16 U.S.C. § 410ppp (CONSERVATION)
§ 410ppp. Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
(a) Purpose
The purpose of this section is to establish the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park—
(1) to help preserve, protect, and interpret the nationally significant resources that exemplify the industrial heritage of the Blackstone River Valley for the benefit and inspiration of future generations;
(2) to support the preservation, protection, and interpretation of the urban, rural, and agricultural landscape features (including the Blackstone River and Canal) of the region that provide an overarching context for the industrial heritage of the Blackstone River Valley;
(3) to educate the public about—
(A) the nationally significant sites and districts that convey the industrial history of the Blackstone River Valley; and
(B) the significance of the Blackstone River Valley to the past and present of the United States; and
(4) to support and enhance the network of partners in the protection, improvement, management, and operation of related resources and facilities throughout the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
(b) Definitions
In this section:
(1) National Heritage Corridor
The term “National Heritage Corridor” means the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
(2) Park
The term “Park” means the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park established by subsection (c)(1).
(3) Secretary
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.
(4) States
The term “States” means—
(A) the State of Massachusetts; and
(B) the State of Rhode Island.
(c) Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
(1) Establishment
There is established in the States a unit of the National Park System, to be known as the “Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park”.
(2) Historic sites and districts
The Park shall include—
(A) Blackstone River State Park; and
(B) the following resources, as described in Management Option 3 of the study entitled “Blackstone River Valley Special Resource Study—Study Report 2011”:
(i) Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark District.
(ii) Slatersville Historic District.
(iii) Ashton Historic District.
(iv) Whitinsville Historic District.
(v) Hopedale Village Historic District.
(vi) Blackstone River and the tributaries of Blackstone River.
(vii) Blackstone Canal.
(3) Acquisition of land; park boundary
(A) Land acquisition
(i) In general
The Secretary may acquire land or interests in land that are considered contributing historic resources in the historic sites and districts described in paragraph (2)(B) for inclusion in the Park boundary by donation, purchase from a willing seller with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange.
(ii) No condemnation
No land or interest in land may be acquired for the Park by condemnation.
(B) Park boundary
On a determination by the Secretary that a sufficient quantity of land or interests in land has been acquired to constitute a manageable park unit, the Secretary shall establish a boundary for the Park by publishing a boundary map in the Federal Register.
(C) Other resources
The Secretary may include in the Park boundary any resources that are the subject of an agreement with the States or a subdivision of the States entered into under paragraph (4)(D).
(D) Boundary adjustment
On the acquisition of additional land or interests in land under subparagraph (A), or on entering an agreement under subparagraph (C), the boundary of the Park shall be adjusted to reflect the acquisition or agreement by publishing a Park boundary map in the Federal Register.
(E) Availability of map
The maps referred to in this paragraph shall be available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
(F) Administrative facilities
The Secretary may acquire not more than 10 acres in Woonsocket, Rhode Island 1 for the development of administrative, curatorial, maintenance, or visitor facilities for the Park.
(G) Limitation
Land owned by the States or a political subdivision of the States may be acquired under this paragraph only by donation.
(4) Administration
(A) In general
The Secretary shall administer land within the boundary of the Park in accordance with—
(i) this subsection; and
(ii) the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—
(I) the National Park Service Organic Act (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); 2 and
(II) the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).2
(B) General management plan
(i) In general
Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this subsection, the Secretary shall prepare a general management plan for the Park—
(I) in consultation with the States and other interested parties; and
(II) in accordance with section 100502 of title 54.
(ii) Requirements
The plan shall consider ways to use preexisting or planned visitor facilities and recreational opportunities developed in the National Heritage Corridor, including—
(I) the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center, Pawtucket, Rhode Island;
(II) the Captain Wilbur Kelly House, Blackstone River State Park, Lincoln, Rhode Island;
(III) the Museum of Work and Culture, Woonsocket, Rhode Island;
(IV) the River Bend Farm/Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park, Uxbridge, Massachusetts;
(V) the Worcester Blackstone Visitor Center, located at the former Washburn & Moen wire mill facility, Worcester, Massachusetts;
(VI) the Route 295 Visitor Center adjacent to Blackstone River State Park; and
(VII) the Blackstone River Bikeway.
