I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1145 
To establish the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area in the State of 
Alabama, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 16, 2007 
Mr. CRAMER (for himself and Mr. ADERHOLT) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To establish the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area in 
the State of Alabama, 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 ‘‘Muscle Shoals Na-
tional Heritage Area Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Muscle Shoals area in Northwest Ala-
bama is a region rich in natural and cultural his-
tory. 
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(2) The Muscle Shoals area is defined by its 
distinctive geography, especially the Wilson Dam, a 
National Historic Landmark. 
(3) The Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area 
feasibility study includes the counties of Colbert, 
Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, and 
Morgan, in Northwest Alabama. 
(4) Muscle Shoals is the birthplace of the Ten-
nessee Valley Authority, notable for power genera-
tion and the creation of recreational lakes. 
(5) The Tennessee River at Muscle Shoals is 
important in having shaped western expansion and 
cultural development of the United States. 
(6) The Muscle Shoals area drew the remark-
able military and entrepreneurial service of the Gen-
eral Wheeler family. 
(7) The Muscle Shoals area was the birthplace 
of Helen Keller, a celebrated symbol of inspiration 
for persons overcoming disabilities. 
(8) The Muscle Shoals area was the home of 
William Christopher ‘‘W.C.’’ Handy, the first musi-
cian to identify, arrange, publish, and popularize the 
‘‘blues’’ musical genre. 
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(9) The world-renowned ‘‘Muscle Shoals sound’’ 
left an indelible impression on the development of 
music in the United States. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) HERITAGE
AREA.—The term ‘‘Heritage 
Area’’ means the Muscle Shoals National Heritage 
Area, established in section 4. 
(2) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The term 
‘‘local coordinating entity’’ means the local coordi-
nating entity for the Heritage Area designated by 
section 4(d). 
(3) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment plan’’ means the management plan for the 
Heritage Area specified in section 5. 
(4) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map ti-
tled ‘‘Boundary Map Muscle Shoals National Herit-
age Area-Alternative llll’’, numbered lll, 
and datedlllll. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of Alabama. 
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SEC. 4. MUSCLE SHOALS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Mus-
cle Shoals National Heritage Area. 
(b) BOUNDARIES.—The National Heritage Area shall 
be comprised of— 
(1) the counties of Colbert, Franklin, Lauder-
dale, Lawrence, Limestone, and Morgan; 
(2) the Wilson Dam; 
(3) the Handy Home; and 
(4) the Helen Keller birthplace. 
(c) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The map shall be on file 
and available for public inspection in the appropriate of-
fices of the National Park Service, Department of the In-
terior. 
(d) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The Muscle 
Shoals Regional Center shall be the local coordinating en-
tity for the Heritage Area. 
SEC. 5. LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The local coordinating entity shall 
be governed by a board of directors composed of at least 
6 members, one resident from each of Colbert, Lauder-
dale, Franklin, Lawrence, Morgan, and Limestone coun-
ties, Alabama, the counties included in the Muscle Shoals 
National Heritage. 
(b) DUTIES.—To further the purposes of the Herit-
age Area, the local coordinating entity shall— 
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(1) prepare and submit a management plan for 
the Heritage Area to the Secretary in accordance 
with section 6; 
(2) assist units of local government, regional 
planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations 
in implementing the approved management plan 
by— 
(A) carrying out programs and projects 
that recognize, protect, and enhance important 
resource values within the Heritage Area; 
(B) establishing and maintaining interpre-
tive exhibits and programs within the Heritage 
Area; 
(C) developing recreational and educational 
opportunities in the Heritage Area; 
(D) increasing public awareness of and ap-
preciation for natural, historical, scenic, and 
cultural resources of the Heritage Area; 
(E) protecting and restoring historic sites 
and buildings in the Heritage Area that are 
consistent with heritage area themes; 
(F) ensuring that clear, consistent, and ap-
propriate signs identifying points of public ac-
cess and sites of interest are posted throughout 
the Heritage Area; and 
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(G) promoting a wide range of partner-
ships among governments, organizations, and 
individuals to further the purposes of the Herit-
age Area; 
(3) consider the interests of diverse units of 
government, businesses, organizations, and individ-
uals in the Heritage Area in the preparation and im-
plementation of the management plan; 
(4) conduct meetings open to the public at least 
semi-annually regarding the development and imple-
mentation of the management plan; 
(5) submit an annual report to the secretary for 
any fiscal year in which the local coordinating entity 
receives Federal funds under this Act specifying— 
(A) the specific performance goals and ac-
complishments of the local coordinating entity; 
(B) the expenses and income of the local 
coordinating entity; 
(C) the amounts and sources of matching 
funds; 
(D) the amounts leveraged with Federal 
funds and sources of the leveraging; and 
(E) grants made to any other entities dur-
ing the fiscal year; 
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(6) make available for audit for any fiscal year 
in which it receives Federal funds under this Act, all 
information pertaining to the expenditure of such 
funds and any matching funds, and require in all 
agreements authorizing expenditures of Federal 
funds by other organizations, that the receiving or-
ganizations make available for such audit all records 
and other information pertaining to the expenditure 
of such funds; and 
(7) encourage by appropriate means economic 
viability that is consistent with the purposes of the 
Heritage Area. 
(c) AUTHORITIES.—The local coordinating entity 
may, for the purposes of preparing and implementing the 
management plan for the Heritage Area, use Federal 
funds made available through this Act to— 
(1) make grants to the State of Alabama, its 
political subdivisions, nonprofit organizations, and 
other persons; 
(2) enter into cooperative agreements with or 
provide technical assistance to the State of Alabama, 
its political jurisdictions, nonprofit organizations, 
Federal agencies, and other interested parties; 
(3) hire and compensate staff, which shall in-
clude individuals with expertise in natural, cultural, 
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