I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2452 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to complete a special resource 
study of the Hudson River Valley in the State of New York, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 7, 2011 
Mr. HINCHEY (for himself, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. TONKO, and Mrs. LOWEY) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
Resources 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to complete a 
special resource study of the Hudson River Valley in 
the State of New York, 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 ‘‘Hudson River Valley 
Special Resource Study Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
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(2) STUDY
AREA.—The term ‘‘study area’’ 
means the counties in New York that abut the Hud-
son River that flows from Rogers Island at Fort Ed-
ward to the southernmost boundary of Westchester 
County, New York. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
(1) The Hudson River Valley possesses nation-
ally significant and unique cultural, historical, nat-
ural, recreational, and scenic resources. 
(2) The Hudson River Valley is home to a ro-
bust and growing tourism and recreation industry 
that is an important component of the regional econ-
omy. 
(3) Throughout history, the Hudson River Val-
ley has played a crucial role in the development of 
our Nation, starting from the vibrant Native Amer-
ican communities that first inhabited the land, to 
Henry Hudson’s voyage up the river later named for 
him in the vessel Half Moon in 1609 and later with 
the American Revolution, the debate on our Con-
stitution, the first successful steamboat voyage by 
Robert Fulton in 1807, the Industrial Revolution, 
the establishment of the Erie Canal and growth of 
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metropolitan New York, and the inception of the 
modern labor and environmental movements. 
(4) The Hudson River Valley continues to serve 
as a vitally important corridor of commerce for the 
Nation, and it has contributed significantly to the 
development and innovation of new technologies and 
industries. 
(5) The Hudson River Valley gave birth to im-
portant movements in American art, architecture, 
and literature. 
(6) The Hudson River Valley encompasses a 
rich array of sensitive natural resources ranging 
from the river itself and its vast estuarine district, 
to its wetlands, refuges, parks, forests, farmlands, 
preserves, cliffs, valleys, and wildlife. 
(7) The depictions and descriptions of the Hud-
son River Valley’s renowned scenery and natural re-
sources played a central role in the recognition of 
the value of the landscape and the development of 
an American esthetic and environmental ideal. 
(8) A 1996 National Park Service study called 
the Hudson River Valley ‘‘the landscape that defined 
America.’’. 
(9) The Hudson River Valley has been the sub-
ject of multiple State and Federal inventories, stud-
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ies, and plans that should greatly assist a National 
Park Service special resource study. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—As soon as funds are made avail-
able for this purpose, the Secretary shall commence a 
study of the Hudson River Valley in the State of New 
York to evaluate— 
(1) the national significance of the area; and 
(2) the suitability and feasibility of designating 
the area as a unit of the National Park System. 
(b) STUDY GUIDELINES.—In conducting the study 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) use the criteria for the study of areas for 
potential inclusion in the National Park System in-
cluded in section 8 of Public Law 91–383, as 
amended by section 303 of the National Parks Om-
nibus Management Act of 1998 (Public Law 105– 
391; 112 Stat. 3501); and 
(2) closely examine park unit models, in par-
ticular national river and recreation areas, as well as 
other landscape protection models, that— 
(A) encompass large areas of non-Federal 
lands within their designated boundaries; 
(B) promote increased heritage tourism 
and economic development; 
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(C) foster public and private collaborative 
arrangements for achieving National Park Serv-
ice objectives; and 
(D) protect and respect the rights of pri-
vate landowners, as well as municipalities. 
SEC. 5. REPORT. 
Not later than 24 months after the date that funds 
are first made available for this purpose, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the 
findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study 
authorized by this Act. 
Æ 
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