(C) Related sites
The Secretary may provide technical assistance, visitor services, interpretive tours, and educational programs to sites and resources in the National Heritage Corridor that are located outside the boundary of the Park and associated with the purposes for which the Park is established.
(D) Cooperative agreements
(i) In general
To further the purposes of this subsection and notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 31, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the States, political subdivisions of the States, nonprofit organizations (including the local coordinating entity for the National Heritage Corridor), and other interested parties—
(I) to provide technical assistance, interpretation, and educational programs in the historic sites and districts described in paragraph (2)(B); and
(II) subject to the availability of appropriations and clauses (ii) and (iii), to provide not more than 50 percent of the cost of any natural, historic, or cultural resource protection project in the Park that is consistent with the general management plan prepared under subparagraph (B).
(ii) Matching requirement
As a condition of the receipt of funds under clause (i)(II), the Secretary shall require that any Federal funds made available under a cooperative agreement entered into under this paragraph are to be matched on a 1-to-1 basis by non-Federal funds.
(iii) Reimbursement
Any payment made by the Secretary under clause (i)(ii) 3 shall be subject to an agreement that the conversion, use, or disposal of the project for purposes that are inconsistent with the purposes of this subsection, as determined by the Secretary, shall result in a right of the United States to reimbursement of the greater of—
(I) the amount provided by the Secretary to the project under clause (i)(II); or
(II) an amount equal to the increase in the value of the project that is attributable to the funds, as determined by the Secretary at the time of the conversion, use, or disposal.
(iv) Public access
Any cooperative agreement entered into under this subparagraph shall provide for reasonable public access to the resources covered by the cooperative agreement.
(5) Dedication; memorial
(A) In general
Congress dedicates the Park to John H. Chafee, the former United States Senator from Rhode Island, in recognition of—
(i) the role of John H. Chafee in the preservation of the resources of the Blackstone River Valley and the heritage corridor that bears the name of John H. Chafee; and
(ii) the decades of the service of John H. Chafee to the people of Rhode Island and the United States.
(B) Memorial
The Secretary shall display a memorial at an appropriate location in the Park that recognizes the role of John H. Chafee in preserving the resources of the Blackstone River Valley for the people of the United States.
(Pub. L. 113–291, div. B, title XXX, § 3031, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3767.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: References in Text
text: The National Park Service Organic Act (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), referred to in subsec. (c)(4)(A)(ii)(I), is act Aug. 25, 1916, ch. 408, 39 Stat. 535, which enacted sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this title and provisions set out as a note under section 100101 of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs. Sections 1 to 4 of the Act were repealed and restated as section 1865(a) of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and sections 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of Title 54 by Pub. L. 113–287, §§ 3, 4(a)(1), 7, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3094, 3260, 3272. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. For disposition of former sections of this title, see Disposition Table preceding section 100101 of Title 54.
The Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.), referred to in subsec. (c)(4)(A)(ii)(II), is act Aug. 21, 1935, ch. 593, 49 Stat. 666, known as the Historic Sites Act of 1935 and also as the Historic Sites, Buildings, and Antiquities Act, which enacted sections 461 to 467 of this title. The Act was repealed and restated as section 1866(a) of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and sections 102303 and 102304 and chapter 3201 of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs, by Pub. L. 113–287, §§ 3, 4(a)(1), 7, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3094, 3260, 3272. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. For disposition of former sections of this title, see Disposition Table preceding section 100101 of Title 54.
heading: Codification
text: In subsec. (c)(4)(B)(i)(II), “section 100502 of title 54” substituted for “section 12(b) of the National Park System General Authorities Act (16 U.S.C. 1a–7(b))” on authority of Pub. L. 113–287, § 6(e), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3272, which Act enacted Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs.