Title: Caddo Lake National Heritage Area Act of 2018
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Caddo Lake National Heritage Area Act of 2018
This bill establishes the Caddo Lake National Heritage Area in Louisiana and Texas.
The bill designates the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission as the management entity for the area.
The commission shall submit a management plan for the area. Such plan must contain an inventory of the cultural, natural, historical, educational, scenic, and recreational resources in the area, including a list of the property that is related to the area's themes and that should be conserved, enhanced, managed, or developed.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5957 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5957

   To establish the Caddo Lake National Heritage Area, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 24, 2018

Mr. Gohmert (for himself, Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, and Mr. Ratcliffe) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish the Caddo Lake National Heritage Area, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Caddo Lake National Heritage Area 
Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Caddo lake heritage area commission.--The term ``Caddo 
        Lake Heritage Area Commission'' means the management entity for 
        the Heritage Area.
            (2) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the 
        Caddo Lake National Heritage Area established by section 3(a).
            (3) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' means 
        the management plan for the Heritage Area developed under 
        section 4.
            (4) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map prepared under 
        section 3(b).
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (6) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the States 
        of--
                    (A) Louisiana; and
                    (B) Texas.

SEC. 3. CADDO LAKE NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the States the Caddo 
Lake National Heritage Area.
    (b) Boundaries.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare a map depicting the boundaries 
of the Heritage Area.
    (c) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and available 
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of--
            (1) the National Park Service; and
            (2) the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission.
    (d) Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission.--The Caddo Lake Heritage 
Area Commission shall--
            (1) serve as the management entity for the Heritage Area;
            (2) oversee the development of the management plan; and
            (3) be governed by a board of directors that shall--
                    (A) include members that represent a geographic 
                balance across the applicable counties and the States;
                    (B) be composed of not fewer than 7, and not more 
                than 15, members elected by the membership of the Caddo 
                Lake Heritage Area Commission;
                    (C) be selected to represent a balanced group of 
                diverse interests, including--
                            (i) the forest industry;
                            (ii) the energy or mineral resources 
                        industry;
                            (iii) environmental interests;
                            (iv) cultural heritage interests;
                            (v) tourism interests; and
                            (vi) regional agency partners;
                    (D) exercise all corporate powers of the Caddo Lake 
                Heritage Area Commission;
                    (E) manage the activities and affairs of the Caddo 
                Lake Heritage Area Commission; and
                    (F) subject to any limitations in the articles and 
                bylaws of the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission, this 
                Act, and any other applicable Federal or State law, 
                establish the policies of the Caddo Lake Heritage Area 
                Commission.

SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT PLAN.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission shall develop and 
submit to the Secretary for approval a management plan for the Heritage 
Area.
    (b) Requirements.--The management plan shall--
            (1) describe comprehensive policies, goals, strategies, and 
        recommendations for--
                    (A) presenting to the citizens of the United States 
                the heritage of the region; and
                    (B) encouraging the long-term resource 
                conservation, enhancement, interpretation, funding, 
                management, and development of the Heritage Area;
            (2) take into consideration and coordinate Federal, State, 
        and local plans to present a unified historic preservation and 
        interpretation plan for the Heritage Area;
            (3) involve residents, public agencies, and private 
        organizations of the Heritage Area;
            (4) describe actions that units of government, private 
        organizations, and citizens recommend for the conservation, 
        enhancement, interpretation, funding, management, and 
        development of the resources of the Heritage Area;
            (5) identify--
                    (A) existing and potential sources of funding for 
                the conservation, enhancement, interpretation, 
                management, and development of the resources of the 
                Heritage Area; and
                    (B) economic development strategies for the 
                conservation, enhancement, interpretation, funding, 
                management, and development of the resources of the 
                Heritage Area;
            (6) include--
                    (A) an inventory of the cultural, natural, 
                historical, educational, scenic, and recreational 
                resources contained in the Heritage Area, including a 
                list of property that--
                            (i) is related to the themes of the 
                        Heritage Area; and
                            (ii) should be conserved, enhanced, 
                        managed, or developed;
                    (B) a recommendation of policies and strategies for 
                resource management and conservation, including the 
                development of intergovernmental cooperative agreements 
                to manage and conserve the cultural, natural, 
                historical, educational, scenic, and recreational 
                resources of the Heritage Area;
                    (C) a program of strategies and actions to 
                implement the management plan that includes--
                            (i) performance goals;
                            (ii) resource conservation plans;
                            (iii) enhancement strategies;
                            (iv) interpretation strategies; and
                            (v) specific commitments for implementation 
                        that have been made by the Caddo Lake Heritage 
                        Area Commission or any government, 
                        organization, business, or individual;
                    (D) an analysis of, and recommendations for, means 
                by which Federal, State, and local programs may best be 
                coordinated to further the purposes of this Act, 
                including an analysis of the role of the National Park 
                Service and other Federal agencies associated with the 
                Heritage Area;
                    (E) a business plan that--
                            (i) describes the role, operation, 
                        financing, and functions of--
                                    (I) the Caddo Lake Heritage Area 
                                Commission; and
                                    (II) each of the major activities 
                                included in the management plan; and
                            (ii) provides adequate assurances that the 
                        Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission has the 
                        partnerships and financial and other resources 
                        necessary to implement the management plan; and
                    (F) an interpretive plan for the Heritage Area; and
            (7) describe any revisions to the boundaries of the 
        Heritage Area--
                    (A) proposed by the Caddo Lake Heritage Area 
                Commission; and
                    (B) requested by the affected local government.
    (c) Approval of Management Plan.--
            (1) Review.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        receipt of the management plan under subsection (a), the 
        Secretary shall review and approve or disapprove the management 
        plan.
            (2) Criteria.--In determining whether to approve the 
        management plan, the Secretary shall consider whether--
                    (A) the management plan meets all requirements 
                described in subsection (b); and
                    (B) the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission has 
                afforded adequate opportunity, including public 
                hearings, for public and governmental involvement in 
                the preparation of the management plan.
    (d) Action Following Disapproval.--If the Secretary disapproves the 
management plan under subsection (c)(1), the Secretary shall--
            (1) advise the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission in 
        writing of the reasons for the disapproval;
            (2) make recommendations for revisions to the management 
        plan; and
            (3) not later than 180 days after the date of receipt of a 
        proposed revision to the management plan, approve or disapprove 
        the proposed revision.
    (e) Amendments.--The Secretary shall review and approve or 
disapprove each amendment to the management plan that the Secretary 
determines may substantially alter the purposes of the Heritage Area.
    (f) Effect of Inaction.--If the Secretary does not approve or 
disapprove a management plan or a revision or change to a management 
plan by the date that is 180 days after the date on which the 
management plan or revision or change to the management plan is 
submitted, the management plan, revision, or change shall be considered 
to have been approved by the Secretary.

SEC. 5. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF THE CADDO LAKE HERITAGE AREA 
              COMMISSION.

    (a) Authorities.--For purposes of preparing and carrying out the 
management plan, the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission may--
            (1) make grants to--
                    (A) political jurisdictions of the States;
                    (B) nonprofit organizations; and
                    (C) other persons or entities located in the 
                Heritage Area;
            (2) enter into cooperative agreements with, or provide 
        technical assistance to--
                    (A) political jurisdictions of the States;
                    (B) nonprofit organizations;
                    (C) the heads of Federal agencies; and
                    (D) other interested persons or entities;
            (3) hire and compensate staff who have demonstrated 
        expertise in the fields of--
                    (A) cultural, natural, and historical resources 
                conservation;
                    (B) economic and community development;
                    (C) forestry; or
                    (D) heritage planning;
            (4) obtain money or services from any source, including any 
        money or services provided under any other Federal program or 
        law, in which case the Federal share of the cost of any 
        activity carried out using Federal funds shall be not more than 
        50 percent;
            (5) contract for goods or services; and
            (6) support activities of partners and any other activities 
        that--
                    (A) further the purposes of the Heritage Area; and
                    (B) are consistent with the management plan.
    (b) Duties.--In addition to developing the management plan, the 
Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission shall--
            (1) for any fiscal year for which Federal funds have been 
        expended for the Heritage Area by the Caddo Lake Heritage Area 
        Commission under this Act--
                    (A) submit to the Secretary an annual report that 
                describes--
                            (i) the specific performance goals and 
                        accomplishments of the Caddo Lake Heritage Area 
                        Commission;
                            (ii) the expenses and income of the Caddo 
                        Lake Heritage Area Commission;
                            (iii) the amounts and sources of matching 
                        funds;
                            (iv) the amounts leveraged with Federal 
                        funds and the sources of the leveraging; and
                            (v) any grants made to any other entities 
                        during the fiscal year; and
                    (B) make available for audit by Congress, the 
                Secretary, and appropriate units of government, all 
                records pertaining to the expenditure of the funds and 
                any matching funds; and
            (2) encourage, by appropriate means and consistent with the 
        purposes of the Heritage Area, the economic viability of the 
        Heritage Area.
    (c) Prohibition on the Acquisition of Real Property.--The Caddo 
Lake Heritage Area Commission shall not use Federal funds to acquire 
real property or any interest in real property.

