[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 944 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

  1st Session
                                 S. 944

   To provide for the establishment of the Ohio River Corridor Study 
                  Commission, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                June 20 (legislative day, June 19), 1995

 Mr. Simon (for himself, Ms. Moseley-Braun, and Mr. Coats) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
                    on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for the establishment of the Ohio River Corridor Study 
                  Commission, 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 ``Ohio River Corridor Study Commission 
Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS, DECLARATIONS, AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings and Declarations.--Congress finds and declares that--
            (1) the amenities and resources of the Ohio River, which 
        flows through 6 States from its headwaters in the Commonwealth 
        of Pennsylvania to its confluence with the Mississippi River 
        and comprises a chain of commercial, industrial, historical, 
        archaeological, natural, recreational, scenic, wildlife, urban, 
        rural, cultural, and economic areas, are of major significance 
        and importance to the United States;
            (2) the national interest is served by--
                    (A) preserving, protecting, and improving those 
                amenities and resources for the benefit of the people 
                of the United States; and
                    (B) improving the coordination between all levels 
                of government in the Ohio River Corridor;
            (3) the preservation, protection, and improvement of those 
        amenities and resources are failing to be fully realized 
        despite efforts by the States through which the Ohio River 
        flows, political subdivisions of those States, and volunteer 
        associations and private businesses in those States;
            (4) Federal agency programs are offering insufficient 
        coordination to State and local planning and regulatory 
        authorities to provide for resource management and economic 
        development in a manner that is consistent with the protection 
        and public use of the Ohio River Corridor's amenities and 
        resources; and
            (5) the Federal Government should assist in the 
        coordination, preservation, and interpretation activities of 
        public and private entities with respect to the significant 
        amenities and resources associated with the Ohio River.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to--
            (1) focus attention on the unique and nationally 
        significant resources of the Ohio River Corridor;
            (2) provide a means and a stimulus for coordinating the 
        preservation, protection, improvement, enjoyment, and 
        utilization of the resources of the Ohio River Corridor; and
            (3) establish a national entity to gather, assess, and 
        disseminate information on the historic, economic, natural, 
        recreational, scenic, and cultural opportunities in the Ohio 
        River Corridor.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Ohio 
        River Corridor Study Commission established by section 4.
            (2) Ohio river corridor.--The term ``Ohio River Corridor'' 
        means the Ohio River from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Cairo, 
        Illinois, and the counties through which or adjacent to which 
        the Ohio River flows.
            (3) Ohio river state.--The term ``Ohio River State'' means 
        any of the States of Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West 
        Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``Ohio River 
Corridor Study Commission''.

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Study.--The Commission shall study and make recommendations 
regarding--
            (1) the feasibility of establishing an Ohio River National 
        Heritage Corridor for the Ohio River Corridor; and
            (2) the preservation, protection, improvement, enjoyment, 
        and utilization of the historic, economic, natural, 
        recreational, scenic, and cultural resources of the Ohio River 
        Corridor consistent with the purposes of this Act.
    (b) Information Collection; Consultation.--As part of the study 
conducted under subsection (a), the Commission shall--
            (1) assess the preservation, protection, improvement, 
        enjoyment, and utilization potential of the
         historic, economic, natural, recreational, scenic, and 
cultural resources of the Ohio River Corridor;
            (2) collect information dealing with continuing activities, 
        management plans, and opportunities regarding the historic, 
        economic, natural, recreational, scenic, and cultural resources 
        of the Ohio River Corridor;
            (3) make such information available to Federal agencies, 
        States, political subdivisions of States, tribal governments, 
        educational institutions, volunteer associations, and private 
        businesses to assist those entities in undertaking activities 
        to preserve, protect, improve, or utilize the historic, 
        economic, natural, recreational, scenic, or cultural resources 
        of the Ohio River Corridor;
            (4) consult with the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation 
        Commission and the Ohio River Basin Commission, and cooperate 
        with the commissions in the performance of its duties;
            (5) provide a forum for the consideration of resource 
        issues relating to the Ohio River Corridor;
            (6) seek and encourage the participation of affected State 
        and local governments, interested citizens, public officials, 
        groups, agencies, educational institutions, and others in the 
        preservation, protection, improvement, enjoyment, and 
        utilization of the Ohio River Corridor's resources;
            (7) recommend means for educating the general population 
        about the national importance and value of the Ohio River as a 
        natural resource and national treasure; and
            (8) hold at least 1 well-publicized public hearing in each 
        Ohio River State.
    (c) Report.--The Commission shall prepare a report--
            (1) describing the results of the study conducted under 
        subsection (a); and
            (2) containing--
                    (A) a description of the Ohio River Corridor and 
                the proposed boundaries of an Ohio River National 
                Heritage Corridor (if establishment of a national 
                heritage corridor is recommended) showing the corridor 
                and such zones as may be appropriate;
                    (B) an inventory and assessment of the historic, 
                economic, natural, recreational, scenic, and cultural 
                resources of the Ohio River Corridor;
                    (C) specific preservation and interpretation goals;
                    (D) proposed management strategies by which the 
                funds, data, personnel, and authorities of public and 
                private entities may be combined and coordinated in 
                furtherance of the purposes of this Act; and
                    (E) such recommendations as the Commission may 
                consider appropriate with respect to the matters 
                addressed in subparagraphs (A) through (D) and with 
                respect to public access to and interpretation of the 
                natural and cultural resources of the Ohio River and 
                related outdoor recreation opportunities.

