Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Act of 1985
PL 99-647 (S.1374), enacted 11/10/1986

PUBLIC LAW 99-647—NOV. 10, 1986 
100 STAT. 3625 
Public Law 99-647 
99th Congress 
An Act 
To establish the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in 
Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of 
America in Congress assembled, 
ESTABUSHMENT OF NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR 
SECTION 1. That for the purpose of preserving and interpreting for 
the educational and inspirational benefit of present and future 
generations the unique and significant contributions to our national 
heritage of certain historic and cultural lands, waterways and struc-
tures within the Blackstone River Valley in the States of Massachu-
setts and Rhode Island there is hereby established the Blackstone 
River Valley Nationed Heritage Corridor (hereafter in this Act 
referred to as the "Corridor"). It is the purpose of this Act to provide 
a management framework to gissist the States of Massachusetts and 
Rhode Island and their units of local government in the develop-
ment and implementation of integrated cultural, historical and land 
resource management programs in order to retain, enhance and 
interpret the significant values of the lands, waters and structures 
of the Corridor. 
Nov. 10,1986 
[S. 1374] 
Conservation. 
Cultural 
programs. 
Public lands. 
Historic 
preservation. 
16 u s e 46 note. 
BOUNDARIES AND ADMINISTRATION 
SEC. 2. (a) BOUNDARIES.—The boundaries shall include those lands 
generally depicted on a map entitled Blackstone River Valley Na-
tional Herit^e Corridor, numbered BRV-80-80,000 and dated Octo-
ber 1986. The map shall be on file and available for public inspection 
in the office of the Department of the Interior in Washington, DC 
and the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Departments of Environ-
mental Management. The Secretary of the Interior (hereafter re-
ferred to as the "Secretary") shall publish in the Federal Register, 
as soon as practical after the date of enactment of this Act a detailed 
description and map of the boundaries established under this 
subsection. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION.—The Corridor shall be administered in 
accordance with the provisions of this Act. 
BLACKSTONE RIVER VALLEY NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR 
COMMISSION 
SEC. 3. (a) ESTABUSHMENT.—There is hereby established a commis-
sion to be known as the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage 
Corridor Commission (hereafter known as the "Commission") 
whose purpose shall be to assist Federal, State and local authorities 
in the development and implementation of an integrated resource 
management plan for those lands and waters as specified in 
section 2. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall be composed of nineteen 
members appointed by the Secretary as follows: 
Public 
information. 
District of 
Columbia. 
Federal 
Register, 
publication. 
State and local 
governments. 
100 STAT. 3626 
PUBLIC LAW 99-647—NOV. 10, 1986 
(1) the Director of the National Park Service, ex officio, or a 
delegate; 
(2) six individuals nominated by the Governors of Rhode 
Island and Massachusetts and appointed by the Secretary, who 
shall be the Department of Environmental Management Direc-
tors from Rhode Island and Massachusetts, the State Historic 
Preservation Officers from Massachusetts and Rhode Island, 
and the Department of Economic Development Directors from 
Massachusetts and Rhode Island; 
(3) four representatives of local government from Massachu-
setts and four from Rhode Island nominated by the Governor of 
their State and appointed by the Secretary, to represent the 
interests of local government; and 
(4) two individuals, nominated by the Governor of Massachu-
setts and two individuals nominated by the Governor of Rhode 
Island appointed by the Secretary, to represent other interests 
each Governor deems appropriate. 
A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which 
the original appointment was made. 
(c) TERMS.—Members of the Commission shall be appointed for 
terms of three years. 
(d) COMPENSATION.—Members of the Commission shall receive no 
pay on account of their service on the Commission, but while away 
from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of 
services for the Commission, members of the Commission shall be 
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Govern-
ment service are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(e) CHAIRPERSON.—The chairperson of the Commission shall be 
elected by the members of the Commission. 
(f) QUORUM.—(1) Ten members of the Commission shall constitute 
a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings. 
(2) Any member of the Commission may vote by means of a signed 
proxy exercised by another member of the Commission, but any 
member so voting shall not be considered present for purposes of 
establishing a quorum. 
(3) The affirmative vote of not less than ten members of the 
Commission shall be required to approve the budget of the 
Commission. 
(g) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at least quarterly at 
the call of the chairperson or ten of its members. Meetings of the 
Commission shall be subject to section 552b of title 5, United States 
Code (relating to open meetings). 
STAFF OF THE COMMISSION 
SEC. 4. (a) STAFF.—(1) The Commission shall have the power to 
appoint and fix the compensation of such staff as may be necessary 
to carry out its duties. 
(2) Staff appointed by the Commission— 
(A) shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5, 
United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
service; and 
(B) shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 
5 use 5101 et 
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to 
seq., 5331. 
cleissification and General Schedule pay rates. 
PUBLIC LAW 99-647—NOV. 10, 1986 
100 STAT. 3627 
(b) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—Subject to such rules as may be 
adopted by the Commission, the Commission may procure tem-
porary and intermittent services to the same extent as is authorized 
by section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates deter-
mined by the Commission to be reasonable. 
