I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2416
To provide for the preservation, interpretation, development and beneficial
use of natural, cultural, historic and scenic resources that are a source
of values important to the people of the United States through a national
partnership system of heritage areas.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 15, 1993
Mr. HINCHEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To provide for the preservation, interpretation, development
and beneficial use of natural, cultural, historic and scenic
resources that are a source of values important to the
people of the United States through a national partner-
ship system of heritage areas.
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 ‘‘National Partnership
System of Heritage Areas Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that certain
areas of the United States—
(1) embody essential aspects of our national
heritage and identity;
(2) are a composite of outstanding natural, cul-
tural, historic, and scenic resources that retain a
high degree of integrity;
(3) represent the diversity of the national char-
acter through the interaction of natural processes,
distinctive landscapes, cultural transitions, and eco-
nomic and social forces that have combined to create
a unique pattern of human settlement and activity;
(4) exhibit valued qualities of the American ex-
perience and provide important conservation, rec-
reational, educational, interpretive, and economic
opportunities;
(5) may be urban, suburban, or rural; corridors,
landscapes, parks or cityscapes; or combinations
thereof, and reflect a broadened idea of a park;
(6) are lived-in, dynamic environments in which
change continues to take place;
(7) may already be identified, designated, and
managed as part of State urban cultural park or
heritage area systems; National Heritage Corridors
or regional greenways;
(8) are distinguished by their size, complexity,
character, and dynamic nature from existing units of
the National Park System and although their nature
could make public acquisition and management inap-
propriate, they require partnerships of Federal,
State, local, and private entities to identify, plan,
and manage these areas in a manner consistent with
their resources and values and compatible with, and
support of, their continued economic viability; and
(9) despite existing efforts by States and local-
ities and existing Federal programs, the cultural and
natural resources in both urban, suburban and rural
areas are often lost because the demands for preser-
vation, interpretation, management, or urban and
rural revitalization cannot be adequately met by any
one level of government or concerned agency.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to establish a national partnership system
providing Federal financial and technical assistance
to State and local governments, private organiza-
tions, or any combination thereof, for heritage areas
that provide outstanding, educational, recreational,
inspirational and economic opportunities for this and
future generations;
(2) to establish an advisory commission; and
(3) to prescribe the methods by which, and the
standards according to which, areas or State sys-
tems or programs become designated and part of the
national system.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For the purpose of this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘National Heritage Area or
Park’’ means a definable urban or geographic area
of public and private uses ranging in size from a
portion of a municipality to a regional area with a
special coherence, such area being distinguished by
physical and cultural resources and features (natural
or man-made, including waterways, buildings, struc-
tures and historic districts, scenic views, or artifacts
reflecting a period of style, cultural or natural herit-
age) of greater than local significance and meaning
which play a vital role in the life of the community
and contribute through interpretive, educational, and
recreational use and economic vitality to the public
at large.
(2) The term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Na-
tional Partnership Heritage Area Advisory Commis-
sion established by section 4 of this Act.
(3) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA ADVISORY COMMIS-
SION.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established a
commission to be known as the National Partnership Her-
itage Area Advisory Commission (hereafter in this Act re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall be com-
posed of 25 members, to be appointed as follows:
(1) Four members of the Senate, appointed by
the majority leader of the Senate.
(2) Four members of the House of Representa-
tives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives.
(3) Six members, one appointed by each of the
following: the Secretary of the Interior, the Sec-
retary of Housing and Urban Development, the Sec-
retary of Transportation, the Secretary of Com-
merce, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Admin-
istrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(4)(A) Eleven members, appointed by the Presi-
dent, who are not officers or employees of the Unit-
ed States.
(B) Seven of the members appointed under this
paragraph shall be officers of a State or a political
subdivision of a State, and four of the members ap-
pointed under this paragraph shall not be officers or
employees of any government.
(C) The members appointed under this para-
graph shall have knowledge of and experience in
urban, suburban, or rural affairs and shall represent
a geographical cross section of the United States.
(c) CHAIRPERSON.—The Commission shall elect a
Chairperson from among its members other than the
member designated by the Secretary of the Interior.
(d) TERMS.—Members of the Commission shall be
appointed for terms of four years, except that seven of
the members first appointed by the President shall serve
terms of three years, and members appointed under sub-
section (b)(3) shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary
or Administrator making the appointment.
(e) VACANCY.—A vacancy on the Commission shall
be filled in the manner in which the original appointment
was made.
