IB 
Union Calendar No. 318 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3222 
[Report No. 117–411] 
To establish the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 13, 2021 
Ms. SEWELL (for herself, Mr. CARL, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. KILDEE, 
Mr. BROOKS, Mr. TONKO, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, and Mr. ADERHOLT) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources 
JULY 14, 2022 
Additional sponsors: Mr. COHEN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CLEAVER, Ms. KUSTER, 
Ms. MATSUI, and Mr. COSTA 
JULY 14, 2022 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 13, 2021] 
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A BILL 
To establish the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area, 
and for other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Alabama Black Belt Na-
tional Heritage Area Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.—The term ‘‘Na-
tional Heritage Area’’ means the Alabama Black Belt 
National Heritage Area established by section 3(a). 
(2) LOCAL
COORDINATING
ENTITY.—The term 
‘‘local coordinating entity’’ means the local coordi-
nating entity for the National Heritage Area. 
(3) MANAGEMENT
PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment plan’’ means the management plan for the Na-
tional Heritage Area prepared under section 5(a). 
(4) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map enti-
tled ‘‘Alabama Black Belt Proposed National Herit-
age Area’’, numbered 258/177,272, and dated Sep-
tember 2021. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of Alabama. 
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SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF ALABAMA BLACK BELT NA-
TIONAL HERITAGE AREA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Alabama 
Black Belt National Heritage Area in the State of Alabama, 
to consist of land in Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, 
Conecuh, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, 
Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Washington, 
and Wilcox counties in the State, as generally depicted on 
the map. 
(b) LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.—The Center for 
the Study of the Black Belt at the University of West Ala-
bama shall serve as the local coordinating entity for the 
National Heritage Area. 
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) AUTHORITIES.—For purposes of carrying out the 
management plan for the National Heritage Area, the Sec-
retary acting through the local coordinating entity may use 
amounts made available under this Act— 
(1) to make grants to the State or a political 
subdivision of the State, Indian Tribes, nonprofit or-
ganizations, and other persons; 
(2) to enter into cooperative agreements with, or 
provide technical assistance to, the State or a polit-
ical subdivision of the State, Indian Tribes, nonprofit 
organizations, and other interested parties; 
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(3) to hire and compensate staff, which shall in-
clude individuals with expertise in natural, cultural, 
and historical resources protection and heritage pro-
gramming; 
(4) to obtain money or services from any source, 
including any money or services that are provided 
under any other Federal law or program, provided 
that any money specifically authorized for National 
Heritage areas shall be subject to a 50 percent cost- 
share requirement; 
(5) to contract for goods or services; and 
(6) to undertake or be a catalyst for any other 
activity that furthers the purposes of the National 
Heritage Area and is consistent with the approved 
management plan. 
(b) DUTIES.—The local coordinating entity for the Na-
tional Heritage Area shall— 
(1) in accordance with section 5, prepare and 
submit a management plan for the National Heritage 
Area to the Secretary; 
(2) assist Federal agencies, the State or a polit-
ical subdivision of the State, Indian Tribes, regional 
planning organizations, nonprofit organizations, and 
other interested parties in carrying out the approved 
management plan by— 
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(A) carrying out programs and projects 
that recognize, protect, and enhance important 
resource values in the National Heritage Area; 
(B) establishing and maintaining interpre-
tive exhibits and programs in the National Her-
itage Area; 
(C) developing recreational, interpretive, 
and educational opportunities in the National 
Heritage Area; 
(D) increasing public awareness of, and ap-
preciation for, natural, historical, scenic, and 
cultural resources of the National Heritage Area; 
(E) protecting and restoring historic sites 
and buildings in the National Heritage Area 
that are consistent with the themes of the Na-
tional Heritage Area; 
(F) ensuring that clear, consistent, and ap-
propriate signs identifying points of public ac-
cess and sites of interest are posted throughout 
the National Heritage Area; and 
(G) promoting a wide range of partnerships 
among the Federal Government, State, Tribal, 
and local governments, organizations, and indi-
viduals to further the purposes of the National 
Heritage Area; 
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(3) consider the interests of diverse units of gov-
ernment, businesses, organizations, and individuals 
in the National Heritage Area in the preparation and 
implementation of the management plan; 
(4) conduct meetings open to the public not less 
frequently than semiannually regarding the develop-
ment and implementation of the management plan; 
(5) for any year that Federal funds have been re-
ceived under this Act— 
(A) submit to the Secretary an annual re-
port that describes the activities, expenses, and 
income of the local coordinating entity (includ-
ing grants to any other entities during the year 
that the report is made); 
(B) make available to the Secretary for 
audit all records relating to the expenditure of 
the funds and any matching funds; and 
(C) encourage by appropriate means eco-
nomic viability that is consistent with the Na-
tional Heritage Area. 