(c) STAFF OF OTHER AGENCIES.—(1) Upon request of the Commis-
sion, the head of any Federal agency may detail, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of such agency to the Commission to 
assist the Commission in carrying out the Commission's duties. 
(2) The Commission may accept the services of personnel detailed 
from the States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island (and any political 
subdivision thereof) and may reimburse that State or political sub-
division for those services. 
POWERS OF COMMISSION 
SEC. 5. (a) HEARINGS.—(1) The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold such hearings, sit and act at such times 
and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence, as the 
Commission considers appropriate. 
(2) The Commission may not issue subpoenas or exercise any 
subpoena authority. 
(b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any member or agent of 
the Commission, if so authorized by the Commission, may take any 
action which the Commission is authorized to take by this Act. 
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—The Administrator of 
General Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimburs-
able basis, such administrative support services as the Commission 
may request. 
(d) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United States mails in 
the same manner and under the same conditions as other depart-
ments and agencies of the United States. 
(e) USE OF FUNDS TO OBTAIN MONEY.—The Commission may use 
its funds to obtain money from any source under any program or 
law requiring the recipient of such money to make a contribution in 
order to receive such money. 
(f) GIFTS.—(1) Except as provided in subsection (gX2)(B), the 
Commission may, for purposes of carrying out its duties, seek, 
accept, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or donations of money, per-
sonal property, or services, received from any source. 
(2) For purposes of section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1954, any gift to the Commission shall be deemed to be a gift to the 26 use 170. 
United States. 
(g) ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY.—(1) Except as provided in 
paragraph (2) and except with respect to any leasing of facilities 
under subsection (c), the Commission may not acquire any real 
property or interest in real property. 
(2) Subject to paragraph (3), the Commission may acquire real 
property, or interests in real property, in the Corridor— 
(A) by gift or devise; or 
(B) by purchase from a willing seller with money which was 
given or bequeathed to the Commission on the condition that 
such money would be used to purchase real property, or in-
terests in real property, in the Corridor. 
(3) Any real property or interest in real property acquired by the 
Commission under paragraph (2) shall be conveyed by the Commis-
sion to an appropriate public or private land managing agency, as 
100 STAT. 3628 
PUBLIC LAW 99-647—NOV. 10, 1986 
determined by the Commission. Any such conveyance shall be 
made— 
(A) as soon as practicable after such acquisition; 
(B) without consideration; and 
(C) on the condition that the real property or interest in real 
property so conveyed is used for public purposes. 
(h) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—For purposes of carrying out the 
plan, the Commission may enter into cooperative agreements with 
the State of Massachusetts and the State of Rhode Island, with any 
political subdivision of each State, or with any person. Any such 
cooperative agreement shall, at a minimum, ^tablish procedures for 
providing notice to the Commission of any action proposed by the 
State of Massachusetts and the State of Rhode Island, such political 
subdivision, or such person which may affect the implementation of 
the plan. 
(i) ADVISORY GROUPS.—^The Commission may establish such ad-
visory groups as the Commission deems necessary to ensure open 
communication with, and assistance from, the State of Massachu-
setts and the State of Rhode Island, political subdivisions of the 
State of Massachusetts and the State of Rhode Island, and interested 
persons. 
DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION 
State and local 
SEC 6. (a) PREPARATION O
F PLAN.—Within one year after the 
governments. 
Commission conducts its first meeting, it shall submit a Cultural 
Heritage and Land Management Plan to the Secretary and the 
Governors of Massachusetts and Rhode Island for review and ap-
proval for ninety days. The plan shall be based on existing State 
plans, but shall coordinate those plans and present a unified historic 
preservation and interpretation plan for the Corridor. The plan 
shall— 
(1) provide an inventory which includes any property in the 
Corridor which should be preserved, restored, managed, devel-
oped, maintained, or acquired because of its national historic or 
cultural significance; 
_ (2) establish standards and criteria applicable to the construc-
tion, preservation, restoration, alteration, and use of all prop-
erties within the Corridor; 
(3) develop an historic interpretation plan to interpret the 
history of the valley; 
(4) contain policies for land use management which consider 
and detail the application of appropriate land and water 
management techniques, including but not limited to local 
zoning, use of easements and development of intei^vemmental 
cooperative agreements, so as to protect the Corridor's histori-
cal, cultural, scenic and natural resources and enhance water 
quality of the Blackstone River in a manner consistent with 
supporting economic revitalization efforts; 
(5) contain a coordination and consistency component which 
details the ways in which local. State and Federal programs 
may best be coordinated to promote the purposes of this Act; 
and 
(6) contain a p n ^ a m for State and local government im-
plementation of ^ e plan. 
(b) APPROVAL OF THE PLAN.—(I) No plan submitted to the Sec-
retary under this section shall be approved unless the Secretary 
finds that the plan, if implemented, would adequately protect the 
PUBLIC LAW 99-647—NOV. 10, 1986 
100 STAT. 3629 
significant historical and cultural resources of the Corridor and 
consistent with such protection provide adequate and appropriate 
outdoor recreational opportunities and economic activities within 
the Corridor. 
