I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3222 

To establish the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 13, 2021 

Ms. SEWELL (for herself, Mr. CARL, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. KILDEE, 

Mr. BROOKS, Mr. TONKO, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, and Mr. ADERHOLT) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area, 

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 ‘‘Alabama Black Belt 

5 National Heritage Area Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The term 

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1 nating entity for the National Heritage Area des2 ignated by section 3(b). 

3 (2) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage4 ment plan’’ means the management plan for the Na5 tional Heritage Area prepared under section 5. 

6 (3) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en7 titled ‘‘Alabama Black Belt Heritage Area Bound8 ary’’. 

9 (4) NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.—The term 

10 ‘‘National Heritage Area’’ means the Alabama Black 

11 Belt National Heritage Area established by section 

12 3(a). 

13 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

14 the Secretary of the Interior. 

15 (6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

16 of Alabama. 

17 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF ALABAMA BLACK BELT NA18 TIONAL HERITAGE AREA. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the State 

20 the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area con21 sisting of land in Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, 

22 Conecuh, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, 

23 Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, 

24 Washington, and Wilcox counties in the State, as generally 

25 depicted in the management plan. 


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1 (b) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The Center for 

2 the Study of the Black Belt at the University of West Ala3 bama shall be the local coordinating entity for the Na4 tional Heritage Area. 

5 SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION. 

6 (a) AUTHORITIES.—For purposes of carrying out the 

7 management plan, the Secretary (acting through the Local 

8 Coordinating Entity) may use amounts made available 

9 under section 9— 

10 (1) to make grants to the State, political sub11 divisions of the State, Indian Tribes with jurisdic12 tion over land in the State, nonprofit organizations, 

13 and other persons; 

14 (2) to enter into cooperative agreements with, 

15 or provide technical assistance to, the State, political 

16 subdivisions of the State, Indian Tribes, nonprofit 

17 organizations, and other interested persons; 

18 (3) to hire and compensate staff, which shall in19 clude individuals with expertise in natural, cultural, 

20 and historical resources protection and heritage pro21 gramming; 

22 (4) to obtain money or services from any 

23 source, including any money or services that are pro24 vided under any other Federal law or program; 

25 (5) to contract for goods or services; and 


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1 (6) to undertake any other activity that— 

2 (A) furthers the purposes of the National 

3 Heritage Area; and 

4 (B) is consistent with the approved man5 agement plan. 

6 (b) DUTIES.—The Local Coordinating Entity shall— 

7 (1) assist Federal agencies, the State, political 

8 subdivisions of the State, Indian Tribes, regional 

9 planning organizations, nonprofit organizations, and 

10 other interested persons in carrying out the ap11 proved management plan by— 

12 (A) carrying out programs and projects 

13 that recognize, protect, and enhance important 

14 resource values in the National Heritage Area; 

15 (B) establishing and maintaining interpre16 tive exhibits and programs in the National Her17 itage Area; 

18 (C) developing recreational and educational 

19 opportunities in the National Heritage Area; 

20 (D) increasing public awareness of, and 

21 appreciation for, natural, historical, scenic, and 

22 cultural resources of the National Heritage 

23 Area; 

24 (E) protecting and restoring historic sites 

25 and buildings in the National Heritage Area 


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1 that are consistent with the themes of the Na2 tional Heritage Area; 

3 (F) ensuring that clear, consistent, and ap4 propriate signs identifying points of public ac5 cess and sites of interest are posted throughout 

6 the National Heritage Area; and 

7 (G) promoting a wide range of partner8 ships among the Federal Government, State, 

9 Tribal, and local governments, organizations, 

10 and individuals to further the purposes of the 

11 National Heritage Area; 

12 (2) consider the interests of diverse units of 

13 government, businesses, organizations, and individ14 uals in the National Heritage Area in the prepara15 tion and implementation of the management plan; 

16 (3) conduct meetings open to the public not less 

17 frequently than semiannually regarding the prepara18 tion and implementation of the management plan; 

19 (4) for any year that Federal funds have been 

20 received under this subsection— 

21 (A) submit to the Secretary an annual re22 port that describes, with respect to the report23 ing period— 

24 (i) the activities, expenses, and income 

25 of the Local Coordinating Entity; and 


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1 (ii) any grants made to any other en2 tities; 

3 (B) make available to the Secretary for 

4 audit all records relating to the expenditure of 

5 the funds and any matching funds; and 

6 (C) require, with respect to all agreements 

7 authorizing the expenditure of Federal funds by 

8 any other organization, that the organization 

9 receiving the funds make available to the Sec10 retary for audit all records concerning the ex11 penditure of the funds; and 

12 (5) encourage, by appropriate means and con13 sistent with the purposes of the National Heritage 

14 Area, the economic viability of the National Heritage 

15 Area. 

16 (c) PROHIBITION ON THE ACQUISITION OF REAL

17 PROPERTY.—The Local Coordinating Entity shall not use 

18 Federal funds made available under section 9 to acquire 

19 real property or any interest in real property. 

20 SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 

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

22 date of enactment of this Act, the Local Coordinating En23 tity shall prepare and submit to the Secretary for approval 

24 a proposed management plan for the National Heritage 

25 Area. 


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1 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—The management plan shall— 

2 (1) incorporate an integrated and cooperative 

3 approach for the protection, enhancement, and inter4 pretation of the natural, cultural, historic, scenic, 

5 and recreational resources of the National Heritage 

6 Area; 

7 (2) take into consideration other applicable 

8 Federal, State, local, and Tribal plans and treaty 

9 rights; 

10 (3) include— 

11 (A) an inventory of— 

12 (i) the resources located in the Na13 tional Heritage Area; and 

14 (ii) any other property in the National 

15 Heritage Area that— 

16 (I) is related to the themes of the 

17 National Heritage Area; and 

18 (II) should be preserved, re19 stored, managed, or maintained be20 cause of the significance of the prop21 erty; 

22 (B) comprehensive policies, strategies, and 

23 recommendations for the conservation, funding, 

24 management, and development of the National 

25 Heritage Area; 


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1 (C) a description of activities that the Fed2 eral Government, State, Tribal, and local gov3 ernments, private organizations, and individuals 

4 have agreed to carry out to protect the natural, 

5 historical, cultural, scenic, and recreational re6 sources of the National Heritage Area; 

7 (D) a program of implementation for the 

8 management plan by the Local Coordinating 

9 Entity that includes a description of— 

10 (i) actions to facilitate ongoing col11 laboration among partners to promote 

12 plans for resource protection, restoration, 

13 and construction; and 

14 (ii) specific commitments for imple15 mentation that have been made by the 

16 Local Coordinating Entity or any unit of 

17 government, organization, or individual for 

18 the first 5 years of operation of the Na19 tional Heritage Area; 

20 (E) the identification of sources of funding 

21 to implement the management plan; 

22 (F) analysis and recommendations for 

23 means by which Federal, State, local, and Trib24 al programs may be best coordinated (including 

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1 tional Heritage Area) to carry out the purposes 

2 of this Act; and 

3 (G) an interpretive plan for the National 

4 Heritage Area; and 

5 (4) recommend policies and strategies for re6 source management that consider and detail the ap7 plication of appropriate land and water management 

8 techniques, including the development of intergov9 ernmental and interagency cooperative agreements 

10 to protect the natural, historical, cultural, edu11 cational, scenic, and recreational resources of the 

12 National Heritage Area. 

13 (c) DEADLINE.—If a proposed management plan is 

14 not submitted to the Secretary by the date that is 3 years 

15 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Local Coordi16 nating Entity shall be ineligible to receive additional fund17 ing under this Act until the date on which the Secretary 

18 approves the management plan. 

19 (d) APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT

20 PLAN.— 

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

22 after the date of receipt of the management plan 

23 under subsection (a), the Secretary, in consultation 

24 with State and Tribal governments, shall approve or 

25 disapprove the management plan. 


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1 (2) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—In determining 

2 whether to approve the management plan, the Sec3 retary shall consider whether— 

4 (A) the Local Coordinating Entity is rep5 resentative of the diverse interests of the Na6 tional Heritage Area, including the Federal 

7 Government, State, Tribal, and local govern8 ments, natural and historic resource protection 

9 organizations, educational institutions, busi10 nesses, and recreational organizations; 

11 (B) the Local Coordinating Entity has af12 forded adequate opportunity, including public 

13 hearings, for public and governmental involve14 ment in the preparation of the management 

15 plan; and 

16 (C) the resource protection and interpreta17 tion strategies contained in the management 

18 plan, if implemented, would adequately protect 

19 the natural, historical, and cultural resources of 

20 the National Heritage Area. 

21 (3) ACTION FOLLOWING DISAPPROVAL.—If the 

22 Secretary disapproves the management plan under 

23 paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 

24 (A) advise the Local Coordinating Entity 

25 in writing the reasons for the disapproval; 


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1 (B) make recommendations to the Local 

2 Coordinating Entity for revisions to the man3 agement plan; and 

4 (C) not later than 180 days after the re5 ceipt of any proposed revision of the manage6 ment plan from the Local Coordinating Entity, 

7 approve or disapprove the proposed revision. 

