National Heritage Areas Partnership Act

Bill: 110-s-278
Sponsor: Sen. Thomas, Craig [R-WY]
Introduced: 2007-01-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Arts, Culture, Religion
Auditing
Citizen participation
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commemorations
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cultural property
Department of the Interior
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Grants-in-aid
Historic sites
History
Land use
Landowners
Landscape protection
Law
Maps
National parks
Natural areas
Nature conservation
Nonprofit organizations
Outdoor recreation
Planning
Public meetings
Public-private partnerships
Recreation areas
Right of property
Social Welfare
Social life and customs
Sports and Recreation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-01-12
text: 
National Heritage Areas Partnership Act - Establishes a system of National Heritage Areas through which the Secretary of the Interior shall provide technical and financial assistance to local coordinating entities to support the establishment, development, and continuity of the National Heritage Areas. Provides for such system to be composed of National Heritage Areas established by Congress before, on, or after enactment of this Act. 
 
Prohibits National Heritage Areas from being: (1) considered to be NPs units; or (2) subject to the laws applicable to such units. 
 
 Specifies the criteria that the Secretary shall apply to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating proposed National Heritage Areas. States that designation of a National Heritage Area shall be: (1) by Act of Congress; and (2) contingent on the prior completion of a study and an affirmative determination by the Secretary that the area meets such criteria. 
 
Sets forth requirements for National Heritage Area management plans. Instructs local coordinating entities to submit plans to the Secretary for approval. Prohibits a local coordinating entity from using federal funds authorized by this Act to implement an amendment until the Secretary approves the amendment. 
 
Bars local coordinating entities from using federal funds authorized under this Act to acquire any interest in real property.

action_date: 2007-09-17
text: 
National Heritage Areas Partnership Act - (Sec. 4) Establishes a system of National Heritage Areas through which the Secretary of the Interior shall provide technical and financial assistance to local coordinating entities to support the establishment, development, and continuity of the National Heritage Areas. Provides for such system to be composed of National Heritage Areas established by Congress before, on, or after enactment of this Act. 

Directs the Secretary to: (1) ensure participation and assistance by units of the National Park System (NPS) located near or encompassed by National Heritage Areas in local initiatives for National Heritage Areas that conserve and interpret resources consistent with the approved management plan; and (2) work with National Heritage Areas to promote public enjoyment of NPS units and park-related resources. 

Prohibits National Heritage Areas from being: (1) considered to be NPS units; or (2) subject to the laws applicable to such units. 

 (Sec. 5) Specifies the criteria that the Secretary shall apply to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating proposed National Heritage Areas. 

(Sec. 6) States that designation of a National Heritage Area shall be: (1) by Act of Congress; and (2) contingent on the prior completion of a study and an affirmative determination by the Secretary that the area meets such criteria. 

(Sec. 7) Sets forth requirements for National Heritage Area management plans. Instructs local coordinating entities to submit plans to the Secretary for approval. Prohibits a local coordinating entity from using federal funds authorized by this Act to implement an amendment until the Secretary approves the amendment. 
 
 (Sec. 8) Requires the Secretary to evaluate and report to specified congressional committees on the accomplishments of a Narional Heritage Area by no later than three years before date on which the authority for federal funding terminates for such an Area under this Act.
 
(Sec. 9) Requires a local coordinating entity to submit annual reports to the Secretary for each fiscal year for which the entity receives federal funds under this Act. 

Bars local coordinating entities from using federal funds authorized under this Act to acquire any interest in real property.
 
(Sec. 10) Specifies this Act's effect with regard to: (1) other federal agencies; and (2) private property and certain related regulatory protections. 
 
(Sec. 12) Permits the Secretary, upon request of a local coordinating entity, to continue to provide technical assistance to a National Heritage Area on the termination of the 15-year period for which assistance is provided under this Act.
 
Permits the Secretary to establish a grant program under which the Secretary provides grants (subject to specified conditions), on a competitive basis, to local coordinating entities for the conduct of individual projects at National Heritage Areas for which financial assistance has terminated. Requires submission of a list of the projects provided assistance. 
 
 (Sec. 13) Authorizes appropriations for studies and grants. 

Terminates the authority of the Secretary to provide financial assistance to an individual local coordinating entity (excluding technical assistance and administrative oversight) 15 years after the initial receipt of the assistance by the local coordinating entity. 
 
Limits to 5% the amount of funds that may be used by the Secretary for technical assistance, oversight, and administration. 
 
Requires grant recipients to provide, as a condition of receiving a grant under this Act, matching funds from non-federal sources equal to the grant amount. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-17
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 366.
action_date: 2007-09-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-168.
action_date: 2007-09-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-168.
action_date: 2007-07-25
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2007-01-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2007-01-12
text: Introduced in Senate