I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2254 
To establish the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 4, 2013 
Ms. SEWELL of Alabama introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To establish the Alabama Black Belt 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
Sec. 3. Designation of Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area. 
Sec. 4. Local coordinating entity. 
Sec. 5. Management plan. 
Sec. 6. Evaluation; report. 
Sec. 7. Relationship to other Federal agencies. 
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Sec. 8. Private property and regulatory protections. 
Sec. 9. Use of Federal funds from other sources. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The term 
‘‘local coordinating entity’’ means the Center for the 
Study of the Black Belt at the University of West 
Alabama. 
(2) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment plan’’ means the plan prepared by the local co-
ordinating entity for the National Heritage Area in 
accordance with this Act. 
(3) NATIONAL
HERITAGE
AREA.—The term 
‘‘National Heritage Area’’ means the Alabama Black 
Belt National Heritage Area established by this Act. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF ALABAMA BLACK BELT NATIONAL 
HERITAGE AREA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established 
the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area in the 
State of Alabama. 
(b) BOUNDARIES.—The National Heritage Area shall 
consist of sites as designated by the management plan 
within a core area located in Alabama, consisting of Bibb, 
Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, 
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Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Mont-
gomery, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Washington, and Wilcox 
counties. 
SEC. 4. LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—The Center for the Study of the 
Black Belt at the University of West Alabama shall be 
the local coordinating entity for the National Heritage 
Area. 
(b) DUTIES.—To further the purposes of the Na-
tional Heritage Area, the local coordinating entity shall— 
(1) submit a management plan to the Secretary 
in accordance with this Act; 
(2) submit an annual report to the Secretary 
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 of non-Federal funds le-
veraged 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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(3) make available for audit, for each fiscal 
year for which the local coordinating entity receives 
Federal funds, all information pertaining to the ex-
penditure of the funds and any matching funds; and 
(4) encourage economic viability and sustain-
ability that is consistent with the purposes of the 
National Heritage Area. 
(c) AUTHORITIES.—For the purposes of preparing 
and implementing the approved management plan, the 
local coordinating entity may— 
(1) make grants to political jurisdictions, non-
profit organizations, and other parties within the 
National Heritage Area; 
(2) enter into cooperative agreements with or 
provide technical assistance to political jurisdictions, 
nonprofit organizations, Federal agencies, and other 
interested parties; 
(3) hire and compensate staff, including individ-
uals with expertise in— 
(A) natural, historical, cultural, edu-
cational, scenic, and recreational resource con-
servation; 
(B) economic and community development; 
and 
(C) heritage planning; 
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(4) obtain funds or services from any source, 
including other Federal programs; 
(5) contract for goods or services; and 
(6) support activities of partners and any other 
activities that further the purposes of the National 
Heritage Area and are consistent with the approved 
management plan. 
SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—The management plan shall— 
(1) describe comprehensive policies, goals, strat-
egies, and recommendations for telling the story of 
the heritage of the area covered by the National 
Heritage Area and encouraging long-term resource 
protection, enhancement, interpretation, funding, 
management, and development of the National Her-
itage Area; 
(2) include a description of actions and commit-
ments that Federal, State, and local governments, 
private organizations, and citizens plan to take to 
protect, enhance, interpret, fund, manage, and de-
velop the natural, historical, cultural, educational, 
scenic, and recreational resources of the National 
Heritage Area; 
(3) specify existing and potential sources of 
funding or economic development strategies to pro-
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tect, enhance, interpret, fund, manage, and develop 
the National Heritage Area; 
(4) include an inventory of the natural, histor-
ical, cultural, educational, scenic, and recreational 
resources of the National Heritage Area related to 
the national importance and themes of the National 
Heritage Area that should be protected, enhanced, 
interpreted, funded, managed, and developed; 
(5) include recommendations for resource man-
agement policies and strategies, including the devel-
opment of intergovernmental and interagency agree-
ments to protect, enhance, interpret, fund, manage, 
and develop the natural, historical, cultural, edu-
cational, scenic, and recreational resources of the 
National Heritage Area; 
(6) describe a program for implementation of 
the management plan, including— 
(A) performance goals; 
(B) plans for resource protection, enhance-
ment, interpretation, funding, management, and 
development; and 
(C) specific commitments for implementa-
tion that have been made by the local coordi-
nating entity or any Federal, State, or local 
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government agency, organization, business, or 
individual; 
(7) include an analysis of, and recommenda-
tions for, means by which Federal, State, and local 
programs may best be coordinated (including the 
role of the National Park Service and other Federal 
agencies associated with the National Heritage 
Area) to further the purposes of this Act; and 
(8) include a business plan that— 
(A) describes the role, operation, financing, 
and functions of the local coordinating entity 
and of each of the major activities described in 
the management plan; and 
(B) provides adequate assurances that the 
local coordinating entity has the partnerships 
and financial and other resources necessary to 
implement the management plan. 
(b) DEADLINE.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the local coordinating entity 
shall submit the management plan to the Secretary for 
approval. 
(c) APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 
(1) REVIEW.—Not later than 180 days after re-
ceiving the management plan, the Secretary shall re-
view and approve or disapprove the management 
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plan on the basis of the criteria listed in paragraph 
(3). 
(2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall con-
sult with the Governor of Alabama before approving 
a management plan. 
