I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5957 
To establish the Caddo Lake National Heritage Area, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 24, 2018 
Mr. GOHMERT (for himself, Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana, and Mr. RATCLIFFE) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To establish the Caddo Lake National Heritage Area, and 
for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Caddo Lake National 
Heritage Area Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CADDO
LAKE
HERITAGE
AREA
COMMIS-
SION.—The term ‘‘Caddo Lake Heritage Area Com-
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mission’’ means the management entity for the Her-
itage Area. 
(2) HERITAGE
AREA.—The term ‘‘Heritage 
Area’’ means the Caddo Lake National Heritage 
Area established by section 3(a). 
(3) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment plan’’ means the management plan for the 
Heritage Area developed under section 4. 
(4) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map 
prepared under section 3(b). 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the States of— 
(A) Louisiana; and 
(B) Texas. 
SEC. 3. CADDO LAKE NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
States the Caddo Lake National Heritage Area. 
(b) BOUNDARIES.—As soon as practicable after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare 
a map depicting the boundaries of the Heritage Area. 
(c) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The map shall be on file 
and available for public inspection in the appropriate of-
fices of— 
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(1) the National Park Service; and 
(2) the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission. 
(d) CADDO LAKE HERITAGE AREA COMMISSION.— 
The Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission shall— 
(1) serve as the management entity for the 
Heritage Area; 
(2) oversee the development of the management 
plan; and 
(3) be governed by a board of directors that 
shall— 
(A) include members that represent a geo-
graphic balance across the applicable counties 
and the States; 
(B) be composed of not fewer than 7, and 
not more than 15, members elected by the 
membership of the Caddo Lake Heritage Area 
Commission; 
(C) be selected to represent a balanced 
group of diverse interests, including— 
(i) the forest industry; 
(ii) the energy or mineral resources 
industry; 
(iii) environmental interests; 
(iv) cultural heritage interests; 
(v) tourism interests; and 
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(vi) regional agency partners; 
(D) exercise all corporate powers of the 
Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission; 
(E) manage the activities and affairs of 
the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission; 
and 
(F) subject to any limitations in the arti-
cles and bylaws of the Caddo Lake Heritage 
Area Commission, this Act, and any other ap-
plicable Federal or State law, establish the poli-
cies of the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commis-
sion. 
SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Caddo Lake Heritage 
Area Commission shall develop and submit to the Sec-
retary for approval a management plan for the Heritage 
Area. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The management plan shall— 
(1) describe comprehensive policies, goals, strat-
egies, and recommendations for— 
(A) presenting to the citizens of the United 
States the heritage of the region; and 
(B) encouraging the long-term resource 
conservation, 
enhancement, 
interpretation, 
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funding, management, and development of the 
Heritage Area; 
(2) take into consideration and coordinate Fed-
eral, State, and local plans to present a unified his-
toric preservation and interpretation plan for the 
Heritage Area; 
(3) involve residents, public agencies, and pri-
vate organizations of the Heritage Area; 
(4) describe actions that units of government, 
private organizations, and citizens recommend for 
the conservation, enhancement, interpretation, fund-
ing, management, and development of the resources 
of the Heritage Area; 
(5) identify— 
(A) existing and potential sources of fund-
ing for the conservation, enhancement, interpre-
tation, management, and development of the re-
sources of the Heritage Area; and 
(B) economic development strategies for 
the conservation, enhancement, interpretation, 
funding, management, and development of the 
resources of the Heritage Area; 
(6) include— 
(A) an inventory of the cultural, natural, 
historical, educational, scenic, and recreational 
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resources contained in the Heritage Area, in-
cluding a list of property that— 
(i) is related to the themes of the 
Heritage Area; and 
(ii) should be conserved, enhanced, 
managed, or developed; 
(B) a recommendation of policies and 
strategies for resource management and con-
servation, including the development of inter-
governmental cooperative agreements to man-
age and conserve the cultural, natural, histor-
ical, educational, scenic, and recreational re-
sources of the Heritage Area; 
(C) a program of strategies and actions to 
implement the management plan that in-
cludes— 
(i) performance goals; 
(ii) resource conservation plans; 
(iii) enhancement strategies; 
(iv) interpretation strategies; and 
(v) specific commitments for imple-
mentation that have been made by the 
Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission or 
any government, organization, business, or 
individual; 
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(D) an analysis of, and recommendations 
for, means by which Federal, State, and local 
programs may best be coordinated to further 
the purposes of this Act, including an analysis 
of the role of the National Park Service and 
other Federal agencies associated with the Her-
itage Area; 
(E) a business plan that— 
(i) describes the role, operation, fi-
nancing, and functions of— 
(I) the Caddo Lake Heritage 
Area Commission; and 
(II) each of the major activities 
included in the management plan; and 
(ii) provides adequate assurances that 
the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commis-
sion has the partnerships and financial and 
other resources necessary to implement the 
management plan; and 
(F) an interpretive plan for the Heritage 
Area; and 
(7) describe any revisions to the boundaries of 
the Heritage Area— 
(A) proposed by the Caddo Lake Heritage 
Area Commission; and 
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(B) requested by the affected local govern-
ment. 
