I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3781
To establish the Lackawanna Valley Heritage Area.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 30, 1998
Mr. MCDADE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
A BILL
To establish the Lackawanna Valley Heritage Area.
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 ‘‘Lackawanna Valley
Heritage Area Act of 1998’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
(1) The industrial and cultural heritage of
northeastern Pennsylvania inclusive of Lackawanna,
Luzerne, Wayne, and Susquehanna counties, related
directly to anthracite and anthracite-related indus-
tries, is nationally significant, as documented in the
United States Department of the Interior-National
Parks Service, National Register of Historic Places,
Multiple Property Documentation submittal of the
Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission
(1996).
(2) These industries include anthracite mining,
ironmaking, textiles, and rail transportation.
(3) The industrial and cultural heritage of the
anthracite and related industries in this region in-
cludes the social history and living cultural tradi-
tions of the people of the region.
(4) The labor movement of the region played a
significant role in the development of the Nation in-
cluding the formation of many key unions such as
the United Mine Workers of America, and crucial
struggles to improve wages and working conditions,
such as the 1900 and 1902 anthracite strikes.
(5) The Department of the Interior is respon-
sible for protecting the Nation’s cultural and historic
resources, and there are significant examples of
these resources within this 4-county region to merit
the involvement of the Federal Government to de-
velop programs and projects, in cooperation with the
Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, the Com-
monwealth of Pennsylvania, and other local and gov-
ernmental bodies, to adequately conserve, protect,
and interpret this heritage for future generations,
while providing opportunities for education and revi-
talization.
(6) The Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority
would be an appropriate management entity for a
Heritage Area established in the region.
(b) PURPOSE.—The objectives of the Lackawanna
Heritage Valley American Heritage Area are as follows:
(1) To foster a close working relationship with
all levels of government, the private sector, and the
local communities in the anthracite coal region of
northeastern Pennsylvania and empower the commu-
nities to conserve their heritage while continuing to
pursue economic opportunities.
(2) To conserve, interpret, and develop the his-
torical, cultural, natural, and recreational resources
related to the industrial and cultural heritage of the
4-county region of northeastern Pennsylvania.
SEC. 3. LACKAWANNA HERITAGE VALLEY AMERICAN HER-
ITAGE AREA.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established
the Lackawanna Heritage Valley American Heritage Area
(in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Heritage Area’’).
(b) BOUNDARIES.—The Heritage Area shall be com-
prised of all or parts of the counties of Lackawanna,
Luzerne, Wayne, and Susquehanna in Pennsylvania, de-
termined pursuant to the compact under section 4.
(c) MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—The management entity
for the Heritage Area shall be the Lackawanna Heritage
Valley Authority.
SEC. 4. COMPACT.
To carry out the purposes of this Act, the Secretary
of the Interior (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’)
shall enter into a compact with the management entity.
The compact shall include information relating to the ob-
jectives and management of the area, including each of
the following:
(1) A delineation of the boundaries of the Her-
itage Area.
(2) A discussion of the goals and objectives of
the Heritage Area, including an explanation of the
proposed approach to conservation and interpreta-
tion and a general outline of the protection measures
committed to by the partners.
SEC. 5. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF MANAGEMENT EN-
TITY.
(a) AUTHORITIES OF THE MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—
The management entity may, for purposes of preparing
and implementing the management plan developed under
subsection (b), use funds made available through this Act
for the following:
(1) To make loans and grants to, and enter
into cooperative agreements with States and their
political subdivisions, private organizations, or any
person.
(2) To hire and compensate staff.
(b) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The management entity
shall develop a management plan for the Heritage Area
that presents comprehensive recommendations for the
Heritage Area’s conservation, funding, management, and
development. Such plan shall take into consideration exist-
ing State, county, and local plans and involve residents,
public agencies, and private organizations working in the
Heritage Area. It shall include actions to be undertaken
by units of government and private organizations to pro-
tect the resources of the Heritage Area. It shall specify
the existing and potential sources of funding to protect,
manage, and develop the Heritage Area. Such plan shall
include, as appropriate, the following:
(1) An inventory of the resources contained in
the Heritage Area, including a list of any property
in the Heritage Area that is related to the themes
of the Heritage Area and that should be preserved,
restored, managed, developed, or maintained because
of its natural, cultural, historic, recreational, or sce-
nic significance.
