110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1483 
AN ACT 
To amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Manage-
ment Act of 1996 to extend the authorization for certain 
national heritage areas, 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 ‘‘Celebrating America’s 
Heritage Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION EXTENSIONS AND VIABILITY STUDIES 
Sec. 1001. Extensions of authorized appropriations. 
Sec. 1002. Evaluation and report. 
TITLE II—ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS 
Subtitle A—Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area 
Sec. 2001. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2002. Purposes. 
Sec. 2003. Definitions. 
Sec. 2004. Designation of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National 
Heritage Area. 
Sec. 2005. Management plan. 
Sec. 2006. Evaluation; report. 
Sec. 2007. Local coordinating entity. 
Sec. 2008. Relationship to other Federal agencies. 
Sec. 2009. Private property and regulatory protections. 
Sec. 2010. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 2011. Use of Federal funds from other sources. 
Sec. 2012. Sunset for grants and other assistance. 
Subtitle B—Niagara Falls National Heritage Area 
Sec. 2021. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2022. Purposes. 
Sec. 2023. Definitions. 
Sec. 2024. Designation of the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area. 
Sec. 2025. Management plan. 
Sec. 2026. Evaluation; report. 
Sec. 2027. Local coordinating entity. 
Sec. 2028. Niagara Falls Heritage Area Commission. 
Sec. 2029. Relationship to other Federal agencies. 
Sec. 2030. Private property and regulatory protections. 
Sec. 2031. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 2032. Use of Federal funds from other sources. 
Sec. 2033. Sunset for grants and other assistance. 
Subtitle C—Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area 
Sec. 2041. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2042. Purposes. 
Sec. 2043. Definitions.
Sec. 2044. Designation of Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. 
Sec. 2045. Management plan. 
Sec. 2046. Evaluation; report. 
Sec. 2047. Local coordinating entity. 
Sec. 2048. Relationship to other Federal agencies. 
Sec. 2049. Private property and regulatory protections. 
Sec. 2050. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 2051. Use of Federal funds from other sources. 
Sec. 2052. Sunset for grants and other assistance. 
Subtitle D—Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area 
Sec. 2061. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2062. Purposes. 
Sec. 2063. Definitions. 
Sec. 2064. Designation of Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area. 
Sec. 2065. Management plan. 
Sec. 2066. Evaluation; report. 
Sec. 2067. Local coordinating entity. 
Sec. 2068. Relationship to other Federal agencies. 
Sec. 2069. Private property and regulatory protections. 
Sec. 2070. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 2071. Use of Federal funds from other sources. 
Sec. 2072. Sunset for grants and other assistance. 
Subtitle E—Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area 
Sec. 2081. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2082. Purposes. 
Sec. 2083. Definitions. 
Sec. 2084. Designation of Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. 
Sec. 2085. Management plan. 
Sec. 2086. Evaluation; report. 
Sec. 2087. Local coordinating entity. 
Sec. 2088. Relationship to other Federal agencies. 
Sec. 2089. Private property and regulatory protections. 
Sec. 2090. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 2091. Use of Federal funds from other sources. 
Sec. 2092. Sunset for grants and other assistance. 
Subtitle F—Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area 
Sec. 2111. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2112. Purposes. 
Sec. 2113. Definitions. 
Sec. 2114. Designation of Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area. 
Sec. 2115. Management plan. 
Sec. 2116. Evaluation; report. 
Sec. 2117. Local coordinating entity. 
Sec. 2118. Relationship to other Federal agencies. 
Sec. 2119. Private property and regulatory protections. 
Sec. 2120. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 2121. Use of Federal funds from other sources. 
Sec. 2122. Sunset for grants and other assistance. 
TITLE III—STUDY
Sec. 3001. Study and report of proposed Northern Neck National Heritage 
Area. 
TITLE IV—TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS 
Sec. 4001. National Coal Heritage Area technical corrections. 
Sec. 4002. Rivers of steel national heritage area addition. 
