Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Taunton, Massachu-
setts Special Resources Study Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The city of Taunton, Massachusetts, is
home to 9 distinct historic districts, with more than
600 properties on the National Register of Historic
Places. Included among these districts are the
Church Green Historic District, the Courthouse His-
toric District, the Taunton Green Historic District,
and the Reed and Barton Historic District.
(2) All of these districts include buildings and
building facades of great historical, cultural, and ar-
chitectural value.
(3) Taunton Green is the site where the Sons
of Liberty first raised the Liberty and Union Flag
in 1774, an event that helped to spark a popular
movement, culminating in the American Revolution,
and Taunton citizens have been among the first to
volunteer for America’s subsequent wars.
(4) Robert Treat Paine, a citizen of Taunton,
and the first Attorney General of Massachusetts,
was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
(5) Taunton was a leading community in the
Industrial Revolution, and its industrial area has
been the site of many innovations in such industries
as silver manufacture, paper manufacture, and ship
building.
(6) The landscaping of the Courthouse Green
was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also
left landscaping ideas and plans for other areas in
the city which have great value and interest as his-
torical archives and objects of future study.
(7) Main Street, which connects many of the
historic districts, is home to the Taunton City Hall
and the Leonard Block building, 2 outstanding ex-
amples of early 19th Century American architecture,
as well as many other historically and architecturally
significant structures.
(8) The city and people of Taunton have pre-
served many artifacts, gravesites, and important
documents dating back to 1638 when Taunton was
founded.
(9) Taunton was and continues to be an impor-
tant destination for immigrants from Europe and
other parts of the world who have helped to give
Southeastern Massachusetts its unique ethnic char-
acter.
SEC. 3. STUDY.
The Secretary, in consultation with the appropriate
State historic preservation officers, State historical soci-
eties, the city of Taunton, and other appropriate organiza-
tions, shall conduct a special resources study regarding the
suitability and feasibility of designating certain historic
buildings and areas in Taunton, Massachusetts, as a unit
of the National Park System. The study shall be con-
ducted and completed in accordance with section 8(c) of
Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5(c)) and shall include
analysis, documentation, and determinations regarding
whether the historic areas in Taunton—
(1) can be managed, curated, interpreted, re-
stored, preserved, and presented as an organic whole
under management by the National Park Service or
under an alternative management structure;
(2) have an assemblage of natural, historic, and
cultural resources that together represent distinctive
aspects of American heritage worthy of recognition,
conservation, interpretation, and continuing use;
(3) reflect traditions, customs, beliefs, and his-
torical events that are valuable parts of the national
story;
(4) provide outstanding opportunities to con-
serve natural, historic, cultural, architectural, or sce-
nic features;
(5) provide outstanding recreational and edu-
cational opportunities; and
(6) can be managed by the National Park Serv-
ice in partnership with residents, business interests,
nonprofit organizations, and State and local govern-
ments to develop a unit of the National Park System
consistent with State and local economic activity.
SEC. 4. REPORT.
Not later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which
funds are first made available for this Act, the Secretary
shall submit to the Committee on Resources of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the findings,
conclusions, and recommendations of the study required
under section 3.
SEC. 5. PRIVATE PROPERTY.
The recommendations in the report submitted pursu-
ant to section 4 shall discuss and consider the concerns
expressed by private landowners with respect to desig-
nating the certain structures referred to in this Act as a
unit of the National Park System.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as
may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives October 4,
2004.
Attest:
Clerk.