field, Stockbridge, Tyringham, Washington, and 
West Stockbridge in Massachusetts. 
(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) MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—The Upper Housatonic 
Valley National Heritage Area, Inc. shall be the manage-
ment entity for the Heritage Area. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORITIES, PROHIBITIONS, AND DUTIES OF THE 
MANAGEMENT ENTITY. 
(a) DUTIES OF THE MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—To fur-
ther the purposes of the Heritage Area, the management 
entity shall— 
(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 signs identifying points 
of public access and sites of interest are posted 
throughout the Heritage Area; and 
(G) promoting a wide range of partner-
ships among governments, organizations and in-
dividuals 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 management entity 
receives Federal funds under this Act, setting forth 
its accomplishments, expenses, and income, includ-
ing grants to any other entities during the year for 
which the report is made; 
(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 
development that is consistent with the purposes of 
the Heritage Area. 
(b) AUTHORITIES.—The management entity may, for 
the purposes of preparing and implementing the manage-
ment plan for the Heritage Area, use Federal funds made 
available through this Act to— 
(1) make grants to the State of Connecticut 
and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, their po-
litical subdivisions, nonprofit organizations and other 
persons; 
(2) enter into cooperative agreements with or 
provide technical assistance to the State of Con-
necticut and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 
their subdivisions, nonprofit organizations, and other 
interested parties; 
(3) hire and compensate staff, which shall in-
clude individuals with expertise in natural, cultural, 
and historical resources protection, and heritage pro-
gramming; 
(4) obtain money or services from any source 
including any that are provided under any other 
Federal law or program; 
(5) contract for goods or services; and 
(6) undertake to be a catalyst for any other ac-
tivity that furthers the purposes of the Heritage 
Area and is consistent with the approved manage-
ment plan. 
(c) PROHIBITIONS ON THE ACQUISITION OF REAL 
PROPERTY.—The management entity may not use Fed-
eral funds received under this Act to acquire real property, 
but may use any other source of funding, including other 
Federal funding outside this authority, intended for the 
acquisition of real property.
SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The management plan for the 
Heritage Area shall— 
(1) include comprehensive policies, strategies 
and recommendations for conservation, funding, 
management and development of the Heritage Area; 
(2) take into consideration existing State, coun-
ty, and local plans in the development of the man-
agement plan and its implementation; 
(3) include a description of actions that govern-
ments, private organizations, and individuals have 
agreed to take to protect the natural, historical and 
cultural resources of the Heritage Area; 
(4) specify the existing and potential sources of 
funding to protect, manage, and develop the Herit-
age Area in the first 5 years of implementation; 
(5) include an inventory of the natural, histor-
ical, cultural, educational, scenic, and recreational 
resources of the Heritage Area related to the themes 
of the Heritage Area that should be preserved, re-
stored, managed, developed, or maintained; 
(6) describe a program of implementation for 
the management plan including plans for resource 
protection, restoration, construction, and specific 
commitments for implementation that have been 
made by the management entity or any government,
organization, or individual for the first 5 years of 
implementation; and 
(7) include an interpretive plan for the Heritage 
Area. 
(b) DEADLINE AND TERMINATION OF FUNDING.— 
(1) DEADLINE.—The management entity shall 
submit the management plan to the Secretary for 
approval within 3 years after funds are made avail-
able for this Act. 
(2) TERMINATION OF FUNDING.—If the man-
agement plan is not submitted to the Secretary in 
accordance with this subsection, the management en-
tity shall not qualify for Federal funding under this 
Act until such time as the management plan is sub-
mitted to the Secretary. 
SEC. 7. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF THE SECRETARY. 
(a) TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—The 
Secretary may, upon the request of the management enti-
ty, provide technical assistance on a reimbursable or non- 
reimbursable basis and financial assistance to the Herit-
age Area to develop and implement the approved manage-
ment plan. The Secretary is authorized to enter into coop-
erative agreements with the management entity and other 
public or private entities for this purpose. In assisting the
Heritage Area, the Secretary shall give priority to actions 
that in general assist in— 
(1) conserving the significant natural, histor-
ical, cultural, and scenic resources of the Heritage 
Area; and 
(2) providing educational, interpretive, and rec-
reational opportunities consistent with the purposes 
of the Heritage Area. 
(b) APPROVAL AND DISAPPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT 
PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall approve 
or disapprove the management plan not later than 
90 days after receiving the management plan. 