Sec. 4003. South Carolina National Heritage Corridor addition. 
Sec. 4004. Ohio and Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor technical correc-
tions. 
Sec. 4005. New Jersey Coastal Heritage trail route extension of authorization. 
Sec. 4006. Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor technical corrections. 
TITLE V—SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING FUNDING 
Sec. 5001. Sense of Congress regarding funding. 
TITLE VI—APPLICATION OF CERTAIN LAWS 
Sec. 6001. Application of certain State and local laws. 
TITLE 
I—AUTHORIZATION 
EX-
TENSIONS 
AND 
VIABILITY 
STUDIES 
SEC. 1001. EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORIZED APPROPRIATIONS. 
Division II of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands 
Management Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–333; 16 
U.S.C. 461 note) is amended in each of sections 108(a), 
209(a), 311(a), 409(a), 508(a), 608(a), 708(a), 810(a) (as 
redesignated by this Act), and 909(c), by striking 
‘‘$10,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$15,000,000’’. 
SEC. 1002. EVALUATION AND REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—For the nine National Heritage 
Areas authorized in Division II of the Omnibus Parks and 
Public Lands Management Act of 1996, not later than 3 
years before the date on which authority for Federal fund-
ing terminates for each National Heritage Area, the Sec-
retary shall—
(1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplish-
ments of the National Heritage Area; and 
(2) prepare a report in accordance with sub-
section (c). 
(b) EVALUATION.—An evaluation conducted under 
subsection (a)(1) shall— 
(1) assess the progress of the local management 
entity with respect to— 
(A) accomplishing the purposes of the au-
thorizing legislation for the National Heritage 
Area; and 
(B) achieving the goals and objectives of 
the approved management plan for the National 
Heritage Area; 
(2) analyze the investments of Federal, State, 
Tribal, and local government and private entities in 
each National Heritage Area to determine the im-
pact of the investments; and 
(3) review the management structure, partner-
ship relationships, and funding of the National Her-
itage Area for purposes of identifying the critical 
components for sustainability of the National Herit-
age Area. 
(c) REPORT.—Based on the evaluation conducted 
under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall submit a re-
port to the Committee on Natural Resources of the United 
States House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate. The report 
shall include recommendations for the future role of the 
National Park Service, if any, with respect to the National 
Heritage Area. 
TITLE II—ESTABLISHMENT OF 
NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS 
Subtitle A—Journey Through Hal-
lowed Ground National Herit-
age Area 
SEC. 2001. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This subtitle may be cited as the 
‘‘Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage 
Area Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this subtitle is as follows: 
Sec. 2001. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2002. Purposes. 
Sec. 2003. Definitions. 
Sec. 2004. Designation of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National 
Heritage Area. 
Sec. 2005. Management plan. 
Sec. 2006. Evaluation; report. 
Sec. 2007. Local coordinating entity. 
Sec. 2008. Relationship to other Federal agencies. 
Sec. 2009. Private property and regulatory protections. 
Sec. 2010. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 2011. Use of Federal funds from other sources. 
Sec. 2012. Sunset for grants and other assistance. 
SEC. 2002. PURPOSES. 
(a) The purposes of this subtitle include—
(1) to recognize the national importance of the 
natural and cultural legacies of the area, as dem-
onstrated in the study entitled ‘‘The Journey 
Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area 
Feasibility Study’’ dated September 2006; 
(2) to preserve, support, conserve, and interpret 
the legacy of the American history created along the 
National Heritage Area; 
(3) to promote heritage, cultural and rec-
reational tourism and to develop educational and 
cultural programs for visitors and the general public; 
(4) to recognize and interpret important events 
and geographic locations representing key develop-
ments in the creation of America, including Native 
American, Colonial American, European American, 
and African American heritage; 
(5) to recognize and interpret the effect of the 
Civil War on the civilian population of the National 
Heritage Area during the war and post-war recon-
struction period; 
(6) to enhance a cooperative management 
framework to assist the Commonwealth of Virginia, 
the State of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Penn-
sylvania, the State of West Virginia, and their units 
of local government, the private sector, and citizens
residing in the National Heritage Area in con-
serving, supporting, enhancing, and interpreting the 
significant historic, cultural and recreational sites in 
the National Heritage Area; and 
(7) to provide appropriate linkages among units 
of the National Park System within and surrounding 
the National Heritage Area, to protect, enhance, and 
interpret resources outside of park boundaries. 
