local coordinating entity, 

18 in writing, of the reasons for the dis19 approval; and 

20 (ii) make recommendations for revi21 sion of the proposed management plan. 

22 (B) APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL.—The 

23 Secretary shall approve or disapprove a revised 

24 management plan not later than 180 days after 


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1 the date on which the revised management plan 

2 is submitted. 

3 (e) APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS.— 

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

5 and approve or disapprove substantial amendments 

6 to the management plan in accordance with sub7 section (d). 

8 (2) FUNDING.—Funds appropriated under this 

9 Act may not be expended to implement any changes 

10 made by an amendment to the management plan 

11 until the Secretary approves the amendment. 

12 SEC. 6. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act affects the au14 thority of a Federal agency to provide technical or finan15 cial assistance under any other law. 

16 (b) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—The head 

17 of any Federal agency planning to conduct activities that 

18 may have an impact on the Heritage Area is encouraged 

19 to consult and coordinate the activities with the Secretary 

20 and the local coordinating entity to the extent practicable. 

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

22 Act— 

23 (1) modifies, alters, or amends any law or regu24 lation authorizing a Federal agency to manage FedVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:12 Feb 21, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H670.IH H670

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1 eral land under the jurisdiction of the Federal agen2 cy; 

3 (2) limits the discretion of a Federal land man4 ager to implement an approved land use plan within 

5 the boundaries of the Heritage Area; or 

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

7 use of Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Fed8 eral agency. 

9 SEC. 7. PRIVATE PROPERTY AND REGULATORY PROTEC10 TIONS. 

11 Nothing in this Act— 

12 (1) abridges the rights of any property owner 

13 (whether public or private), including the right to re14 frain from participating in any plan, project, pro15 gram, or activity conducted within the Heritage 

16 Area; 

17 (2) requires any property owner to permit pub18 lic access (including access by Federal, State, or 

19 local agencies) to the property of the property 

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

21 of the property owner under any other Federal, 

22 State, or local law; 

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

24 approved land use plan, or other regulatory author25 ity of any Federal, State, or local agency, or conveys 


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1 any land use or other regulatory authority to the 

2 local coordinating entity; 

3 (4) authorizes or implies the reservation or ap4 propriation of water or water rights; 

5 (5) diminishes the authority of the State to 

6 manage fish and wildlife, including the regulation of 

7 fishing and hunting within the Heritage Area; or 

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

9 under any other law, of any private property owner 

10 with respect to any person injured on the private 

11 property. 

12 SEC. 8. EVALUATION; REPORT. 

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

14 date on which authority for Federal funding terminates 

15 for the Heritage Area, the Secretary shall— 

16 (1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplish17 ments of the Heritage Area; and 

18 (2) prepare a report in accordance with sub19 section (c). 

20 (b) EVALUATION.—An evaluation conducted under 

21 subsection (a)(1) shall— 

22 (1) assess the progress of the local coordinating 

23 entity with respect to— 

24 (A) accomplishing the purposes of this Act 

25 for the Heritage Area; and 


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1 (B) achieving the goals and objectives of 

2 the approved management plan for the Heritage 

3 Area; 

4 (2) analyze the Federal, State, local, and pri5 vate investments in the Heritage Area to determine 

6 the leverage and impact of the investments; and 

7 (3) review the management structure, partner8 ship relationships, and funding of the Heritage Area 

9 for purposes of identifying the critical components 

10 for sustainability of the Heritage Area. 

11 (c) REPORT.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Based on the evaluation con13 ducted under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall 

14 prepare a report that includes recommendations for 

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

16 with respect to the Heritage Area. 

17 (2) REQUIRED ANALYSIS.—If the report pre18 pared under paragraph (1) recommends that Fed19 eral funding for the Heritage Area be reauthorized, 

20 the report shall include an analysis of— 

21 (A) ways in which Federal funding for the 

22 Heritage Area may be reduced or eliminated; 

23 and 


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1 (B) the appropriate time period necessary 

2 to achieve the recommended reduction or elimi3 nation. 

4 (3) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—On completion 

5 of the report, the Secretary shall submit the report 

6 to— 

7 (A) the Committee on Energy and Natural 

8 Resources of the Senate; and 

9 (B) the Committee on Natural Resources 

10 of the House of Representatives. 

11 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro13 priated to carry out this Act $10,000,000, of which not 

14 more than $1,000,000 may be authorized to be appro15 priated for any fiscal year. 

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

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

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

19 percent. 

20 SEC. 10. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY. 

21 The authority of the Secretary to provide financial 

22 assistance under this Act terminates on the date that is 

23 15 years after the date of enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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