I
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4530
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the suitability
and feasibility of establishing the Blue Ridge Heritage and Cultural
Partnership Study Area in North Carolina, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 18, 2002
Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. BALLENGER, and Mr. BURR
of North Carolina) 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 Blue
Ridge Heritage and Cultural Partnership Study 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 ‘‘Blue Ridge Heritage
and Cultural Partnership Area Study Act of 2002’’.
SEC. 2. STUDY.
The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with
appropriate State historic preservation officers, State his-
HR 4530 IH
torical societies, Handmade in America, Inc., the Edu-
cation and Research Consortium of Western North Caro-
lina, and Advantage West, shall conduct a study regarding
the suitability and feasibility of designating the study area
described in section 3 as the Blue Ridge Heritage and Cul-
tural Partnership Study Area. The study shall include
analysis, documentation, and determination regarding
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
HR 4530 IH
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 following:
(1) The counties of Cherokee, Clay, Graham,
Swain, Macon, Jackson, Transylvania, Haywood,
Madison, Buncombe, Henderson, Yancey, Mitchell,
McDowell, Rutherford, Polk, Burke, Avery, Caldwell,
HR 4530 IH
Watauga, Ashe, Wilkes, Alleghany, Surry, and
Yadkin, North Carolina.
(2) Other areas that have heritage aspects that
are similar to those aspects that are in the areas de-
scribed in paragraphs (1) through (4) and which are
adjacent to or in the vicinity of those areas.
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.
Æ