SEC. 2003. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subtitle— 
(1) NATIONAL
HERITAGE
AREA.—The term 
‘‘National Heritage Area’’ means the Journey 
Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area 
established in this subtitle. 
(2) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The term 
‘‘local coordinating entity’’ means the Journey 
Through Hallowed Ground Partnership, a Virginia 
non-profit, which is hereby designated by Con-
gress— 
(A) to develop, in partnership with others, 
the management plan for the National Heritage 
Area; and 
(B) to act as a catalyst for the implemen-
tation of projects and programs among diverse 
partners in the National Heritage Area.
(3) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment plan’’ means the plan prepared by the local co-
ordinating entity for the National Heritage Area 
that specifies actions, policies, strategies, perform-
ance goals, and recommendations to meet the goals 
of the National Heritage Area, in accordance with 
this subtitle. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 2004. DESIGNATION OF THE JOURNEY THROUGH HAL-
LOWED GROUND NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established 
the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage 
Area. 
(b) BOUNDARIES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Heritage Area shall 
consist of the 175-mile region generally following the 
Route 15 corridor and surrounding areas from 
Adams County, Pennsylvania, through Frederick 
County, Maryland, including the Heart of the Civil 
War Maryland State Heritage Area, looping through 
Brunswick, Maryland, to Harpers Ferry, West Vir-
ginia, back through Loudoun County, Virginia, to 
the Route 15 corridor and surrounding areas encom-
passing portions of Loudoun and Prince William
Counties, Virginia, then Fauquier County, Virginia, 
portions of Spotsylvania and Madison Counties, Vir-
ginia, and Culpepper, Rappahannock, Orange, and 
Albemarle Counties, Virginia. 
(2) MAP.—The boundaries of the National Her-
itage Area shall include all of those lands and inter-
ests as generally depicted on the map titled ‘‘Jour-
ney Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage 
Area’’, numbered P90/80,000, and dated October 
2006. The map shall be on file and available to the 
public in the appropriate offices of the National 
Park Service and the local coordinating entity. 
SEC. 2005. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—The management plan for the 
National Heritage Area 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, Tribal, and local govern-
ments, private organizations, and citizens will 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-
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, managed, funded, and developed; 
(5) recommend policies and strategies for re-
source management, including the development of 
intergovernmental and interagency agreements to 
protect, enhance, interpret, fund, manage, and de-
velop the natural, historical, cultural, educational, 
scenic, and recreational resources of the National 
Heritage Area; 
(6) describe a program for implementation for 
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, Tribal or 
local government agency, organization, busi-
ness, or individual; 
(7) include an analysis of, and recommenda-
tions for, means by which Federal, State, Tribal, 
and local programs may best be coordinated (includ-
ing the role of the National Park Service and other 
Federal agencies associated with the National Herit-
age Area) to further the purposes of this subtitle; 
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 contained 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 for the Na-
tional Heritage Area.
(b) DEADLINE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date on which funds are first made available to 
develop the management plan after designation as a 
National Heritage Area, the local coordinating entity 
shall submit the management plan to the Secretary 
for approval. 
(2) TERMINATION OF FUNDING.—If the man-
agement plan is not submitted to the Secretary in 
accordance with paragraph (1), the local coordi-
nating entity shall not qualify for any additional fi-
nancial assistance under this subtitle until such time 
as the management plan is submitted to and ap-
proved by the Secretary. 
