First State National Historical Park Act

To establish the First State National Historical Park in the State of Delaware, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the First State National Historical Park Act 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Historical park The term historical park (2) Secretary The term Secretary (3) State The term State (A) the State of Delaware; and (B) in the case of the property described in section 3(b)(8), the States of Delaware and Pennsylvania. 3. First State National Historical Park (a) Establishment (1) In general Subject to paragraph (3), there is established the First State National Historical Park, to be administered as a unit of the National Park System. (2) Purposes The purposes of the historical park are to preserve, protect, and interpret the nationally significant cultural and historic resources in the State that are associated with— (A) early Dutch, Swedish, and English settlement of the Colony of Delaware and portions of the Colony of Pennsylvania; and (B) the role of Delaware— (i) in the birth of the United States; and (ii) as the first State to ratify the Constitution. (3) Determination by secretary (A) In general The historical park shall not be established until the date on which the Secretary determines that sufficient land or interests in land have been acquired from among the sites described in subsection (b) to constitute a manageable park unit. (B) Notice Not later than 30 days after making a determination under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall publish a notice in the Federal Register of the establishment of the historical park, including an official boundary map for the historical park. (C) Availability of map The map published under subparagraph (B) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service. (b) Historic sites The Secretary may include the following sites within the boundary of the historical park as generally depicted on the maps numbered 1 through 6, entitled First State National Historical Park, New Castle, Kent, Sussex Counties, DE and Delaware County, PA First State National Historical Park, Woodlawn (1) The Old Sherriff’s House in New Castle County, Delaware, as depicted on map 4 of 6. (2) Fort Christina National Historic Landmark in New Castle County, Delaware, as depicted on map 3 of 6. (3) Old Swedes Church National Historic Landmark in New Castle County, Delaware, as depicted on map 3 of 6. (4) Old New Castle Courthouse in New Castle, Delaware, as depicted on map 4 of 6. (5) John Dickinson Plantation National Historic Landmark in Kent County, Delaware, as depicted on map 5 of 6. (6) Dover Green in Kent County, Delaware, as depicted on map 5 of 6. (7) Ryves Holt House in Sussex County, Delaware, as depicted on map 6 of 6. (8) The Woodlawn property in New Castle County, Delaware, and Delaware County, Pennsylvania, as depicted on map 2 of 6. (9) Old New Castle Green, in New Castle, Delaware, as depicted on map 4 of 6. 4. Administration (a) In general The Secretary shall administer the historical park in accordance with— (1) this Act; and (2) the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including— (A) the National Park System Organic Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1 et seq. (B) the Act of August 21, 1935 ( 16 U.S.C. 461 et seq. (b) Land acquisition (1) Methods (A) In general Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary may acquire all or a portion of any of the sites described in section 3(b), including easements or other interests in land, by purchase from a willing seller, donation, or exchange. (B) Donation only (i) Proposed NPS Site The Secretary may acquire only by donation all or a portion of the property identified as Proposed NPS Site First State National Historical Park, Woodlawn (ii) Area for potential addition by donation The Secretary may acquire only by donation all or a portion of the property identified as “Area for Potential Addition by Donation” on map 2 of 6 entitled First State National Historical Park, Woodlawn (2) Boundary adjustment On acquisition of land or an interest in land under paragraph (1), the boundary of the historical park shall be adjusted to reflect the acquisition. (c) Interpretive tours The Secretary may provide interpretive tours to sites and resources in the State that are located outside the boundary of the historical park and associated with the purposes for which the historical park is established, including— (1) Fort Casimir; (2) DeVries Monument; (3) Amstel House; (4) Dutch House; and (5) Zwaanendael Museum. (d) Cooperative agreements (1) In general The Secretary may enter into a cooperative agreement with the State, political subdivisions of the State, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and individuals to mark, interpret, and restore nationally significant historic or cultural resources within the boundaries of the historical park, if the cooperative agreement provides for reasonable public access to the resources. (2) Cost-sharing requirement (A) Federal share The Federal share of the total cost of any activity carried out under a cooperative agreement entered into under paragraph (1) shall be not more than 50 percent. (B) Form of non-Federal share The non-Federal share may be in the form of in-kind contributions or goods or services fairly valued. (e) Management plan (1) In general Not later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this subsection, the Secretary shall complete a management plan for the historical park. (2) Applicable law The management plan shall be prepared in accordance with section 12(b) of Public Law 91–383 16 U.S.C. 1a–7(b) 5. National landmark study (a) In general Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this section, the Secretary shall complete a study assessing the historical significance of additional properties in the State that are associated with the purposes of historical park. (b) Requirements The study prepared under subsection (a) shall include an assessment of the potential for designating the additional properties as National Historic Landmarks. 6. Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.

Summary: First State National Historical Park Act - Establishes the First State National Historical Park in Delaware, to be administered as a unit of the National Park System. Specifies that the purpose of the Park is the preservation, protection, and interpretation of the nationally significant cultural and historic resources associated with early Dutch, Swedish, and English settlement of the colony of Delaware and parts of the colony of Pennsylvania and Delaware's role in the birth of the United States and as the first state to ratify the Constitution. Requires the completion of a management plan for the Park. Requires completion of a study assessing the historical significance of additional properties in Delaware associated with the Park.