SEC. 6. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.

    (a) Technical and Financial Assistance.--On request of the Caddo 
Lake Heritage Area Commission, the Secretary may provide technical and 
financial assistance, on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, to 
the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission for--
            (1) the development and implementation of the management 
        plan; and
            (2) other initiatives of the Caddo Lake Heritage Area 
        Commission.
    (b) Cooperative Agreements.--
            (1) In general.--To carry out this Act, the Secretary may 
        enter into cooperative agreements with the Caddo Lake Heritage 
        Area Commission and other public and private entities to 
        provide assistance under subsection (a).
            (2) Requirements.--A cooperative agreement entered into 
        under paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum--
                    (A) establish the goals and objectives of the 
                Heritage Area; and
                    (B) include--
                            (i) a proposal relating to the conservation 
                        and interpretation of the Heritage Area; and
                            (ii) a general outline describing each 
                        measure agreed to by the Secretary and the 
                        Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission.

SEC. 7. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) In General.--Nothing in this Act affects the authority of any 
Federal official to provide technical or financial assistance under any 
other law.
    (b) Consultation and Coordination.--The head of any Federal agency 
planning to conduct an activity that may have an impact on the Heritage 
Area shall, to the maximum extent practicable--
            (1) consult with the Secretary and the Caddo Lake Heritage 
        Area Commission regarding the activity; and
            (2) coordinate the activity with the Secretary and the 
        Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission.
    (c) Effect on Other Federal Agencies.--Nothing in this Act--
            (1) modifies, alters, or amends any law (including a 
        regulation) authorizing a Federal agency to manage Federal land 
        under the jurisdiction of the Federal agency;
            (2) limits the discretion of a Federal land manager to 
        implement an approved land use plan within the boundaries of 
        the Heritage Area; or
            (3) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized use of 
        Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Federal agency.

SEC. 8. PROPERTY OWNERS AND REGULATORY PROTECTIONS.

    Nothing in this Act--
            (1) abridges the rights of any property owner, whether 
        public or private, including the right to refrain from 
        participating in any plan, project, program, or activity 
        conducted within the Heritage Area;
            (2) requires any property owner--
                    (A) to permit public access (including Federal, 
                Tribal, State, or local government access) to the 
                property of the property owner; or
                    (B) to modify any provisions of Federal, Tribal, 
                State, or local law with regard to public access or use 
                of private land;
            (3) alters any duly adopted land use regulation, any 
        approved land use plan, or any other regulatory authority of 
        any Federal, State, or local agency or Tribal government;
            (4) conveys any land use or other regulatory authority to 
        the Caddo Lake Heritage Area Commission;
            (5) authorizes or implies the reservation or appropriation 
        of water or water rights;
            (6) diminishes the authority of the State to manage fish 
        and wildlife, including the regulation of fishing and hunting 
        within the Heritage Area;
            (7) 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;
            (8) abridges, or authorizes the Secretary or the Caddo Lake 
        Heritage Area Commission to abridge, valid rights to timber 
        harvesting; or
            (9) abridges, restricts, or alters the rights of any 
        property owner with regard to the property of the property 
        owner.

SEC. 9. EVALUATION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
approval of the management plan under section 4(c), the Secretary 
shall--
            (1) conduct an evaluation of the accomplishments of the 
        Heritage Area; and
            (2) prepare a report in accordance with subsection (c).
    (b) Evaluation Components.--An evaluation prepared under subsection 
(a)(1) shall--
            (1) assess the progress of the Caddo Lake Heritage Area 
        Commission with respect to--
                    (A) accomplishing the purposes of the authorizing 
                legislation for the Heritage Area; and
                    (B) achieving the goals and objectives of the 
                approved management plan for the Heritage Area;
            (2) analyze the State, local, and private investments in 
        the Heritage Area to determine the leverage and impact of the 
        investments; and
            (3) review the management structure, partnership 
        relationships, and funding of the Heritage Area for purposes of 
        identifying the critical components for sustainability of the 
        Heritage Area.
    (c) Report.--Based on the evaluation conducted under subsection 
(a)(1), the Secretary shall prepare and 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 Heritage Area.

SEC. 10. 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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