[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3988 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3988

To provide for the preservation and interpretation of certain lands and 
 structures relating to the coal mining heritage of the State of West 
            Virginia and the Nation, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 9, 1994

  Mr. Rahall introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the preservation and interpretation of certain lands and 
 structures relating to the coal mining heritage of the State of West 
            Virginia and the Nation, 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 ``West Virginia National Coal Heritage 
Area Act of 1994''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that:
            (1) Certain events that led to the development of southern 
        West Virginia's coalfields during the latter part of the 19th 
        century and the early part of the current century are of 
        national historic and cultural significance in terms of their 
        contribution to the industrialization of the United States, the 
        organization of workers into trade unions and the unique 
        culture of the Appalachian Region.
            (2) It is in the national interest to preserve and protect 
        physical remnants of this era for the education and benefit of 
        present and future generations.
            (3) There is a need to provide assistance for the 
        preservation and promotion of those vestiges of southern West 
        Virginia's coal heritage which have outstanding cultural, 
        historic and architectural values.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    (a) In General.--For the purpose of preserving and interpreting for 
the educational and inspirational benefit of present and future 
generations certain lands and structures with unique and significant 
historical and cultural values associated with the coal mining heritage 
of the State of West Virginia and the Nation there is hereby 
established the West Virginia National Coal Heritage Area (hereinafter 
in this Act referred to as the ``Area'').
    (b) Boundaries.--The Area shall be comprised of the counties in the 
State of West Virginia that are the subject of the study by the 
National Park Service, dated 1993, entitled ``A Coal Mining Heritage 
Study: Southern West Virginia'' conducted pursuant to title VI of 
Public Law 100-699.
    (c) Administration.--The Area shall be administered in accordance 
with this Act.

SEC. 4. CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT.

    The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the 
``Secretary'') is authorized to enter into a contractual agreement with 
the Governor of the State of West Virginia, acting through the Division 
of Culture and History and the Division of Tourism and Parks, pursuant 
to which the Secretary shall assist the State of West Virginia and its 
units of local government in each of the following:
            (1) The development and implementation of integrated 
        cultural, historical and land resource management policies and 
        programs in order to retain, enhance and interpret the 
        significant values of the lands, waters and structures of the 
        Area.
            (2) The preservation, restoration, maintenance, operation, 
        interpretation and promotion of buildings, structures, 
        facilities, sites and points of interest for public use that 
        possess cultural, historical and architectural values 
        associated with the coal mining heritage of the Area.
            (3) The coordination of activities by Federal, State and 
        local governments and private businesses and organizations in 
        order to further historic preservation and compatible economic 
        revitalization.
            (4) The development of guidelines and standards for 
        projects, consistent with standards established by the National 
        Park Service, for the preservation and restoration of historic 
        properties, including interpretive methods, that will further 
        historic preservation in the region.
            (5) The acquisition of real property, or interests in real 
        property, by donation or by purchase, for public use that 
        possess cultural, historical and architectural values 
        associated with the coal mining heritage of the Area from a 
        willing seller with donated or appropriated funds.

SEC. 5. ELIGIBLE RESOURCES.

    The resources eligible for the assistance under paragraphs (2) and 
(5) of section 4 shall include those set forth in appendix D of the 
study by the National Park Service, dated 1993, entitled ``A Coal 
Mining Heritage Study: Southern West Virginia'' conducted pursuant to 
title VI of Public Law 100-699. Priority consideration shall be given 
to those sites listed as ``Conservation Priorities'' and ``Important 
Historic Resources'' as depicted on the map entitled ``Study Area: 
Historic Resources'' in such study.

SEC. 6. COAL HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

    (a) In General.--Pursuant to the contractual agreement referred to 
in section 4, within 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Governor of the State of West Virginia, acting through the Division 
of Culture and History and the Division of Tourism and Parks, shall 
submit to the Secretary a Coal Heritage Management Plan for the Area. 
The plan shall at a minimum--
            (1) set forth the integrated cultural, historical and land 
        resource management policies and programs referred to in 
        section 4;
            (2) describe the guidelines and standards for projects 
        referred to in section 4; and
            (3) set forth the responsibilities of the State of West 
        Virginia, units of local government, non-profit entities or of 
        the Secretary to administer any properties acquired pursuant to 
        section 4.
    (b) Plan Approval.--The Secretary shall approve the plan submitted 
under subsection (a) unless he determines that it would not meet the 
objectives of this Act.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 8. DESIGNATION OF MINERS' MARCH TRAIL AS A STUDY TRAIL.

    Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(c)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(   ) The route from Lens Creek near Marmet to Blair Mountain in 
West Virginia traveled by coal miners dramatizing the need for social 
justice between August 20, 1921, and September 4, 1921, during what is 
commonly known as the Battle of Blair Mountain.''.

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