(3) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—In determining 
whether to approve a management plan, the Sec-
retary shall consider whether— 
(A) the local coordinating entity— 
(i) represents the diverse interests of 
the National Heritage Area, including Fed-
eral, State, and local governments, natural, 
and historical resource protection organiza-
tions, educational institutions, businesses, 
recreational organizations, community resi-
dents, and private property owners; 
(ii) has afforded adequate opportunity 
for public and Federal, State, and local 
governmental 
involvement 
(including 
through workshops and public meetings) in 
the preparation of the management plan; 
(iii) provides for at least semiannual 
public meetings to ensure adequate imple-
mentation of the management plan; and 
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(iv) has demonstrated the financial 
capability, in partnership with others, to 
carry out the management plan; 
(B) the management plan— 
(i) describes resource protection, en-
hancement, interpretation, funding, man-
agement, 
and 
development 
strategies 
which, if implemented, would adequately 
protect, enhance, interpret, fund, manage, 
and develop the natural, historical, cul-
tural, educational, scenic, and recreational 
resources of the National Heritage Area; 
(ii) would not adversely affect any ac-
tivities authorized on Federal land under 
public applicable laws or land use plans; 
(iii) demonstrates partnerships among 
the local coordinating entity, Federal, 
State, and local governments, regional 
planning organizations, nonprofit organiza-
tions, and private sector parties for imple-
mentation of the management plan; and 
(iv) complies with the requirements of 
this section; and 
(C) the Secretary has received adequate 
assurances from the appropriate State and local 
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officials whose support is needed that the State 
and local aspects of the management plan will 
be effectively implemented. 
(4) DISAPPROVAL.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—If the Secretary dis-
approves the management plan, the Secretary— 
(i) shall advise the local coordinating 
entity in writing of the reasons for the dis-
approval; and 
(ii) may make recommendations to the 
local coordinating entity for revisions to 
the management plan. 
(B) DEADLINE.—Not later than 180 days 
after receiving a revised management plan, the 
Secretary shall approve or disapprove the re-
vised management plan. 
(5) AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—An amendment to the 
approved management plan that substantially 
alters such plan shall be reviewed by the Sec-
retary and approved or disapproved in the same 
manner as the original management plan. 
(B) IMPLEMENTATION.—The local coordi-
nating entity shall not implement a substantial 
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amendment to the management plan until the 
Secretary approves the amendment. 
(6) AUTHORITIES.—The Secretary may— 
(A) provide technical assistance under the 
authority of this Act for the development and 
implementation of the management plan; and 
(B) enter into cooperative agreements with 
interested parties to carry out this Act. 
SEC. 6. EVALUATION; REPORT. 
(a) EVALUATION.—The Secretary shall conduct an 
evaluation of the accomplishments of the National Herit-
age Area. An evaluation conducted under this subsection 
shall— 
(1) assess the progress of the local coordinating 
entity with respect to— 
(A) accomplishing the purposes of this Act 
for the National Heritage Area; and 
(B) achieving the goals and objectives of 
the approved management plan; 
(2) analyze the Federal, State, and local gov-
ernment, and private investments in the National 
Heritage Area to determine the impact of the invest-
ments; and 
(3) review the management structure, partner-
ship relationships, and funding of the National Her-
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itage Area for purposes of identifying the critical 
components for sustainability of the National Herit-
age Area. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, based on the evaluation con-
ducted under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit 
a report to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate. The report shall in-
clude recommendations for the future role of the National 
Park Service, if any, with respect to the National Heritage 
Area. 
SEC. 7. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act affects the au-
thority of a Federal agency to provide technical or finan-
cial assistance under any other law. 
(b) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—The head 
of any Federal agency planning to conduct activities that 
may have an impact on the National Heritage Area is en-
couraged to consult and coordinate the activities with the 
Secretary and the local coordinating entity to the max-
imum extent practicable. 
(c) OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Nothing in this 
Act— 
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(1) modifies, alters, or amends any law or regu-
lation authorizing a Federal agency to manage Fed-
eral land under the jurisdiction of the Federal agen-
cy; 
(2) limits the discretion of a Federal land man-
ager to implement an approved land use plan within 
the boundaries of the National Heritage Area; or 
(3) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized 
use of Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Fed-
eral agency. 
SEC. 8. PRIVATE PROPERTY AND REGULATORY PROTEC-
TIONS. 
Nothing in this Act— 
(1) abridges the rights of any owner of public 
or private property, including the right to refrain 
from participating in any plan, project, program, or 
activity conducted within the National Heritage 
Area; 
(2) requires any property owner to permit pub-
lic access (including access by Federal, State, tribal, 
or local agencies) to the property of the property 
owner, or to modify public access or use of property 
of the property owner under any other Federal, 
State, tribal, or local law; 
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(3) alters any duly adopted land use regulation, 
approved land use plan, or other regulatory author-
ity of any Federal, State, tribal, or local agency, or 
conveys any land use or other regulatory authority 
to any local coordinating entity, including develop-
ment and management of energy, water, or water-re-
lated infrastructure; 
(4) authorizes or implies the reservation or ap-
propriation of water or water rights; 
(5) diminishes the authority of the State to 
manage fish and wildlife, including the regulation of 
fishing and hunting within the National Heritage 
Area; or 
(6) 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. 
SEC. 9. USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FROM OTHER SOURCES. 
Nothing in this Act shall preclude the local coordi-
nating entity from using Federal funds available under 
other laws for the purposes for which those funds were 
authorized. 
Æ 
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