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Calendar No. 579 

107TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 1776 

[Report No. 107–262] 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 31, 2001 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

SEPTEMBER 9, 2002 

Reported by Mr. BINGAMAN, without amendment 

AN ACT 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Buffalo Bayou 

National Heritage Area in west Houston, Texas. 

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 ‘‘Buffalo Bayou Na5 tional Heritage Area Study Act’’. 

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1 SEC. 2. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STUDY REGARDING BUF2 FALO BAYOU, TEXAS. 

3 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 

4 (1) The area beginning at Shepherd Drive in 

5 west Houston, Texas, and extending to the Turning 

6 Basin, commonly referred to as the ‘‘Buffalo 

7 Bayou’’, made a unique contribution to the cultural, 

8 political, and industrial development of the United 

9 States. 

10 (2) The Buffalo Bayou is distinctive as the first 

11 spine of modern industrial development in Texas and 

12 one of the first along the Gulf of Mexico coast. 

13 (3) The Buffalo Bayou played a significant role 

14 in the struggle for Texas independence. 

15 (4) The Buffalo Bayou developed a prosperous 

16 and productive shipping industry that survives 

17 today. 

18 (5) The Buffalo Bayou led in the development 

19 of Texas’ petrochemical industry that made Houston 

20 the center of the early oil boom in America. 

21 (6) The Buffalo Bayou developed a sophisti22 cated shipping system, leading to the formation of 

23 the modern day Houston Ship Channel. 

24 (7) The Buffalo Bayou developed a significant 

25 industrial base, and served as the focal point for the 

26 new city of Houston. 

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1 (8) There is a longstanding commitment by the 

2 Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Inc., to complete the 

3 Buffalo Bayou Trail along the 12-mile segment of 

4 the Buffalo Bayou. 

5 (9) There is a need for assistance for the pres6 ervation and promotion of the significance of the 

7 Buffalo Bayou as a system for transportation, in8 dustry, commerce, and immigration. 

9 (10) The Department of the Interior is respon10 sible for protecting the Nation’s cultural and histor11 ical resources. There are significant examples of 

12 such resources within the Buffalo Bayou region to 

13 merit the involvement of the Federal Government in 

14 the development of programs and projects, in co15 operation with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Inc., 

16 the State of Texas, and other local and govern17 mental entities, to adequately conserve, protect, and 

18 interpret this heritage for future generations, while 

19 providing opportunities for education and revitaliza20 tion. 

21 (b) STUDY.— 

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in con23 sultation with the State of Texas, the City of Hous24 ton, and other appropriate organizations, carry out 

25 a study regarding the suitability and feasibility of 

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1 establishing the Buffalo Bayou National Heritage 

2 Area in Houston, Texas. 

3 (2) CONTENTS.—The study shall include anal4 ysis and documentation regarding whether the Study 

5 Area— 

6 (A) has an assemblage of natural, historic, 

7 and cultural resources that together represent 

8 distinctive aspects of American heritage worthy 

9 of recognition, conservation, interpretation, and 

10 continuing use, and are best managed through 

11 partnerships among public and private entities 

12 and by combining diverse and sometimes non13 contiguous resources and active communities; 

14 (B) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, 

15 and folklife that are a valuable part of the na16 tional story; 

17 (C) provides outstanding opportunities to 

18 conserve natural, historic, cultural, or scenic 

19 features; 

20 (D) provides outstanding recreational and 

21 educational opportunities; 

22 (E) contains resources important to the 

23 identified theme or themes of the Study Area 

24 that retain a degree of integrity capable of sup25 porting interpretation; 

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1 (F) includes residents, business interests, 

2 nonprofit organizations, and local and State 

3 governments that are involved in the planning, 

4 have developed a conceptual financial plan that 

5 outlines the roles for all participants, including 

6 the Federal Government, and have dem7 onstrated support for the concept of a national 

8 heritage area; 

9 (G) has a potential management entity to 

10 work in partnership with residents, business in11 terests, nonprofit organizations, and local and 

12 State governments to develop a national herit13 age area consistent with continued local and 

14 State economic activity; and 

15 (H) has a conceptual boundary map that is 

16 supported by the public. 

17 (c) BOUNDARIES OF THE STUDY AREA.—The Study 

18 Area shall be comprised of sites in Houston, Texas, in an 

19 area roughly bounded by Shepherd Drive and extending 

20 to the Turning Basin, commonly referred to as the ‘‘Buf21 falo Bayou’’. 

22 (d) SUBMISSION OF STUDY RESULTS.—Not later 

23 than 3 years after funds are first made available for this 

24 section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 

25 Resources of the House of Representatives and the Commmaher on MIKETEMP with BILLS

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1 mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 

2 a report describing the results of the study. 

Passed the House of Representatives October 30, 

2001. 

Attest: JEFF TRANDAHL, 

Clerk. 

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Calendar No. 579 

107TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 1776 

[Report No. 107–262] 

AN ACT 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study 

Houston, Texas. Buffalo Bayou National Heritage Area in west the suitability and feasibility of establishing the 

SEPTEMBER 9, 2002 

Reported without amendment 

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