H. R. 4236—83
Shenandoah Valley, including those battlefields associated with
the Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson campaign of 1862 and the
decisive campaigns of 1864;
(3) recognize and interpret the effect of the Civil War
on the civilian population of the Shenandoah Valley during
the war and postwar reconstruction period; and
(4) create partnerships among Federal, State, and local
governments, the regional entities of such governments, and
the private sector to preserve, conserve, enhance, and interpret
the nationally significant battlefields and related sites
associated with the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley.
(d) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section:
(1) The term ‘‘District’’ means the Shenandoah Valley
Battlefields 
National 
Historic 
District 
established 
by
section 5.
(2) The term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Shenandoah Valley
Battlefields National Historic District Commission established
by section 9.
(3) The term ‘‘plan’’ means the Shenandoah Valley Battle-
fields National Historic District Commission plan approved by
the Secretary under section 6.
(4) The term ‘‘management entity’’ means a unit of
government or nonprofit organization designated by the plan
to manage and administer the District.
(5) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of the
Interior.
(6) The term ‘‘Shenandoah Valley’’ means the Shenandoah
Valley in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
(e) SHENANDOAH VALLEY BATTLEFIELDS NATIONAL HISTORIC
DISTRICT.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—To carry out the purposes of this
section, there is hereby established the Shenandoah Valley
Battlefields National Historic District in the Commonwealth
of Virginia.
(2) BOUNDARIES.—(A) The corridor shall consist of lands
and interests therein as generally depicted on the map entitled
‘‘Shenandoah Valley National Battlefields’’, numbered SHVA/
80,000, and dated April 1994.
(B) The District shall consist of historic transportation
routes linking the units depicted on the map referred to in
subparagraph (A).
(C) The map referred to in subparagraph (A) shall be
on file and available for public inspection in the offices of
the Commission, the management entity, and in the appropriate
offices of the National Park Service.
(f) SHENANDOAH VALLEY BATTLEFIELDS NATIONAL HISTORIC
DISTRICT PLAN.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The District shall be managed and
administered by the Commission and the management entity
in accordance with the purposes of this Act and the Shenandoah
Valley Battlefields National Historic District plan developed
by the Commission and approved by the Secretary, as provided
in this subsection.
(2) SPECIFIC PROVISIONS.—The plan shall include—
(A) an inventory which includes any property in the
District which should be preserved, restored, managed,
H. R. 4236—84
maintained, or acquired because of its national historic
significance;
(B) provisions for the protection and interpretation of
the natural, cultural, and historic resources of the District
consistent with the purposes of this section;
(C) provisions for the establishment of a management
entity which shall be a unit of government or a private
nonprofit organization that administers and manages the
District consistent with the plan, and possesses the legal
ability to—
(i) receive Federal funds and funds from other
units of government or other organizations for use
in preparing and implementing the management plan;
(ii) disburse Federal funds to other units of
government or other nonprofit organizations for use
in preparing and implementing the plan;
(iii) enter into agreements with the Federal, State,
or other units of government and nonprofit organiza-
tions;
(iv) acquire lands or interests therein by gift or
devise, or by purchase from a willing seller using
donated or appropriated funds, or by donation and
no lands or interests therein may be acquired by
condemnation; and
(v) 
make 
such 
reasonable 
and 
necessary
modifications to the plan which shall be approved by
the Secretary;
(D) recommendations to the Commonwealth of Virginia
(and political subdivisions thereof) for the management,
protection, and interpretation of the natural, cultural, and
historical resources of the District;
(E) identification of appropriate partnerships between
the Federal, State, and local governments and regional
entities, and the private sector, in furtherance of the pur-
poses of this section;
(F) locations for visitor contact and major interpretive
facilities;
(G) provisions for implementing a continuing program
of interpretation and visitor education concerning the
resources and values of the District;
(H) provisions for a uniform historical marker and
wayside exhibit program in the District, including a provi-
sion for marking, with the consent of the owner, historic
structures and properties that are contained within the
historic core areas and contribute to the understanding
of the District;
(I) recommendations for means of ensuring continued
local involvement and participation in the management,
protection, and development of the District; and
(J) provisions for appropriate living history demonstra-
tions and battlefield reenactments.
(3) PREPARATION OF DRAFT PLAN.—(A) Not later than 3
years after the date on which the Commission conducts its
first meeting, the Commission shall submit to the Secretary
a draft plan that meets the requirements of paragraph (2).