(2) A recommendation of policies for resource
management which considers and details application
of appropriate land and water management tech-
niques, including, but not limited to, the develop-
ment of intergovernmental cooperative agreements to
protect the Heritage Area’s historical, cultural, rec-
reational, and natural resources in a manner consist-
ent with supporting appropriate and compatible eco-
nomic viability.
(3) A program for implementation of the man-
agement plan by the management entity, including
plans for restoration and construction, and specific
commitments of the identified partners for the first
5 years of operation.
(4) An analysis of ways in which local, State,
and Federal programs may best be coordinated to
promote the purposes of this Act.
(5) An interpretation plan for the Heritage
Area.
The management entity shall submit the management
plan to the Secretary for approval within 3 years after
the date of enactment of this Act. If a management plan
is not submitted to the Secretary as required within the
specified time, the Heritage Area shall no longer qualify
for Federal funding.
(c) DUTIES OF MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—The man-
agement entity shall—
(1) give priority to implementing actions set
forth in the compact and management plan, includ-
ing steps to assist units of government, regional
planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations
in preserving the Heritage Area;
(2) assist units of government, regional plan-
ning organizations, and nonprofit organizations in
establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits in
the Heritage Area; assist units of government, re-
gional planning organizations, and nonprofit organi-
zations in developing recreational resources in the
Heritage Area;
(3) assist units of government, regional plan-
ning organizations, and nonprofit organizations in
increasing public awareness of and appreciation for
the natural, historical, and architectural resources
and sites in the Heritage Area; assist units of gov-
ernment, regional planning organizations and non-
profit organizations in the restoration of any historic
building relating to the themes of the Heritage Area;
(4) encourage by appropriate means economic
viability in the Heritage Area consistent with the
goals of the plan; encourage local governments to
adopt land use policies consistent with the manage-
ment of the Heritage Area and the goals of the plan;
(5) assist units of government, regional plan-
ning organizations, and nonprofit organizations to
ensure that clear, consistent, and environmentally
appropriate signs identifying access points and sites
of interest are put in place throughout the Heritage
Area;
(6) consider the interests of diverse govern-
mental, business, and nonprofit groups within the
Heritage Area;
(7) conduct public meetings at least quarterly
regarding the implementation of the management
plan;
(8) submit substantial changes (including any
increase of more than 20 percent in the cost esti-
mates for implementation) to the management plan
to the Secretary for the Secretary’s approval; for
any year in which Federal funds have been received
under this Act, submit an annual report to the Sec-
retary setting forth its accomplishments, its ex-
penses and income, and the entity to which any
(A) conserving the significant natural, his-
toric, and cultural resources which support its
themes; and
(B) providing educational, interpretive, and
recreational opportunities consistent with its re-
sources and associated values.
(2) SPENDING
FOR
NON-FEDERALLY
OWNED
PROPERTY.—The Secretary may spend Federal
funds directly on non-federally owned property to
further the purposes of this Act, especially in assist-
ing units of government in appropriate treatment of
districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects list-
ed or eligible for listing on the National Register of
Historic Places. The Historic American Building
Survey/Historic American Engineering Record shall
conduct those studies necessary to document the in-
dustrial, engineering, building, and architectural his-
tory of the region.
(b) APPROVAL AND DISAPPROVAL OF COMPACTS AND
MANAGEMENT PLANS.—The Secretary, in consultation
with the Governor of Pennsylvania, shall approve or dis-
approve a compact or management plan submitted under
this Act not later than 90 days after receiving such com-
pact or management plan.
(c) ACTION FOLLOWING DISAPPROVAL.—If the Sec-
retary disapproves a submitted compact or management
plan, the Secretary shall advise the management entity in
writing of the reasons therefore and shall make rec-
ommendations for revisions in the compact or plan. The
Secretary shall approve or disapprove a proposed revision
within 90 days after the date it is submitted.
(d) APPROVING AMENDMENTS.—The Secretary shall
review substantial amendments to the management plan
for the Heritage Area. Funds appropriated pursuant to
this Act may not be expended to implement the changes
made by such amendments until the Secretary approves
the amendments.
SEC. 7. SUNSET.
The Secretary may not make any grant or provide
any assistance under this Act after September 30, 2012.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated under 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) 50 PERCENT MATCH.—Federal funding provided
under this Act, after the designation of the Heritage Area,
may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of any assist-
ance or grant provided or authorized under this Act.
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