(2) In determining whether or not to approve the Plan, the 
Secretary shall consider whether: 
(A) the Commission has afforded adequate opportunity, 
including public hearings, for public and governmental involve-
ment in the preparation of the plan; 
(B) he has received adequate assurances from appropriate 
State officials that the recommended implementation program 
identified in the plan will be initiated within a reeisonable time 
after the date of approval of the plan and such program will 
ensure effective implementation of the State and local aspects 
of the plan. 
(3) If the Secretary disapproves the plan, he shall advise the 
Commission in writing of the reasons therefore and shall indicate 
any recommendations for revisions. Following completion of any 
necessary revisions to the plan, the Secretary shall have forty-five 
days to either approve or disapprove the plan. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.—(1) After review and approval 
of the plan by the Secretary and the Governors of Massachusetts 
and Rhode Island £is provided in subsections (a) and (b) the Commis-
sion shall give priority to actions which assist in— 
(A) preserving and interpreting the historic resources of the 
valley; 
(B) completing State and local parks in the Corridor; and 
(C) supporting public and private efforts in economic revital-
ization consistent with the goals of the Cultural Heritage Plan. 
(2) Priority actions to be carried out under paragraph (1) shall State and local 
include— 
governments. 
(A) assisting the States in appropriate preservation treatment 
of the Blackstone Canal; 
(B) assisting the States in designing, establishing, and 
maintaining visitor centers and other interpretive exhibits in 
the Corridor; 
(C) encouraging private landowners adjacent to the canal or 
river to retain or reestablish, where possible, vegetative, or 
other buffers as specified in the State park plans; 
(D) assisting in the enhancement of public awareness of an 
appreciation for the historical and architectural and geological 
resources and sites in the Corridor; 
(E) assisting the State or any local government or any non-
profit organization in the restoration of any historic building in 
the Corridor; 
(F) encouraging, by appropriate means, enhanced economic 
and industrial development in the Corridor consistent with the 
goals of the plan; 
(G) encouraging local governments to adopt land use policies 
consistent with the goals of the State park and the plan and to 
take actions to implement those policies; and 
(H) ensuring that clear, consistent signs identifying access 
points and sites of interest is put in place. 
100 STAT. 3630 
PUBLIC LAW 99-647—NOV. 10, 1986 
TERMINATION OF COMMISSION 
SEC. 7. (a) TERMINATION.—Except as provided in subsection (b), the 
Commission shall terminate on the day occurring five years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
0?) EXTENSION.—The Commission may be extended for a period of 
not more than five years beginning on the day referred to in 
subsection (a) if, not later than one hundred and eighty days before 
such day— 
(1) the Commission determines such extension is necessary in 
order to carry out the purpose of this Act; 
(2) the Commission submits such proposed extension to the 
Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate; and 
(3) the Governor of Massachusetts, the Governor of Rhode 
Island, and the Secretary each approve such extension. 
DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY 
SEC. 8. (a) PURPOSE.—To carry out the purpose of this Act, the 
Secretary shall assist the Commission in preparing the Cultural 
Heritage and Land Management Plan. Following approval of the 
plan as provided under section 6 (a) and (b) the Secretary shall assist 
the Commission to design and fabricate interoretive materials based 
on the plan including— 
(A) guide brochures for exploring the heritage story of the 
valley by automobile, train, bicycle, boat, or foot; 
(B) visitor displays (including video presentations) at several 
locations well distributed along the Corridor, including both 
indoor and outdoor displays; and 
(C) a mobile display depicting the heritage story to be used in 
the park, public buildings, libraries, and schools. 
ft)) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall, upon request of 
the Commission, provide technical assistance to the Commission in 
the preparation of the plan and for implementing the plan as set out 
in section 6(c). 
DUTIES OF OTHER FEDERAL ENTITIES 
SEC. 9. Any Federal entity conducting or supporting activities 
directly affecting the Corridor shall— 
(1) consult with the Secretary and the Commission with 
respect to such activities; 
(2) cooperate with the Secretary and the Commission in carry-
ing out their duties under this Act and, to the maximum extent 
practicable, coordinate such activities with the carrying out of 
such duties; and 
(3) to the maximum extent practicable, conduct or support 
such activities in a manner which the Commission determines 
will not have an adverse effect on the Corridor. 
AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 10. There is authorized to be appropriated annually to the 
Commission $250,000 for the next five fiscal years to carry out the 
purposes of this Act; except that the Federal contribution to the 
PUBLIC LAW 99-647—NOV. 10, 1986 
100 STAT. 3631 
Commission shall not exceed 50 percent of the annual operating 
costs of the Commission. 
Approved November 10, 1986. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1374: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 99-488 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 132 (1986): 
Oct. 8, considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 15, considered and passed House, amended. 
Oct. 17, Senate concurred in House amendment. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 22 (1986): 
Nov. 10, Presidential statement.