(B) Prior to submitting the draft plan to the Secretary,
the Commission shall ensure that—
H. R. 4236—85
(i) the Commonwealth of Virginia, and any political
subdivision thereof that would be affected by the plan,
receives a copy of the draft plan;
(ii) adequate notice of the availability of the draft plan
is provided through publication in appropriate local news-
papers in the area of the District; and
(iii) at least 1 public hearing in the vicinity of the
District is conducted by the Commission with respect to
the draft plan.
(4) REVIEW OF THE PLAN BY THE SECRETARY.—The Secretary
shall review the draft plan submitted under paragraph (3)
and, not later than 90 days after the date on which the draft
plan is submitted, shall either—
(A) approve the draft plan as the plan if the Secretary
finds that the plan, when implemented, would adequately
protect the significant historical and cultural resources of
the District; or
(B) reject the draft plan and advise the Commission
in writing of the reasons therefore and indicate any
recommendations for revisions that would make the draft
plan acceptable.
(g) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award grants, provide
technical assistance and enter into cooperative agreements with
the Commission, management entity, other units of govern-
ment, or other persons to provide for the preservation and
interpretation of the natural, cultural, and historical resources
within the District.
(2) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may make
grants, provide technical assistance, and enter into cooperative
agreements for—
(A) the preparation and implementation of the plan
pursuant to subsection (f);
(B) interpretive and educational programs;
(C) acquiring lands or interests in lands from willing
sellers;
(D) capital projects and improvements undertaken
pursuant to the plan; and
(E) facilitating public access to historic resources
within the District.
(3) EARLY ACTIONS.—After enactment of this Act but prior
to approval of the plan, the Secretary may provide technical
and financial assistance for early actions which are important
to the purposes of this Act and which protect and preserve
resources in imminent danger of irreversible damage but for
the fact of such early action.
(4) ACQUISITION OF LAND.—The Secretary may acquire land
and interests in lands from a willing seller or donee within
the District that have been specifically identified by the
Commission for acquisition by the Federal Government. No
lands or interests therein may be acquired by condemnation.
(5) DETAIL.—Each fiscal year during the existence of the
Commission and upon request of the Commission, the Secretary
shall detail to the Commission, on a nonreimbursable basis,
2 employees of the Department of the Interior to enable the
Commission to carry out the Commission’s duties under section
H. R. 4236—86
9. Such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil
service status, benefits, or privileges.
(6) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after approval of the
plan, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report
recommending whether the District or components thereof meet
the criteria for designation as a unit of the National Park
Service.
(7) OTHER ASSISTANCE.—Nothing in this section shall be
deemed to prohibit the Secretary or units of government from
providing technical or financial assistance under any other
provision of law.
(h) SHENANDOAH VALLEY BATTLEFIELDS NATIONAL HISTORIC
DISTRICT COMMISSION.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established the
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District
Commission.
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall be composed of
19 members, to be appointed by the Secretary as follows:
(A) 5 members representing local governments of
communities in the vicinity of the District, appointed after
the Secretary considers recommendations made by appro-
priate local governing bodies.
(B) 10 members representing property owners within
the District (1 member within each unit of the battlefields).
(C) 1 member with demonstrated expertise in historic
preservation.
(D) 1 member who is a recognized historian with exper-
tise in Civil War history.
(E) The Governor of Virginia, or a designee of the
Governor, ex officio.
(F) The Director of the National Park Service, or a
designee of the Director, ex officio.
(3) APPOINTMENTS.—Members of the Commission shall be
appointed for terms of 3 years. Any member of the Commission
appointed for a definite term may serve after the expiration
of the term until the successor of the member is appointed.
(4) ELECTION OF OFFICERS.—The Commission shall elect
1 of its members as Chairperson and 1 as Vice Chairperson.
The Vice Chairperson shall serve as Chairperson in the absence
of the Chairperson.
(5) VACANCY.—Any vacancy on the Commission shall be
filled in the same manner in which the original appointment
was made, except that the Secretary shall fill any vacancy
within 30 days after the vacancy occurs.
(6) QUORUM.—Any majority of the Commission shall
constitute a quorum.
(7) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the call
of the Chairperson or a majority of the members of the Commis-
sion, but not less than quarterly. Notice of the Commission
meetings and agendas for the meetings shall be published
in local newspapers that have a distribution throughout the
Shenandoah Valley. Meetings of the Commission shall be
subject to section 552b of title 5, United States Code (relating
to open meetings).
(8) STAFF OF THE COMMISSION.—The Commission shall have
the power to appoint and fix the compensation of such staff
as may be necessary to carry out its duties.