(c) APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 
(1) REVIEW.—Not later than 180 days after re-
ceiving the plan, the Secretary shall review and ap-
prove or disapprove the management plan for a Na-
tional Heritage Area on the basis of the criteria es-
tablished under paragraph (3). 
(2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall con-
sult with the Governor of each State in which the 
National Heritage Area is located before approving 
a management plan for the National Heritage Area.
(3) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—In determining 
whether to approve a management plan for a Na-
tional Heritage Area, the Secretary shall consider 
whether— 
(A) the local coordinating entity represents 
the diverse interests of the National Heritage 
Area, including Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
governments, natural, and historic resource pro-
tection organizations, educational institutions, 
businesses, recreational organizations, commu-
nity residents, and private property owners; 
(B) the local coordinating entity— 
(i) has afforded adequate opportunity 
for public and Federal, State, Tribal, and 
local governmental involvement (including 
through workshops and hearings) in the 
preparation of the management plan; and 
(ii) provides for at least semiannual 
public meetings to ensure adequate imple-
mentation of the management plan; 
(C) the resource protection, enhancement, 
interpretation, funding, management, and de-
velopment strategies described in the manage-
ment plan, if implemented, would adequately 
protect, enhance, interpret, fund, manage, and
develop the natural, historic, cultural, edu-
cational, scenic, and recreational resources of 
the National Heritage Area; 
(D) the management plan would not ad-
versely affect any activities authorized on Fed-
eral land under public land laws or land use 
plans; 
(E) the local coordinating entity has dem-
onstrated the financial capability, in partner-
ship with others, to carry out the plan; 
(F) the Secretary has received adequate 
assurances from the appropriate State, Tribal, 
and local officials whose support is needed to 
ensure the effective implementation of the 
State, Tribal, and local elements of the manage-
ment plan; and 
(G) the management plan demonstrates 
partnerships among the local coordinating enti-
ty, Federal, State, Tribal, and local govern-
ments, regional planning organizations, non-
profit organizations, or private sector parties 
for implementation of the management plan. 
(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 
management plan that substantially alters the 
purposes of the National Heritage Area shall be 
reviewed by the Secretary and approved or dis-
approved in the same manner as the original 
management plan. 
(B) IMPLEMENTATION.—The local coordi-
nating entity shall not use Federal funds au-
thorized by this subtitle to implement an 
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 subtitle for the development
and implementation of the management plan; 
and 
(B) enter into cooperative agreements with 
interested parties to carry out this subtitle. 
SEC. 2006. EVALUATION; REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years before the 
date on which authority for Federal funding terminates 
for the National Heritage Area under this subtitle, the 
Secretary shall— 
(1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplish-
ments of the National Heritage Area; and 
(2) prepare a report in accordance with sub-
section (c). 
(b) EVALUATION.—An evaluation conducted under 
subsection (a)(1) shall— 
(1) assess the progress of the local coordinating 
entity with respect to— 
(A) accomplishing the purposes of the au-
thorizing legislation for the National Heritage 
Area; and 
(B) achieving the goals and objectives of 
the approved management plan for the National 
Heritage Area; 
(2) analyze the Federal, State, Tribal, local, 
and private investments in the National Heritage
Area to determine the impact of the investments; 
and 
(3) review the management structure, partner-
ship relationships, and funding of the National Her-
itage Area for purposes of identifying the critical 
components for sustainability of the National Herit-
age Area. 
(c) REPORT.—Based on the evaluation conducted 
under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall submit a re-
port to the Committee on Natural Resources of the United 
States House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Sen-
ate. The report shall include recommendations for the fu-
ture role of the National Park Service, if any, with respect 
to the National Heritage Area. 
SEC. 2007. LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY. 
(a) DUTIES.—To further the purposes of the Na-
tional Heritage Area, the Journey Through Hallowed 
Ground Partnership, as the local coordinating entity, 
shall— 
(1) prepare a management plan for the Na-
tional Heritage Area, and submit the management 
plan to the Secretary, in accordance with this sub-
title;