(c) PROHIBITION
ON
THE ACQUISITION
OF REAL 
PROPERTY.—The local coordinating entity shall not use 
Federal funds to acquire real property or any interest in 
real property. 
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SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the local coordinating entity 
of the National Heritage Area shall submit to the Secretary 
for approval a proposed management plan for the National 
Heritage Area. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The management plan shall— 
(1) incorporate an integrated and cooperative 
approach for the protection, enhancement, and inter-
pretation of the natural, cultural, historic, scenic, and 
recreational resources of the National Heritage Area; 
(2) take into consideration Federal, State, local, 
and Tribal plans and treaty rights; 
(3) include— 
(A) an inventory of— 
(i) the resources located in the Na-
tional Heritage Area; and 
(ii) any other property in the National 
Heritage Area that— 
(I) is related to the themes of the 
National Heritage Area; and 
(II) should be preserved, restored, 
managed, or maintained because of the 
significance of the property; 
(B) comprehensive policies, strategies, and 
recommendations for the conservation, funding, 
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management, and development of the National 
Heritage Area; 
(C) a description of activities that the Fed-
eral Government, State, Tribal, and local govern-
ments, private organizations, and individuals 
have agreed to carry out to protect the natural, 
historical, cultural, scenic, and recreational re-
sources of the National Heritage Area; 
(D) a program of implementation for the 
management plan by the local coordinating enti-
ty that includes a description of— 
(i) actions to facilitate ongoing collabo-
ration among partners to promote plans for 
resource protection, restoration, and con-
struction; and 
(ii) specific commitments for imple-
mentation that have been made by the local 
coordinating entity or any unit of govern-
ment, organization, or individual for the 
first 5 years of operation; 
(E) the identification of sources of funding 
for carrying out the management plan; 
(F) analysis and recommendations for 
means by which Federal, State, local, and Tribal 
programs, including the role of the National 
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Park Service in the National Heritage Area, 
may best be coordinated to carry out this Act; 
and 
(G) an interpretive plan for the National 
Heritage Area; and 
(4) recommend policies and strategies for re-
source management that consider and detail the ap-
plication of appropriate land and water management 
techniques, including the development of intergovern-
mental and interagency cooperative agreements to 
protect the natural, historical, cultural, educational, 
scenic, and recreational resources of the National 
Heritage Area. 
(c) DEADLINE.—If a proposed management plan is 
not submitted to the Secretary by the date that is 3 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the local coordi-
nating entity shall be ineligible to receive additional fund-
ing under this Act until the date on which the Secretary 
approves the management plan. 
(d) APPROVAL
OR DISAPPROVAL
OF MANAGEMENT 
PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of receipt of the management plan under this 
section, the Secretary, in consultation with State and 
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Tribal governments, shall approve or disapprove the 
management plan. 
(2) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—In determining 
whether to approve the management plan, the Sec-
retary shall consider whether— 
(A) the local coordinating entity is rep-
resentative of the diverse interests of the National 
Heritage Area, including the Federal, State, 
Tribal, and local governments, natural and his-
toric resource protection organizations, edu-
cational institutions, businesses, and recreational 
organizations; 
(B) the local coordinating entity has af-
forded adequate opportunity, including public 
hearings, for public and governmental involve-
ment in the preparation of the management 
plan; and 
(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 National Heritage Area. 
