Topic: Public Lands — National Parks
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2012-06-21 00:00:00

Manhattan Project National Historical Park Act - (Sec. 5) Establishes the Manhattan Project National Historical Park as a unit of the National Park System, which may be composed of specified facilities, lands, or interests in land in one or more eligible areas or parts of such areas in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Hanford, Washington. Requires inclusion of the B Reactor National Historic Landmark in Hanford. (Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary of the Interior (the Secretary) and the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to enter into an agreement to govern their respective roles in administering the facilities, lands, or interests in land under DOE's jurisdiction to be included in the Park. Requires the Secretary under any such agreement to: (1) have decisionmaking authority for the content of the historic interpretation of the Manhattan Project for purposes of administering the Historical Park, and (2) ensure that the agreement provides for an appropriate advisory role for the National Park Service (NPS) in preserving the historic resources covered by the agreement. Requires the DOE Secretary under any such agreement to: (1) ensure that the agreement appropriately protects public safety, national security, and other aspects of the ongoing mission of DOE at the Oak Ridge Reservation, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Hanford Site; (2) retain responsibility for any necessary environmental remediation; and (3) retain authority and legal obligations for historic preservation and general maintenance. (Sec. 7) Requires the Secretary to consult with interested state, county, and local officials, and members of the public before executing any such agreement and in developing the general management plan. (Sec. 8) Requires the Secretary to develop a general management plan for the Park in consultation and collaboration with the Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, and Richland DOE site offices. Authorizes the Secretary to provide interpretive tours of historically significant Manhattan Project sites and resources that are located outside the boundary of the Park. Prohibits the acquisition by condemnation of any land or interest in land for the purposes of this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into agreements with federal agencies to provide public access to, and management, interpretation, and historic preservation of, historically significant Manhattan Project resources under their control; and (2) accept donations from, and enter into cooperative agreements with, state governments, local governments, tribal governments, organizations, or individuals to further the purpose of such an interagency agreement, or to provide visitor services and administrative facilities within proximity to the Historical Park. Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance to such governments, organizations, or individuals for the management, interpretation, and historic preservation of historically significant Manhattan Project resources not included in the Historical Park. (Sec. 9) Prohibits anything in this Act, the establishment of the Historical Park, or the management plan for the Historical Park from being construed as creating buffer zones outside of the Park. Prohibits anything in this Act from constituting a cause of action respecting activities outside or adjacent to the established boundary of the Park.