I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2925
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the suitability 
and feasibility of establishing the Northeastern North Carolina Heritage 
Area in North Carolina, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 25, 2003
Mr. BALLANCE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study 
of the suitability and feasibility of establishing the North-
eastern North Carolina Heritage Area in North Carolina, 
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 ‘‘Northeastern North 
Carolina Heritage Area Study Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. STUDY. 
The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with 
appropriate State historic preservation officers, State his-
torical societies, and North Carolina’s Northeast Partner-
ship, and other appropriate agencies shall conduct a study 
regarding the suitability and feasibility of designating the 
study area described in section 3 as the Northeastern 
North Carolina Heritage Study Area. The study shall in-
clude analysis, documentation, and determination regard-
ing whether the study area—
(1) has an assemblage of natural, historic, and 
cultural resources that together represent distinctive 
aspects of American heritage worthy of recognition, 
conservation, interpretation, and continuing use, and 
are best managed through partnerships among pub-
lic and private entities and by combining diverse and 
sometime noncontiguous resources and active com-
munities; 
(2) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and 
folklife that are a valuable part of the national story; 
(3) provides outstanding opportunities to con-
serve natural, historic, cultural, or scenic features; 
(4) provides outstanding recreational and edu-
cational opportunities; 
(5) contains resources important to the identi-
fied theme or themes of the study area that retain 
a degree of integrity capable of supporting interpre-
tation;
(6) includes residents, business interests, non-
profit organizations, and local and State govern-
ments that are involved in the planning, have devel-
oped a conceptual financial plan that outlines the 
roles of all participants including the Federal Gov-
ernment, and have demonstrated support for the 
concept of a national heritage area; 
(7) has a potential management entity to work 
in partnership with residents, business interests, 
nonprofit organizations, and local and State govern-
ments to develop a national heritage area consistent 
with continued local and State economic activity; 
and 
(8) has a conceptual boundary map that is sup-
ported by the public. 
SEC. 3. BOUNDARIES OF THE STUDY AREA. 
The study area referred to in section 2 shall be com-
prised of the counties of Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Cho-
wan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, 
Martin, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, 
and Washington, North Carolina. 
SEC. 4. REPORT. 
Not later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which 
funds are first made available for this Act, the Secretary 
of the Interior shall submit to the Committee on Resources
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on 
the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the 
study.
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