(f) PAY; EXPENSES.—Members of the Commission
shall serve without compensation as such. All members of
the Commission shall receive reimbursement for necessary
travel and sustenance expenses incurred by them in the
performance of the duties of the Commission in the same
manner as persons employed intermittently in Government
service are allowed under section 5703 of title 5, United
States Code.
SEC. 5. DUTIES.
The Commission shall advise the Secretary in the cre-
ation and administration of the National Partnership Sys-
tem of Heritage Areas, including (but not limited to) mat-
ters relating to partnership studies, recommendations for
national designation by Congress, and mechanisms for co-
ordinating Federal activities which affect National Herit-
age Areas or Parks and for coordinating Federal, State,
local and private interests in each such area or park.
SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
(a) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission
may procure, in accordance with the provisions of section
3109 of title 5, United States Code, the temporary or
intermittent services of experts or consultants who, while
away from his or her home or regular place of business
in the performance of services for the Commission, may
be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, as authorized by section 5703(b) of title 5,
United States Code, for persons in the Government service
employed intermittently.
(b) INFORMATION.—Each department, agency, and
instrumentality of the United States shall furnish to the
Commission, upon request made by the Chairman, on a
reimbursable basis or otherwise, such statistical data, re-
ports, and other information as the Commission deems
necessary to carry out its functions under this Act. The
Chairman may call upon the departments, agencies, and
other offices of several States to furnish, on a reimburs-
able basis or otherwise, such statistical data, reports, and
other information as the Commission deems necessary to
carry out its functions under this Act.
(c) HEARINGS.—The Commission or, on the author-
ization of the Commission, any subcommittee or member
thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out the provi-
sions of this Act, hold hearings, take testimony, and ad-
minister oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing be-
fore the Commission or any subcommittee or member
thereof.
SEC. 7. HERITAGE PARTNERSHIP STUDIES.
(a) GRANTS.—The Secretary may make grants to as-
sist in studies that identify and plan for heritage areas
or State systems or programs for heritage areas. These
studies shall also provide a means for evaluating candidate
areas and systems for further Federal involvement upon
authorization by Congress. No such grant may exceed 50
percent of the cost of conducting the study.
(b) PROCEDURES.—
(1) ELIGIBILITY.—Applicants for grants under
this section may be States, or any political subdivi-
sions thereof, or private nonprofit entities, or any
combination of the foregoing.
(2) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall submit
grant applications on an annual basis to the Com-
mission, and after consideration of the recommenda-
tions of the Commission, if any, the Secretary shall
place such grant applications as have been received
during the prior year in order of priority for finan-
cial assistance.
(c) CRITERIA.—In reviewing applications for assist-
ance for individual areas the Secretary shall consider
whether—
(1) the planning area represents in physical
form, an important theme, or themes, in United
States history;
(2) the planning area reflects values such as
traditions, customs, beliefs, and folk life in the phys-
ical features of the urban setting or landscape;
(3) the planning area provides outstanding op-
portunities to conserve natural and cultural features,
link them to provide educational, recreational and
economic benefits, enhance biodiversity, improve air
and water quality, and emphasize other attributes
important to human health and welfare;
(4) the planning area is an archetypical exam-
ple of a natural region or urban setting;
(5) the planning area has strong local support
for the study from a diversity of landowners, busi-
ness interests, nonprofit organizations, and govern-
ments within the proposed study area;
(6) the planning area has a high potential for
effective partnership mechanisms;
(7) the proposal is consistent with or com-
plements continued economic activity in the area;
(8) resources important to the principal themes
of the area retain their integrity;
(9) there is a clear potential of matching funds
from State and local public and private sources; and
(10) with respect to assistance for State sys-
tems or programs, the State system or program in-
cludes individual areas which meet the criteria pro-
vided in this section for individual areas with a sig-
nificant partnership role performed by State govern-
ment in the form of designations, maintenance of
standards, and technical and financial assistance.
(d) STUDY CONTENT.—The grantee shall prepare a
report of the study. Each study report shall include the
following:
(1) A description and analysis of the natural,
cultural, historic, and scenic resources and associ-
ated values and the educational, interpretive, and
recreational opportunities that make it important to
the heritage of the United States.
(2) A map of the study area, or of the areas in
a State system or program in the case of a State
system.
(3) A statement of goals and policies to guide
the future of the area or areas in a State system or
program under study.
(4) An analysis of measures that have been, are
in the process of, or may be taken by Federal, State,
and local governments, and by all other private and
public entities, to conserve these resources and asso-
ciated values, including scenic values, while en-
hancing educational, interpretive, and recreational
opportunities.