(2) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—In determining 
the approval of the management plan, the Secretary 
shall consider whether— 
(A) the management entity is representa-
tive of the diverse interests of the Heritage 
Area, including governments, natural and his-
toric resource protection organizations, edu-
cational 
institutions, 
businesses, 
and 
rec-
reational organizations; 
(B) the management entity has afforded 
adequate opportunity, including public hearings,
for public and governmental involvement in the 
preparation of the management plan; 
(C) the resource protection and interpreta-
tion strategies contained in the management 
plan, if implemented, would adequately protect 
the natural, historical, and cultural resources of 
the Heritage Area; and 
(D) the management plan is supported by 
the appropriate State and local officials whose 
cooperation is needed to ensure the effective im-
plementation of the State and local aspects of 
the management plan. 
(3) ACTION FOLLOWING DISAPPROVAL.—If the 
Secretary disapproves the management plan, the 
Secretary shall advise the management entity in 
writing of the reasons therefore and shall make rec-
ommendations for revisions to the management plan. 
The Secretary shall approve or disapprove a pro-
posed revision within 60 days after the date it is 
submitted. 
(4) APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS.—Substantial 
amendments to the management plan shall be re-
viewed by the Secretary and approved in the same 
manner as provided for the original management 
plan. The management entity shall not use Federal
funds authorized by this Act to implement any 
amendments until the Secretary has approved the 
amendments. 
SEC. 8. DUTIES OF OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
Any Federal agency conducting or supporting activi-
ties directly affecting the Heritage Area shall— 
(1) consult with the Secretary and the manage-
ment entity with respect to such activities; 
(2) cooperate with the Secretary and the man-
agement entity in carrying out their duties under 
this Act and, to the maximum extent practicable, co-
ordinate such activities with the carrying out of such 
duties; and, 
(3) to the maximum extent practicable, conduct 
or support such activities in a manner which the 
management entity determines will not have an ad-
verse effect on the Heritage Area. 
SEC. 9. REQUIREMENTS FOR INCLUSION OF PRIVATE 
PROPERTY. 
(a) NOTIFICATION
AND CONSENT
OF PROPERTY 
OWNERS REQUIRED.—No privately owned property shall 
be preserved, conserved, or promoted by the management 
plan for the Heritage Area until the owner of that private 
property has been notified in writing by the management
entity and has given written consent for such preservation, 
conservation, or promotion to the management entity. 
(b) LANDOWNER WITHDRAW.—Any owner of private 
property included within the boundary of the Heritage 
Area shall have their property immediately removed from 
the boundary by submitting a written request to the man-
agement entity. 
SEC. 10. PRIVATE PROPERTY PROTECTION. 
(a) ACCESS
TO PRIVATE PROPERTY.—Nothing in 
this Act shall be construed to— 
(1) require any private property owner to allow 
public access (including Federal, State, or local gov-
ernment access) to such private property; or 
(2) modify any provision of Federal, State, or 
local law with regard to public access to or use of 
private property. 
(b) LIABILITY.—Designation of the Heritage Area 
shall not be considered to create any liability, or to have 
any effect on any liability under any other law, of any pri-
vate property owner with respect to any persons injured 
on such private property. 
(c) RECOGNITION OF AUTHORITY TO CONTROL LAND 
USE.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to modify 
the authority of Federal, State, or local governments to 
regulate land use.
(d) PARTICIPATION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS 
IN HERITAGE AREA.—Nothing in this Act shall be con-
strued to require the owner of any private property located 
within the boundaries of the Heritage Area to participate 
in or be associated with the Heritage Area. 
(e) EFFECT OF ESTABLISHMENT.—The boundaries 
designated for the Heritage Area represent the area within 
which Federal funds appropriated for the purpose of this 
Act may be expended. The establishment of the Heritage 
Area and its boundaries shall not be construed to provide 
any nonexisting regulatory authority on land use within 
the Heritage Area or its viewshed by the Secretary, the 
National Park Service, or the management entity. 
SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated for the purposes of this Act not more than 
$1,000,000 for any fiscal year. Not more than a total of 
$10,000,000 may be appropriated for the Heritage Area 
under this Act. 
(b) MATCHING FUNDS.—Federal funding provided 
under this Act may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost 
of any assistance or grant provided or authorized under 
this Act.
SEC. 12. SUNSET. 
The authority of the Secretary to provide assistance 
under this Act shall terminate on the day occurring 15 
years after funds are first made available for this Act. 
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