(1) evaluate combinations of resources best pre-
served, interpreted, stabilized, and managed as Amer-
ican Heritage Areas under a partnership model;
(2) evaluate areas nominated for designation
under subsection (d) as American Heritage Areas in
accordance with the criteria established in subsection
(c);
(3) advise State and local governments, as well
as nonprofit organizations or other appropriate enti-
ties as to suitable methods of recognizing and preserv-
ing thematically and geographically linked natural,
historic, and cultural resources and recreational op-
portunities;
(4) provide technical assistance and grants for
the purposes of nominating areas for inclusion in the
American Heritage Area Program, of developing com-
pacts for nominated areas, of developing management
plans for designated areas, and of undertaking cap-
ital projects and improvements pursuant to such
management plans; and
(5) to consider any heritage area designated
under this or any other Act for nomination to the
World Heritage List if the Secretary determines that
such heritage area meets the qualification for such
nomination.
(c) CRITERIA.—To be eligible for designation as an
American Heritage Area, a proposed area shall meet each
of the following criteria:
(1) The area shall be an assemblage of natural,
historic, or cultural resources that together represent
distinctive aspects of American heritage worthy of
recognition, preservation, interpretation and continu-
ing use which are best managed as such, through
partnerships among public and private entities, and
combining diverse and sometimes noncontiguous re-
sources and active communities.
(2) The area shall reflect traditions, customs, be-
liefs, or folklife, or some combination thereof, that are
a valuable part of the Nation’s story.
(3) The area shall provide outstanding opportu-
nities to conserve natural, cultural, or historic fea-
tures, or some combination thereof.
(4) The area shall provide outstanding rec-
reational and educational opportunities.
(5) The resources important to the identified
theme or themes of the area shall retain integrity ca-
pable of supporting interpretation.
(6) Residents, nonprofit organizations, other pri-
vate entities, and governments within the proposed
area shall have demonstrated support for designation
of the area and implementation of its management
plan.
(7) The principal organization and units of gov-
ernment supporting the designation shall be willing to
commit to agreements to work in partnership to im-
plement its management plan.
(8) The proposal shall be consistent with contin-
ued economic viability in the area.
(9) A compact shall have been prepared with
public participation.
(10) The implementation program outlined in
the compact shall be likely to be initiated within a
reasonable time after designation and such program
shall ensure effective implementation of the State and
local aspects of the plan.
(d) CONDITIONS FOR DESIGNATION.—An area may be
designated as an American Heritage Area only by an Act
of Congress. The Congress may designate an area as an
American Heritage Area, upon which the boundaries of the
area shall be specified and the management entity recog-
nized, only after each of the following conditions are met:
(1) An entity requesting American Heritage
Area designation shall have submitted a feasibility
study and compact, as described in section 6(d), to
the Secretary. The comments of the Governor of each
State in which the proposed American Heritage Area
lies shall accompany such submittals to the Secretary.
(2) The Secretary shall have approved the fea-
sibility study and compact, and have submitted the
study and compact to the Congress. Prior to approv-
ing any studies or compacts, the Secretary shall con-
sult with the Advisory Council on Historic Preserva-
tion in accordance with section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act. The Secretary shall submit
those studies and compacts described in section 6(d)
of this Act to the Congress, together with any com-
ments which the Secretary deems appropriate for a
preferred action.
(e) RELATION TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HIS-
TORIC PLACES.—The act of designation of an American
Heritage Area shall not be deemed to signify that such
American Heritage Area is included in, or eligible for, in-
clusion in the National Register of Historic Places, as estab-
lished in accordance with the National Historic Preserva-
tion Act. Designation of an American Heritage Area shall
not preclude the subsequent nomination to, or determina-
tion of eligibility for inclusion in, the National Register of
any district, site, building, structure, or object located with-
in the designated American Heritage Area.
(f) DURATION OF DESIGNATIONS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—An American Heritage Area’s
designation shall continue unless the Secretary deter-
mines—
(A)(i) that the American Heritage Area no
longer meets the criteria established in subsection
(c);
(ii) that the parties to the compact are not
in compliance with the terms of the compact; or
(iii) that the management entity has not
made significant progress in developing or im-
plementing the management plan; and
(B) requests that the Congress withdraw
designation.
(2) PUBLIC HEARING.—Before making such a de-
termination, the Secretary or the Secretary’s designee
shall hold a public hearing within the American Her-
itage Area.
SEC. 6. HERITAGE PARTNERSHIP FEASIBILITY STUDIES,
COMPACTS, 
MANAGEMENT 
PLANS, 
AND
EARLY ACTIONS.
(a) GRANTS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may make
matching grants to assist in studies to identify the
feasibility of establishing a heritage area, to prepare
compacts outlining the objectives, boundaries and
management structure of the heritage area, to prepare
management plans for designated American Heritage
Areas, and to provide support for early actions as
part of the development of American Heritage Areas,
as described in subsections (d) and (e).
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—The Secretary may make
grants under this section to units of government. The
Secretary, in consultation with affected units of gov-
ernment, may also make grants to private nonprofit
organizations. In awarding grants, the Secretary
shall be guided by the criteria for eligibility for des-
ignation found in section 5(c).
(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—
(1) ELIGIBILITY.—The Secretary may provide
technical assistance to units of government and pri-
vate nonprofit organizations in the conduct of studies,
compacts, plans, and early actions. In providing tech-
nical assistance, the Secretary shall be guided by the
criteria for eligibility for designation found in section
5(c).
(2) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary
may also elect to provide all or part of the technical
assistance in the conduct of studies, compacts, plans,
and early actions through cooperative agreements
with units of government and private nonprofit orga-