I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5014
To direct the Director of the National Park Service to prepare a report 
on the sustainability of the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley 
National Heritage Corridor and the John H. Chafee Blackstone River 
Valley National Heritage Commission. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 7, 2004
Mr. MCGOVERN (for himself, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr. KENNEDY of 
Rhode Island, and Mr. LANGEVIN) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To direct the Director of the National Park Service to pre-
pare a report on the sustainability of the John H. Chafee 
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and 
the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National 
Heritage Commission.
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 ‘‘John H. Chafee Black-
stone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Sustain-
ability Report Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
(1) the Blackstone River Valley National Herit-
age Corridor (redesignated the John H. Chafee 
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor 
in 1999) was established in 1986 in recognition of 
the national importance of the region as the birth-
place of the American Industrial Revolution; 
(2) the Corridor has become a national model 
of how the National Park Service can work coopera-
tively with local communities and a multi-agency 
partnership to create a seamless system of parks, 
preserved historic sites, and open spaces that en-
hance the protection and understanding of America’s 
heritage, without Federal ownership and regulations; 
(3) the Corridor is managed by a bi-State, 19-
member Federal commission representing Federal, 
State and local authorities from the Commonwealth 
of Massachusetts and the State of Rhode Island 
whose mandate has been to implement an approved 
integrated resource management plan; 
(4) the authorization and funding for the John 
H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Herit-
age Commission are scheduled to expire in Novem-
ber 2006, while the Federal designation of the area 
and its boundaries continues in perpetuity; and
(5) the National Park System Advisory Board 
will be reviewing the future of all national heritage 
areas and making recommendations to the Director 
of the National Park Service and the Secretary of 
the Interior. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to explore the options for preserving, en-
hancing, and interpreting the resources of the John 
H. Chafee Blackstone River Corridor and the part-
nerships that sustain those resources; and 
(2) to direct the Director of the National Park 
Service to submit to Congress a report that—
(A) analyzes the sustainability of the Cor-
ridor; and 
(B) provides recommendations for the fu-
ture of the Corridor. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CORRIDOR.—The term ‘‘Corridor’’ means 
the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley Na-
tional Heritage Corridor. 
(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley 
National Heritage Commission.
(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the National Park Service. 
SEC. 4. REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall prepare a re-
port on the sustainability of the Corridor. 
(b) COMPONENTS.—The report prepared under sub-
section (a) shall—
(1) document the progress that has been made 
in accomplishing the purpose of Public Law 99–647 
(6 U.S.C. 461 note; 100 Stat. 3625) and the strate-
gies and goals set forth in the Cultural Heritage and 
Land Management Plan for the Corridor, includ-
ing—
(A) historic preservation; 
(B) interpretation and education; 
(C) environmental recovery; 
(D) recreational development; and 
(E) economic improvement; 
(2) based on the results documented under 
paragraph (1), identify further actions and commit-
ments that are needed to protect, enhance, and in-
terpret the Corridor; 
(3)(A) determine the extent of Federal funding 
provided to the Corridor; and
(B) determine how the Federal funds have le-
veraged additional Federal, State, local, and private 
funding for the Corridor since the establishment of 
the Corridor; and 
(4)(A) evaluate the Commission form of author-
ity and management structure for the Corridor, as 
established by Public Law 99–647 (6 U.S.C. 461 
note; 100 Stat. 3625); and 
(B) identify and evaluate options for a perma-
nent National Park Service designation or a State 
park or regional entity as a sustainable framework 
to achieve the national interest of the Blackstone 
Valley. 
(c) COORDINATION.—To the maximum extent prac-
ticable, the Director shall prepare the report in coordina-
tion with the National Park System Advisory Board. 
(d) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 
year after the date on which funds are made available to 
carry out this Act, the Director shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Resources of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
Senate the report prepared under subsection (a).
(e) FUNDING.—Funding to prepare the report under 
this Act shall be made available from annual appropria-
tions for the Commission.
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