I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2689
To establish the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area in the State 
of Mississippi, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 9, 2003
Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi (for himself, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. THOMPSON of 
Mississippi, and Mr. WICKER) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To establish the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage 
Area in the State of Mississippi, 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 ‘‘Mississippi Gulf Coast 
National Heritage Area Act’’. 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that—
(1) the 6-county area in southern Mississippi 
located on the Gulf of Mexico and in the Mississippi
Coastal Plain has a unique identity that is shaped 
by—
(A) the coastal and riverine environment; 
and 
(B) the diverse cultures that have settled 
in the area; 
(2) the area is rich with diverse cultural and 
historical significance, including—
(A) early Native American settlements; 
and 
(B) Spanish, French, and English settle-
ments originating in the 1600s; 
(3) the area includes spectacular natural, sce-
nic, and recreational resources; 
(4) there is broad support from local govern-
ments and other interested individuals for the estab-
lishment of the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Her-
itage Area to coordinate and assist in the preserva-
tion and interpretation of those resources; 
(5) the Comprehensive Resource Management 
Plan, coordinated by the Mississippi Department of 
Marine Resources—
(A) is a collaborative effort of the Federal 
Government and State and local governments in 
the area; and
(B) is a natural foundation on which to es-
tablish the Heritage Area; and 
(6) establishment of the Heritage Area would 
assist local communities and residents in preserving 
the unique cultural, historical, and natural resources 
of the area. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) HERITAGE
AREA.—The term ‘‘Heritage 
Area’’ means the Mississippi Gulf Coast National 
Heritage Area established by section 4(a). 
(2) COORDINATING
ENTITY.—The term ‘‘co-
ordinating entity’’ means the coordinating entity for 
the Heritage Area designated by section 4(c). 
(3) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment plan’’ means the management plan for the 
Heritage Area developed under section 5. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of Mississippi. 
SEC. 4. MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST NATIONAL HERITAGE 
AREA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
State the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area.
(b) BOUNDARIES.—The Heritage Area shall consist 
of the counties of Pearl River, Stone, George, Hancock, 
Harrison, and Jackson in the State. 
(c) COORDINATING ENTITY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Mississippi Department 
of Marine Resources, in consultation with the Mis-
sissippi Department of Archives and History, shall 
serve as the coordinating entity for the Heritage 
Area. 
(2) OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.—The coordinating 
entity shall ensure that each of the 6 counties in-
cluded in the Heritage Area is appropriately rep-
resented on any oversight committee. 
SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the coordinating entity shall 
develop and submit to the Secretary a management plan 
for the Heritage Area. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The management plan shall—
(1) provide recommendations for the conserva-
tion, funding, management, interpretation, and de-
velopment of the cultural, historical, archaeological, 
natural, and recreational resources of the Heritage 
Area;
(2) identify sources of funding for the Heritage 
Area; 
(3) include—
(A) an inventory of the cultural, historical, 
archaeological, natural, and recreational re-
sources of the Heritage Area; and 
(B) an analysis of ways in which Federal, 
State, tribal, and local programs may best be 
coordinated to promote the purposes of this 
Act; 
(4) provide recommendations for educational 
and interpretive programs to inform the public about 
the resources of the Heritage Area; and 
(5) involve residents of affected communities 
and tribal and local governments. 
(c) FAILURE TO SUBMIT.—If a management plan is 
not submitted to the Secretary by the date specified in 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall not provide any addi-
tional funding under this Act until a management plan 
for the Heritage Area is submitted to the Secretary. 
(d) APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF THE MANAGE-
MENT PLAN.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
receipt of the management plan under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall approve or disapprove the 
management plan. 
(2) ACTION FOLLOWING DISAPPROVAL.—If the 
Secretary disapproves a management plan under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—
(A) advise the coordinating entity in writ-
ing of the reasons for disapproval; 
(B) make recommendations for revision of 
the management plan; and 
(C) allow the coordinating entity to submit 
to the Secretary revisions to the management 
plan. 
(e) REVISION.—After approval by the Secretary of 
the management plan, the coordinating entity shall peri-
odically—
(1) review the management plan; and 
(2) submit to the Secretary, for review and ap-
proval by the Secretary, any recommendations for 
revisions to the management plan. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF COORDINATING EN-
TITY. 
(a) AUTHORITIES.—For purposes of developing and 
implementing the management plan and otherwise car-
rying out this Act, the coordinating entity may make
grants to and provide technical assistance to tribal and 
local governments, and other public and private entities. 
(b) DUTIES.—In addition to developing the manage-
ment plan under section 5, in carrying out this Act, the 
coordinating entity shall—
(1) implement the management plan; and 
(2) assist local and tribal governments and non-
profit organizations in—
(A) establishing and maintaining interpre-
tive exhibits in the Heritage Area; 
(B) developing recreational resources in 
the Heritage Area; 
(C) increasing public awareness of, and ap-
preciation for, the cultural, historical, archae-
ological, and natural resources of the Heritage 
Area; 
(D) restoring historic structures that relate 
to the Heritage Area; and 
(E) carrying out any other activity that 
the coordinating entity determines to be appro-
priate to carry out this Act, consistent with the 
management plan; 
(3) conduct public meetings at least annually 
regarding the implementation of the management 
plan; and
(4) for any fiscal year for which Federal funds 
are made available under section 9—
(A) submit to the Secretary a report that 
describes, for the fiscal year, the actions of the 
coordinating entity in carrying out this Act; 
(B) make available to the Secretary for 
audit all records relating to the expenditure of 
funds and any matching funds; and 
(C) require, for all agreements authorizing 
the expenditure of Federal funds by any entity, 
that the receiving entity make available to the 
Secretary for audit all records relating to the 
expenditure of the funds. 
(c) PROHIBITION ON ACQUISITION OF REAL PROP-
ERTY.—The coordinating entity shall not use Federal 
funds made available under this Act to acquire real prop-
erty or any interest in real property. 
SEC. 7. TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE; OTHER 
FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—On the request of the coordi-
nating entity, the Secretary may provide technical and fi-
nancial assistance to the coordinating entity for use in the 
development and implementation of the management plan. 
(b) PROHIBITION
OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.—
The Secretary may not, as a condition of the provision
of technical or financial assistance under this section, re-
quire any recipient of the assistance to impose or modify 
any land use restriction or zoning ordinance. 
SEC. 8. EFFECT OF ACT. 
Nothing in this Act—
(1) affects or authorizes the coordinating entity 
to interfere with—
(A) the right of any person with respect to 
private property; or 
(B) any local zoning ordinance or land use 
plan; 
(2) restricts an Indian tribe from protecting 
cultural or religious sites on tribal land; 
(3) modifies, enlarges, or diminishes the author-
ity of any State, tribal, or local government to regu-
late any use of land under any other law (including 
regulations); 
(4)(A) modifies, enlarges, or diminishes the au-
thority of the State to manage fish and wildlife in 
the Heritage Area, including the regulation of fish-
ing and hunting; or 
(B) authorizes the coordinating entity to as-
sume any management authorities over such lands; 
or
(5) diminishes the trust responsibilities or gov-
ernment-to-government obligations of the United 
States to any federally recognized Indian tribe. 
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act $10,000,000, of which not 
more than $1,000,000 may be made available for any fis-
cal year. 
(b) COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT.—The Federal 
share of the total cost of any activity assisted under this 
Act shall be not more than 50 percent.
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