(5) A description of the appropriate manage-
ment entity or entities.
the Secretary and advise if the grantee requests na-
tional designation.
(2) REVIEW
BY
COMMISSION.—The Secretary
shall provide those study reports requesting national
designation and areas which have been studied by
the National Park Service to the Commission for its
advice and recommendations. The Commission shall
advise the Secretary of those areas and systems or
programs, in priority order, it recommends be pro-
posed for national designation by the Congress based
on complete studies.
(3) RECOMMENDATIONS BY SECRETARY.—The
Secretary shall submit to the Congress study reports
of those areas and systems or programs the Sec-
retary recommends for national designation together
with any comments which the Secretary deems
appropriate.
SEC. 8. ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP
SYSTEM OF HERITAGE AREAS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is hereby established a Na-
tional Partnership System of Heritage Areas, which shall
consist of National Heritage Areas or Parks and nation-
ally designated State systems or programs of heritage
areas designated pursuant to subsection (b) of this
section.
(b) 
DESIGNATION
OF
NATIONAL
HERITAGE
AREAS.—The following areas are hereby designated as
components of the National Partnership System of Herit-
age Areas:
(1) National Heritage Corridors established by
law.
(2) New York State Urban Cultural Park
System.
SEC. 9. MANAGEMENT PLANS.
(a) SUBMISSION BY GOVERNOR.—Within two years
after designation pursuant to section 8(b) of the Act, the
Secretary shall request the Governor of the State in which
the designated area or system is located to submit a man-
agement plan to the Secretary for review and approval.
The Secretary may, upon request of a Governor, provide
technical assistance to the Governor in the preparation
and implementation of the management plan. The man-
agement plan shall take into consideration existing State,
county, and local plans, and present a unified heritage
preservation and interpretation plan for the area or each
area in the State system or program.
(b) ROLE AND CONTENTS.—Management plans shall
be the fundamental document defining the goals and
boundaries for each area or system or program and the
means for the implementation and management of the Na-
tional Heritage Area or Park. A management plan shall
include (but need not be limited to) the following:
(1) The boundaries of the area set forth in text
and depicted on a map. Zones within the area shall
be identified for particular nature and intensity of
use, including those zones most appropriately de-
voted to public use and development by State or
local government; and private use. Boundaries shall
be located as deemed necessary or desirable for the
purposes of resource protection, scenic integrity, and
management and administration in furtherance of
the purposes of this Act, and the estimated cost
thereof.
(2) An inventory and designation of the natural
and cultural resources.
(3) Statement of the goals and objectives.
(4) Identification of the types of uses, both pub-
lic and private, to be accommodated and, in case of
a system or program, their linkages to the overall
statewide system.
(5) Identification of properties, if any, to be
acquired.
(6) Description of the interpretive and edu-
cational exhibits and programs to be undertaken.
(7) Description of the program for encouraging
and accommodating visitation.
(8) An economic assessment of the long- and
short-term costs and benefits related to the estab-
lishment, operation and maintenance, including com-
prehensive estimate of the costs of implementing the
management plan identified by source of funding
and specifically delineating expected State, local,
Federal and private contributions.
(9) Description of the techniques or means for
the preservation and protection of the natural and
cultural resources within the National Heritage Area
or Park, including means such as proposals and rec-
ommendations for appropriate local governmental
policies for designation and protection of historic
properties or natural areas to assure that future
local actions will be consistent with established and
agreed upon preservation standards or criteria.
(10) Description of the organizational structure
to be utilized for planning, development and man-
agement, including the responsibilities and inter-
relationships of local, regional and State agencies in
the management process, and a program to provide
maximum feasible primary participation in the im-
plementation of the management plan. Such organi-
zational structures may include (but not be limited
to) utilization of existing State and local agencies for
administrative and finance purposes through con-
tracts and letters of agreement between State and
local agencies or, where necessary, proposed legisla-
tion for new entities to administer and finance im-
plementation of a management plan.
(11) A schedule for the planning, development
and management. Each management plan must
demonstrate that the capability exists at the State
and local level to implement and manage the herit-
age area or system or program including, but not
limited to, the ability to—
(A) accept and disburse funds;
(B) acquire, improve and dispose of prop-
erty;
(C) manage, operate, and maintain appro-
priate facilities identified as being of local re-
sponsibility without State financial assistance;
and
(D) promulgate and enforce land use and
preservation criteria and standards as required
to protect the resources within each area or sys-
tem or program.
(c) APPROVAL OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN.—