(3) ACTION
FOLLOWING
DISAPPROVAL.—If the 
Secretary disapproves the management plan under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
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(A) advise the local coordinating entity in 
writing the reasons for the disapproval; 
(B) make recommendations for revisions to 
the management plan; and 
(C) not later than 180 days after the receipt 
of any proposed revision of the management 
plan from the local coordinating entity, approve 
or disapprove the proposed revision. 
(4) AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ap-
prove or disapprove each amendment to the 
management plan that the Secretary determines 
make a substantial change to the management 
plan. 
(B) USE
OF
FUNDS.—The local coordi-
nating entity shall not use Federal funds to 
carry out any amendment to the management 
plan until the date on which the Secretary has 
approved the amendment. 
SEC. 6. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act affects the au-
thority of a Federal agency to provide technical or financial 
assistance under any other law. 
(b) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—The head of 
any Federal agency planning to conduct activities that may 
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have an impact on the National Heritage Area is encour-
aged to consult and coordinate the activities with the Sec-
retary and the local coordinating entity to the maximum 
extent practicable. 
(c) OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Nothing in this 
Act— 
(1) modifies, alters, or amends any law or regu-
lations authorizing a Federal agency to manage Fed-
eral land under the jurisdiction of the Federal agency; 
(2) limits the discretion of a Federal land man-
ager to implement an approved land use plan within 
the boundaries of the National Heritage Area; or 
(3) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized 
use of Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Fed-
eral agency. 
SEC. 7. PRIVATE PROPERTY AND REGULATORY PROTEC-
TIONS. 
Nothing in this Act— 
(1) abridges the rights of any property owner 
(whether public or private), including the right to re-
frain from participating in any plan, project, pro-
gram, or activity conducted within the National Her-
itage Area; 
(2) requires any property owner— 
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(A) to permit public access (including ac-
cess by Federal, State, or local agencies) to the 
property of the property owner; or 
(B) to modify public access or use of prop-
erty of the property owner under any other Fed-
eral, State, or local law; 
(3) alters any duly adopted land use regulation, 
approved land use plan, or other regulatory authority 
of any Federal, State, Tribal, or local agency; 
(4) conveys any land use or other regulatory au-
thority to the local coordinating entity; 
(5) authorizes or implies the reservation or ap-
propriation of water or water rights; 
(6) enlarges or diminishes the treaty rights of 
any Indian Tribe within the National Heritage Area; 
(7) diminishes— 
(A) the authority of the State to manage 
fish and wildlife, including the regulation of 
fishing and hunting, within the National Herit-
age Area; or 
(B) the authority of Indian Tribes to regu-
late members of Indian Tribes with respect to 
fishing, hunting, and gathering in the exercise of 
treaty rights; or 
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(8) creates any liability, or affects any liability 
under any other law, of any private property owner 
with respect to any person injured on the private 
property. 
SEC. 8. EVALUATION AND REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—For the National Heritage Area, 
not later than 3 years before the date specified under section 
9, 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 Na-
tional Heritage Area; and 
(B) achieving the goals and objectives of the 
approved management plan for the National 
Heritage Area; 
(2) analyze the investments of the Federal Gov-
ernment, State, Tribal, and local governments, and 
private entities in the National Heritage Area to de-
termine the impact of the investments; and 
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(3) review the management structure, partner-
ship relationships, and funding of the National Herit-
age Area for purposes of identifying the critical com-
ponents for sustainability of the National Heritage 
Area. 
(c) REPORT.—Based on the evaluation conducted 
under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
Representatives a report that includes recommendations for 
the future role of the National Park Service, if any, with 
respect to the National Heritage Area. 
SEC. 9. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY. 
The authority of the Secretary to provide assistance 
under this Act terminates on the date that is 15 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act. 
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Union Calendar No. 318 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3222 
[Report No. 117–411] 
A BILL 
To establish the Alabama Black Belt National 
Heritage Area, and for other purposes. 
JULY 14, 2022 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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