(c) APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 
(1) REVIEW.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of receipt of the management plan under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall review and ap-
prove or disapprove the management plan. 
(2) CRITERIA.—In determining whether to ap-
prove the management plan, the Secretary shall con-
sider whether— 
(A) the management plan meets all re-
quirements described in subsection (b); and 
(B) the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Com-
mission has afforded adequate opportunity, in-
cluding public hearings, for public and govern-
mental involvement in the preparation of the 
management plan. 
(d) ACTION FOLLOWING DISAPPROVAL.—If the Sec-
retary disapproves the management plan under subsection 
(c)(1), the Secretary shall— 
(1) advise the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Com-
mission in writing of the reasons for the disapproval; 
(2) make recommendations for revisions to the 
management plan; and 
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(3) not later than 180 days after the date of re-
ceipt of a proposed revision to the management plan, 
approve or disapprove the proposed revision. 
(e) AMENDMENTS.—The Secretary shall review and 
approve or disapprove each amendment to the manage-
ment plan that the Secretary determines may substantially 
alter the purposes of the Heritage Area. 
(f) EFFECT OF INACTION.—If the Secretary does not 
approve or disapprove a management plan or a revision 
or change to a management plan by the date that is 180 
days after the date on which the management plan or revi-
sion or change to the management plan is submitted, the 
management plan, revision, or change shall be considered 
to have been approved by the Secretary. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF THE CADDO LAKE 
HERITAGE AREA COMMISSION. 
(a) AUTHORITIES.—For purposes of preparing and 
carrying out the management plan, the Caddo Lake Herit-
age Area Commission may— 
(1) make grants to— 
(A) political jurisdictions of the States; 
(B) nonprofit organizations; and 
(C) other persons or entities located in the 
Heritage Area; 
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(2) enter into cooperative agreements with, or 
provide technical assistance to— 
(A) political jurisdictions of the States; 
(B) nonprofit organizations; 
(C) the heads of Federal agencies; and 
(D) other interested persons or entities; 
(3) hire and compensate staff who have dem-
onstrated expertise in the fields of— 
(A) cultural, natural, and historical re-
sources conservation; 
(B) economic and community development; 
(C) forestry; or 
(D) heritage planning; 
(4) obtain money or services from any source, 
including any money or services provided under any 
other Federal program or law, in which case the 
Federal share of the cost of any activity carried out 
using Federal funds shall be not more than 50 per-
cent; 
(5) contract for goods or services; and 
(6) support activities of partners and any other 
activities that— 
(A) further the purposes of the Heritage 
Area; and 
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ment, all records pertaining to the expenditure 
of the funds and any matching funds; and 
(2) encourage, by appropriate means and con-
sistent with the purposes of the Heritage Area, the 
economic viability of the Heritage Area. 
(c) PROHIBITION ON THE ACQUISITION OF REAL 
PROPERTY.—The Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission 
shall not use Federal funds to acquire real property or 
any interest in real property. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. 