SEC. 6. ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 11 
members as follows:
            (1) The Director of the National Park Service (or 
        designee).
            (2) The Secretary of Transportation (or designee).
            (3) The Secretary of Commerce (or designee).
            (4) The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
        Service (or designee).
            (5) The Chief of Engineers of the Army Corps of Engineers 
        (or designee).
            (6) One member from each Ohio River State appointed by the 
        Governor of the State.
    (b) Terms.--A member of the Commission shall be appointed for the 
duration of the Commission.
    (c) Pay.--A member of the Commission shall serve without pay.
    (d) Reimbursement of Expenses.--While away from the home or regular 
place of business of a member of the Commission in the performance of 
services for the Commission, the member of the Commission shall be 
allowed travel expenses, including a per diem allowance in lieu of 
subsistence, in the same manner as a person employed intermittently in 
Government service is allowed travel expenses under section 5703 of 
title 5, United States Code.
    (e) Quorum.--
            (1) Number.--Seven members of the Commission shall 
        constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold 
        hearings.
            (2) Proxy voting.--A 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 to 
        be present for purposes of establishing a quorum.
    (f) Chairperson.--The members of the Commission shall elect a 
chairperson of the Commission from among the members appointed under 
subsection (a)(6).
    (g) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall meet at the call of 
        the chairperson or a majority of the members.
            (2) First meeting.--The Director of the National Park 
        Service shall select the date of the first meeting (which date 
        shall be not later than 30 days after the members of the 
        Commission are first appointed) and shall serve as chairperson 
        until the election of the chairperson under subsection (f).
    (h) Technical Committee.--The Commission may appoint a technical 
committee with representation from the various interest groups, 
professional agencies, or advocacy groups within the Ohio River States 
with each State having at least 1 member.
    (i) Waiver.--Section 14(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Commission.

SEC. 7. STAFF OF COMMISSION; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS; PERSONNEL OF 
              FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) Lead Agency.--The National Park Service shall, if personnel are 
available, staff and advise the Commission.
    (b) Staff.--If National Park Service personnel are not available, 
the Commission, with the advice of the Director of the National Park 
Service, may appoint and fix the pay of such staff as the Commission 
considers appropriate, subject to--
            (1) the provisions of title 5, United States Code, 
        governing appointments in the competitive service; and
            (2) the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of 
        chapter 53 of that title relating to classification and General 
        Schedule pay rates.
    (c) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission, with the advice of 
the Director of the National Park Service (or designee), may procure 
temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, 
United States Code.
    (d) Personnel of States and Political Subdivisions.--The Commission 
may--
            (1) accept the services of personnel detailed from an Ohio 
        River State or a political subdivision of an Ohio River State; 
        and
            (2) reimburse the State or subdivision for such services.
    (e) Personnel of Federal Agencies.--On an as needed basis, at the 
request of the Commission, with the advice of the Director of the 
National Park Service, the head of any Federal agency may detail, on a 
reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of the agency to the 
Commission to assist the Commission in carrying out its duties under 
this Act.

SEC. 8. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--For the purpose of carrying out this 
Act, the Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times 
and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the 
Commission considers appropriate.
    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action that 
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the United States.
    (d) Administrative Support Services.--The Administrator of General 
Services shall provide to the Commission on a reimbursable basis such 
administrative support services as the Commission may request.

SEC. 9. SUBMISSION OF REPORTS.

    (a) Interim Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
first meeting of the Commission, the Commission shall submit to the 
President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President 
of the Senate, and the Governor of each Ohio River State a report 
describing the progress of the Commission in carrying out the duties of 
the Commission under section 5.
    (b) Final Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
first meeting of the Commission, the Commission shall submit to the 
President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President 
of the Senate, and the Governor of each Ohio River State the report 
required by section 5(c).

SEC. 10. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

    Notwithstanding section 14(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (5 U.S.C. App.), the Commission shall cease to exist 90 days after 
submitting the report required by section 5(c).

SEC. 11. CONSENT TO NEGOTIATE PROPOSED COMPACTS.

    Congress consents to the negotiation by an Ohio River State with 1 
or more of other Ohio River States of proposed interstate agreements or 
compacts among the States in furtherance of the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$500,000, to remain available until expended.
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