(1) IN
GENERAL.—The withdrawal of the
American Heritage Area designation of an area shall
become final 90 legislative days after the Secretary
submits to the Congress the notification referred to
in subsection (a)(2) regarding the area.
(2) LEGISLATIVE DAY.—For purposes of this
subsection, the term ‘‘legislative day’’ means any
calendar day on which both Houses of the Congress
are in session.
SEC. 109. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF FEDERAL AGEN-
CIES.
(a) DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF SECRETARY.—
(1) GRANTS.—(A) The Secretary may make
matching grants to provide assistance regarding fea-
sibility studies and compacts described in section
106(a) and, upon request of the management entity
for the relevant American Heritage Area, regarding
management plans and early actions described in
section 106(a) and capital projects and improve-
ments undertaken pursuant to such management
plans. The Secretary may make grants under this
section to units of government, and, in consultation
with affected units of government, to private non-
profit organizations. In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary shall be guided by the criteria
for eligibility for designation referred to in section
105(c).
(B) The Secretary may not, as a condition of
the award of a grant under this section, require any
recipient of such a grant to enact or modify land use
restrictions.
(2) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—(A) The Sec-
retary may provide technical assistance to units of
government and private nonprofit organizations re-
garding feasibility studies and compacts described in
section 106(a) and, upon request of the management
entity for the relevant American Heritage Area, re-
garding management plans and early actions de-
scribed in section 106(a) and capital projects and
improvements undertaken pursuant to such manage-
ment plans. In providing the technical assistance,
the Secretary shall be guided by the criteria for eli-
gibility for designation referred to in section 105(c).
(B) The Secretary may elect to provide all or
part of the technical assistance authorized by this
subsection through cooperative agreements with
units of government and private nonprofit organiza-
tions whose missions and resources can contribute
substantially to the purposes of this title.
(3) OTHER ASSISTANCE.—Nothing in this title
shall be deemed to prohibit the Secretary or units of
government from providing technical or financial as-
sistance under any other provision of law.
(4) PRIORITIES FOR ASSISTANCE.—In assisting
an American Heritage Area, the Secretary shall give
priority to actions that assist in—
(A) conserving the significant natural, his-
toric, and cultural resources which support the
themes of the American Heritage Area; and
(B) providing educational, interpretive, and
recreational opportunities consistent with the
resources and associated values of the American
Heritage Area.
(5) 
DETERMINATIONS
REGARDING
ASSIST-
ANCE.—The Secretary shall decide which American
Heritage Areas shall be awarded technical and fi-
nancial assistance and the amount of the assistance.
Such decisions shall be based on the relative degree
to which each American Heritage Area effectively
fulfills the objectives contained in the management
plan for the area, achieves the purposes of this title,
and fulfills the criteria referred to in section 105(c)
and shall give consideration to projects which pro-
vide a greater leverage of Federal funds.
(6) NON-FEDERALLY OWNED PROPERTY.—The
Secretary is authorized to spend Federal funds di-
rectly on nonfederally owned property to further the
purposes of this title, giving priority to assisting
units of government in appropriate treatment of dis-
tricts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects listed
or eligible for listing on the National Register of
Historic Places.
(7) ANNUAL
REPORT.—The Secretary shall
submit an annual report to the Congress regarding
the American Heritage Areas Partnership Program.
Each report shall include—
(A) the number, amount, and recipients of
any grants provided by the Secretary under this
title and the nature of any technical assistance
or early action provided under this title;
(B) a description of the status and condi-
tion of, and Federal funding provided under
this Act to, each American Heritage Area;
(C) a description of the areas nominated
for the American Heritage Partnership Pro-
gram;
(D) the recommendations of the Secretary
regarding areas to be designated by the Con-
gress as American Heritage Areas; and
(E) the status of the implementation of all
contractual agreements entered into by the Sec-
retary under this title.
(8) OVERSIGHT OF HERITAGE AREAS WITH EX-
PIRED
ELIGIBILITY.—The Secretary shall inves-
tigate, study, and continually monitor the welfare of
all American Heritage Areas whose eligibility for
Federal funding under this title has expired and
shall report to the Congress periodically regarding
the condition of such American Heritage Areas.
(9) PROVISION OF INFORMATION.—In coopera-
tion with other Federal agencies, the Secretary shall
provide the general public with information regard-
ing the location and character of components of the
American Heritage Areas Partnership Program.
(10) PROMULGATION
OF
REGULATIONS.—The
Secretary shall promulgate such regulations as are
necessary to carry out the purposes of this title.
(b) DUTIES OF FEDERAL ENTITIES.—Any Federal
entity conducting or supporting activities within an Amer-
ican Heritage Area, and any unit of government acting
pursuant to a grant of Federal funds or a Federal permit
or agreement and conducting or supporting such activities,
shall, to the maximum extent practicable—