I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3031 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study 

to evaluate the significance of the Newtown Battlefield located in 

Chemung County, New York, and the suitability and feasibility of its 

inclusion in the National Park System, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 

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

on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 

resource study to evaluate the significance of the Newtown Battlefield located in Chemung County, New York, 

and the suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in the 

National Park System, 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 ‘‘Newtown Battlefield 

5 Special Resource Study Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. 1779 BATTLE OF NEWTOWN STUDY. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds as follows: 


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1 (1) In 1972, the Newtown Battlefield was rec2 ognized by the Federal Government as a significant 

3 historic resource by the designation of the Newtown 

4 Battlefield National Historic Landmark, consisting 

5 of approximately 2,100 acres in the towns of Ash6 land, Chemung, and Elmira in the County of 

7 Chemung, New York. 

8 (2) The Sullivan Campaign of 1779 was a sig9 nificant event in the history of American Revolu10 tionary War. 

11 (3) The Battle of Newtown, fought on August 

12 29, 1779, was the most significant military engage13 ment of the Sullivan Campaign. 

14 (4) The National Park Service’s 2007 Report 

15 on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War 

16 and War of 1812 Sites in the United States cat17 egorized Newtown Battlefield as a Class A site. 

18 (5) The designation of Newtown Battlefield as 

19 a Class A site evinces a conclusion that the battle20 field is a site of a military action with a vital objec21 tive or result that shaped the strategy, direction, 

22 outcome, or perception of the Revolutionary War. 

23 (6) The report also found that Newtown Battle24 field is a site that has experienced little alteration 

25 since the Revolutionary War and that it is largely 


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1 unprotected by other public historic preservation 

2 agencies or nonprofit organizations. 

3 (b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this Act: 

4 (1) NEWTOWN BATTLEFIELD.—The term 

5 ‘‘Newtown Battlefield’’ means the area encompassed 

6 by the 1972 designation of the Newtown Battlefield 

7 National Historic Landmark, and other associated 

8 lands related to the Battle of Newtown located in 

9 the towns of Elmira, Chemung, and Ashland, in 

10 Chemung County, New York. 

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

12 the Secretary of the Interior. 

13 (c) STUDY.—Not later than 3 years after the date 

14 that funds are made available for this section, the Sec15 retary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, 

16 conduct a special resource study to evaluate the signifi17 cance of the Newtown Battlefield in Chemung County, 

18 New York, as well as the suitability and feasibility of its 

19 inclusion in the National Park System. 

20 (d) CRITERIA FOR STUDY.—In conducting the study 

21 authorized by this Act, the Secretary shall use the criteria 

22 for the study of areas for potential inclusion in the Na23 tional Park System contained in section 8(b) of Public 

24 Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5(b)). 


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1 (e) CONTENT OF STUDY.—The study shall include an 

2 analysis of the following: 

3 (1) The significance of the Battle of Newtown 

4 to the Sullivan Campaign and the significance of the 

5 Campaign in relation to the military objectives of the 

6 Continental Army in 1779. 

7 (2) Opportunities for public enjoyment of the 

8 Newtown Battlefield. 

9 (3) Any operational, management, and private 

10 property issues that need to be considered if the 

11 Newtown Battlefield were added to the National 

12 Park System. 

13 (4) A determination of the feasibility of admin14 istering the Newtown Battlefield considering its size, 

15 configuration, ownership, costs, and other factors. 

16 (5) An evaluation of the adequacy of other al17 ternatives for the management and resource protec18 tion of the Newtown Battlefield. 

19 (6) An analysis of the impact, economic and 

20 otherwise, on the Chemung County community, of 

21 the inclusion of Newtown Battlefield into the Na22 tional Park System. 

23 (f) SUBMISSION OF REPORT.—Upon completion of 

24 the study, the Secretary shall submit a report on the find25 ings of the study to the Committee on Natural Resources 


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1 of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on 

2 Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate. 

Æ 


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