(a) TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—On 
request of the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission, the 
Secretary may provide technical and financial assistance, 
on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, to the Caddo 
Lake Heritage Area Commission for— 
(1) the development and implementation of the 
management plan; and 
(2) other initiatives of the Caddo Lake Heritage 
Area Commission. 
(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To carry out this Act, the 
Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements 
with the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission and 
other public and private entities to provide assist-
ance under subsection (a). 
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(2) REQUIREMENTS.—A cooperative agreement 
entered into under paragraph (1) shall, at a min-
imum— 
(A) establish the goals and objectives of 
the Heritage Area; and 
(B) include— 
(i) a proposal relating to the conserva-
tion and interpretation of the Heritage 
Area; and 
(ii) a general outline describing each 
measure agreed to by the Secretary and 
the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commis-
sion. 
SEC. 7. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act affects the au-
thority of any Federal official to provide technical or fi-
nancial assistance under any other law. 
(b) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—The head 
of any Federal agency planning to conduct an activity that 
may have an impact on the Heritage Area shall, to the 
maximum extent practicable— 
(1) consult with the Secretary and the Caddo 
Lake Heritage Area Commission regarding the ac-
tivity; and 
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(2) coordinate the activity with the Secretary 
and the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission. 
(c) EFFECT ON OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Noth-
ing in this Act— 
(1) modifies, alters, or amends any law (includ-
ing a regulation) authorizing a Federal agency to 
manage Federal land under the jurisdiction of the 
Federal agency; 
(2) limits the discretion of a Federal land man-
ager to implement an approved land use plan within 
the boundaries of the Heritage Area; or 
(3) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized 
use of Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Fed-
eral agency. 
SEC. 8. PROPERTY OWNERS AND REGULATORY PROTEC-
TIONS. 
Nothing in this Act— 
(1) abridges the rights of any property owner, 
whether public or private, including the right to re-
frain from participating in any plan, project, pro-
gram, or activity conducted within the Heritage 
Area; 
(2) requires any property owner— 
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(A) to permit public access (including Fed-
eral, Tribal, State, or local government access) 
to the property of the property owner; or 
(B) to modify any provisions of Federal, 
Tribal, State, or local law with regard to public 
access or use of private land; 
(3) alters any duly adopted land use regulation, 
any approved land use plan, or any other regulatory 
authority of any Federal, State, or local agency or 
Tribal government; 
(4) conveys any land use or other regulatory 
authority to the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commis-
sion; 
(5) authorizes or implies the reservation or ap-
propriation of water or water rights; 
(6) diminishes the authority of the State to 
manage fish and wildlife, including the regulation of 
fishing and hunting within the Heritage Area; 
(7) creates any liability, or affects any liability 
under any other law, of any private property owner 
with respect to any person injured on the private 
property; 
(8) abridges, or authorizes the Secretary or the 
Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission to abridge, 
valid rights to timber harvesting; or 
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(9) abridges, restricts, or alters the rights of 
any property owner with regard to the property of 
the property owner. 
SEC. 9. EVALUATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of the approval of the management plan under sec-
tion 4(c), the Secretary shall— 
(1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplish-
ments of the Heritage Area; and 
(2) prepare a report in accordance with sub-
section (c). 
(b) EVALUATION COMPONENTS.—An evaluation pre-
pared under subsection (a)(1) shall— 
(1) assess the progress of the Caddo Lake Her-
itage Area Commission with respect to— 
(A) accomplishing the purposes of the au-
thorizing legislation for the Heritage Area; and 
(B) achieving the goals and objectives of 
the approved management plan for the Heritage 
Area; 
(2) analyze the State, local, and private invest-
ments in the Heritage Area to determine the lever-
age and impact of the investments; and 
(3) review the management structure, partner-
ship relationships, and funding of the Heritage Area 
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for purposes of identifying the critical components 
for sustainability of the Heritage Area. 
(c) REPORT.—Based on the evaluation conducted 
under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall prepare and 
submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Re-
sources of the House of Representatives a report that in-
cludes recommendations for the future role of the National 
Park Service, if any, with respect to the Heritage Area. 
SEC. 10. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY. 
The authority of the Secretary to provide assistance 
under this Act terminates on the date that is 15 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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