(b) PROHIBITION OF ACQUISITION OF REAL PROP-
ERTY.—The Association may not use Federal funds re-
ceived under this Act to acquire real property or any inter-
est in real property. Nothing in this Act shall preclude
the Association from acquiring real property or any inter-
est in real property using other funds intended for that
purpose.
(c) DUTIES OF THE ASSOCIATION.—The Association
shall carry out the following duties:
(1) Prepare and submit to the Secretary for ap-
proval a plan as described in section 6 not later than
3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
If the Plan is not submitted to the Secretary as re-
quired under this paragraph within the specified
time, the Heritage Area shall no longer qualify for
Federal funding until the Plan is submitted and ap-
proved by the Secretary.
(2) Give priority to the implementation of ac-
tions, goals, and strategies set forth in the Plan, in-
cluding assisting units of government and others
in—
(A) carrying out the programs that recog-
nize and protect important resource values
within the Heritage Area;
(B) encouraging, by appropriate means,
economic viability in the Heritage Area con-
sistent with the goals of the Plan;
(C) establishing and maintaining interpre-
tive exhibits in the Heritage Area;
(D) developing recreational and edu-
cational opportunities in the Heritage Area;
(E) increasing public awareness of and ap-
preciation for the natural, historical, and cul-
tural resources of the Heritage Area;
(F) restoring historic buildings that are lo-
cated within the boundaries of the Heritage
Area relating to the themes of the Heritage
Area; and
(G) ensuring that clear, consistent, and ap-
propriate signs identifying public access points
and sites of interest are posted throughout the
Heritage Area.
(3) Prepare and implement the Plan while con-
sidering the interests of diverse units of government,
businesses, private property owners, and nonprofit
groups within the Heritage Area.
(4) Conduct Association meetings open to the
public at least quarterly regarding the development
and implementation of the Plan.
(5) Submit an annual report to the Secretary
for any fiscal year in which the Association receives
Federal funds under this Act, setting forth its ac-
complishments, its expenses and income, including
the entities to which it made grants during the year
for which the report is made.
(6) Make available for audit for any fiscal year
in which it receives Federal funds under this Act, by
the Congress, the Secretary, and appropriate units
of government, all records and other information
pertaining to the expenditure of such funds and any
matching funds; and require, for all agreements au-
thorizing expenditure of Federal funds by other or-
ganizations, that the receiving organizations make
available for such audit all records and other infor-
mation pertaining to the expenditure of such funds.
SEC. 8. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF THE SECRETARY.
(a) TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may, upon
the request of the Association, provide technical and
financial assistance to the Heritage Area to develop
and implement the approved Plan. In assisting the
Heritage Area, the Secretary shall give priority to
actions that in general assist in—
(A) conserving the significant natural, his-
toric, and cultural resources of the Heritage
area; and
(B) providing educational, interpretive, and
recreational opportunities consistent with the
purposes of the Heritage Area.
(2) SPENDING
FOR
NONFEDERALLY
OWNED
PROPERTY.—Federal funds made available by the
Secretary to the Association may be spent directly
on nonfederally owned property identified in the
Plan, or listed or eligible for listing on the National
Register of Historic Places.
(3) OTHER ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may
enter into cooperative agreements with public and
private organizations for the purposes of imple-
menting this subsection.
(b) APPROVAL AND DISAPPROVAL OF PLAN.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall approve
or disapprove the Plan not later than 90 days after
receiving the Plan.
(2) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—In determining
whether to approve the Plan, the Secretary shall
consider whether—
(A) the Association has afforded adequate
opportunity, including public hearings, for pub-
lic and governmental involvement in the prepa-
ration of the Plan;
(B) the resource protection and interpreta-
tion strategies contained in the Plan, if imple-
mented, would adequately protect the historic
and cultural resources of the Heritage Area;
and
(C) the Secretary has received adequate
assurances from the appropriate state and local
officials whose support is needed to ensure the
effective implementation of the State and local
aspects of the Plan.
(3) ACTION FOLLOWING DISAPPROVAL.—If the
Secretary disapproves the Plan, the Secretary shall
advise the Association in writing of the reasons
therefor and shall make recommendations for revi-
sions to the Plan. The Secretary shall approve or
disapprove a proposed revision within 60 days after
the date it is submitted.
(c) 
APPROVAL
OF
AMENDMENTS.—Substantial
amendments to the Plan shall be reviewed by the Sec-
retary and approved in the same manner as provided for
the original Plan. The Association shall not use Federal
funds authorized by this Act to implement any amend-
ments until the amendments are approved by the Sec-
retary.
SEC. 9. DUTIES OF OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.
Any Federal entity conducting or supporting activi-
ties directly affecting the Heritage Area shall consider the
potential effect of the activity on the purposes and the
Plan, and shall consult with the Association with respect
to the activity, and to the extent practicable conduct or
support such activities to avoid adverse effects on the pur-
poses of the Heritage Area.
SEC. 10. RELATIONSHIP TO LAND USE REGULATION AND
PRIVATE PROPERTY.
(a) LAND USE REGULATION.—The Association shall
provide assistance and encouragement to State and local
governments and to private organizations and individuals
to protect and promote the resources and values of the
Heritage Area. Nothing in this Act is intended to abrogate
in any way the authority of State or local governments.
Nothing in this Act may be construed to provide any au-
thority to the Association to regulate any use of land
under this or any other law, nor to grant any zoning or
land use authority to the Association.
(b) PRIVATE PROPERTY.—The Association shall be
an advocate for land management practices consistent
with the purposes of the Heritage Area. This Act provides
no authority to the Association to abridge the rights of
any person with regard to private property. Nothing in
this Act is intended to abrogate in any way any State or
local authority regarding private property. Nothing in this
Act shall impose any additional burden on any property
owner by the listing of his property pursuant to section
6(a)(3)(A).
SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated for the purposes of this Act not more than
$1,000,000 for any fiscal year. Not more than a total of
$10,000,000 may be appropriated for the Heritage Area
under this Act.
(b) MATCHING FUNDS.—Federal funding provided
under this Act may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost
of any assistance or grant provided or authorized under
this Act.
SEC. 12. SUNSET.
The authority of the Secretary to provide assistance
under this Act shall terminate on the day occurring 15
years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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