8 (4) AMENDMENTS.— 

9 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ap10 prove or disapprove each amendment to the 

11 management plan that makes a substantial 

12 change to the management plan, as determined 

13 by the Secretary. 

14 (B) USE OF FUNDS.—The Local Coordi15 nating Entity shall not use Federal funds au16 thorized under section 9 to carry out any 

17 amendment to the management plan until the 

18 date on which the Secretary has approved the 

19 amendment. 

20 SEC. 6. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. 

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act affects the au22 thority of a Federal agency to provide technical or finan23 cial assistance under any other law. 

24 (b) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—The head 

25 of any Federal agency planning to conduct activities that 


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1 may have an impact on the National Heritage Area is en2 couraged to consult and coordinate the activities with the 

3 Secretary and the Local Coordinating Entity to the max4 imum extent practicable. 

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

6 Act— 

7 (1) modifies, alters, or amends any law (includ8 ing regulations) authorizing a Federal agency to 

9 manage Federal land under the jurisdiction of the 

10 Federal agency; 

11 (2) limits the discretion of a Federal land man12 ager to implement an approved land use plan within 

13 the boundaries of the National Heritage Area; or 

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

15 use of Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Fed16 eral agency. 

17 SEC. 7. PRIVATE PROPERTY AND REGULATORY PROTEC18 TIONS. 

19 Nothing in this Act— 

20 (1) abridges the rights of any property owner 

21 (whether public or private), including the right to re22 frain from participating in any plan, project, pro23 gram, or activity conducted within the National Her24 itage Area; 

25 (2) requires any property owner— 


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1 (A) to permit public access (including ac2 cess by Federal, State, or local agencies) to the 

3 property of the property owner; or 

4 (B) to modify public access or use of prop5 erty of the property owner under any other 

6 Federal, State, or local law; 

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

8 approved land use plan, or other regulatory author9 ity of any Federal, State, Tribal, or local agency; 

10 (4) conveys any land use or other regulatory 

11 authority to the Local Coordinating Entity; 

12 (5) authorizes or implies the reservation or ap13 propriation of water or water rights; 

14 (6) enlarges or diminishes the treaty rights of 

15 any Indian Tribe within the National Heritage Area; 

16 (7) diminishes— 

17 (A) the authority of the State to manage 

18 fish and wildlife, including the regulation of 

19 fishing and hunting, within the National Herit20 age Area; or 

21 (B) the authority of Indian Tribes to regu22 late members of Indian Tribes with respect to 

23 fishing, hunting, and gathering in the exercise 

24 of treaty rights; or 


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

2 under any other law, of any private property owner 

3 with respect to any person injured on the private 

4 property. 

5 SEC. 8. EVALUATION AND REPORT. 

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

7 date on which authority for Federal funding terminates 

8 for the National Heritage Area, the Secretary shall— 

9 (1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplish10 ments of the National Heritage Area; and 

11 (2) prepare a report in accordance with sub12 section (c). 

13 (b) EVALUATION.—An evaluation conducted under 

14 subsection (a)(1) shall— 

15 (1) assess the progress of the Local Coordi16 nating Entity with respect to— 

17 (A) accomplishing the purposes of the Na18 tional Heritage Area; and 

19 (B) achieving the goals and objectives of 

20 the management plan; 

21 (2) analyze the investments of the Federal Gov22 ernment, State, Tribal, and local governments, and 

23 private entities in the National Heritage Area to de24 termine the impact of the investments; and 


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1 (3) review the management structure, partner2 ship relationships, and funding of the National Her3 itage Area for purposes of identifying the critical 

4 components for sustainability of the National Herit5 age Area. 

6 (c) REPORT.—Based on the evaluation conducted 

7 under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall submit to the 

8 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Sen9 ate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 

10 of Representatives a report that includes recommendations 

11 for the future role of the National Park Service, if any, 

12 with respect to the National Heritage Area. 

13 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro15 priated for the National Heritage Area $10,000,000, of 

16 which not more than $1,000,000 may be made available 

17 in any fiscal year. 

18 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts made available under 

19 subsection (a) shall remain available until expended. 

20 (c) COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of the 

22 total cost of any activity under this Act shall be not 

23 more than 50 percent. 

24 (2) FORM.—The non-Federal share of the total 

25 cost of any activity under this Act may be in the 


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1 form of in-kind contributions of goods or services 

2 fairly valued. 

3 (d) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority of 

4 the Secretary to provide assistance under this Act termi5 nates on the date that is 15 years after the date of enact6 ment of this Act. 

Æ 


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