[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3109 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3109

To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the State of New 
                     York, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 27, 1998

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the State of New 
                     York, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Thomas Cole 
National Historic Site Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Findings and purposes.
Sec. 4. Establishment of Thomas Cole National Historic Site.
Sec. 5. Acquisition of property.
Sec. 6. Administration of historic site.
Sec. 7. Authorization of appropriations.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act:
            (1) The term ``historic site'' means the Thomas Cole 
        National Historic Site established by section 4 of this Act.
            (2) The term ``Hudson River artists'' means artists who 
        belonged to the Hudson River school of landscape painting.
            (3) The term ``plan'' means the general management plan 
        developed pursuant to section 6(d).
            (4) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
        Interior.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Hudson River school of landscape painting was 
        inspired by Thomas Cole and was characterized by a group of 
        19th century landscape artists who recorded and celebrated the 
        landscape and wilderness of America, particularly in the Hudson 
        River Valley region in the State of New York.
            (2) Thomas Cole has been recognized as America's most 
        prominent landscape and allegorical painter in the mid-19th 
        century.
            (3) The Thomas Cole House in Greene County, New York, is 
        listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been 
        designated as a National Historic Landmark.
            (4) Within a 15 mile radius of the Thomas Cole House, an 
        area that forms a key part of the rich cultural and natural 
        heritage of the Hudson River Valley region, significant 
        landscapes and scenes painted by Thomas Cole and other Hudson 
        River artists survive intact.
            (5) The State of New York has established the Hudson River 
        Valley Greenway to promote the preservation, public use, and 
        enjoyment of the natural and cultural resources of the Hudson 
        River Valley region.
            (6) Establishment of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site 
        will provide opportunities for the illustration and 
        interpretation of cultural themes of the heritage of the United 
        States and unique opportunities for education, public use, and 
        enjoyment.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to preserve and interpret the home and studio Thomas 
        Cole for the benefit, inspiration, and education of the people 
        of the United States;
            (2) to help maintain the integrity of the setting in the 
        Hudson River Valley region that inspired artistic expression;
            (3) to coordinate the interpretive, preservation, and 
        recreational efforts of Federal, State, and other entities in 
        the Hudson Valley region in order to enhance opportunities for 
        education, public use, and enjoyment; and
            (4) to broaden understanding of the Hudson River Valley 
        region and its role in American history and culture.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established, as a unit of the National 
Park System, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the State of New 
York.
    (b) Description.--The historic site shall consist of the home and 
studio of Thomas Cole, comprising approximately 3.4 acres, located at 
218 Spring Street, in the village of Catskill, New York, as generally 
depicted on the boundary map numbered TCH/80002, and dated March 1992.

SEC. 5. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY.

    (a) Real Property.--The Secretary may acquire lands and interests 
therein within the boundaries of the historic site by donation, 
purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange.
    (b) Personal Property.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Secretary may acquire personal property associated with, and 
        appropriate for, the interpretation of the historic site using 
        the methods provided in subsection (a).
            (2) Works of art.--The Secretary may acquire works of art 
        associated with Thomas Cole and other Hudson River artists only 
        by donation or purchase with donated funds.

SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the historic site 
in accordance with this Act and all laws generally applicable to units 
of the National Park System, including the Act of August 25, 1916 (16 
U.S.C. 1 et seq.; commonly known as the National Park Service Organic 
Act), and the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.; commonly 
known as the Historic Sites, Buildings, and Antiquities Act).
    (b) Cooperative Agreements.--
            (1) General authority.--To further the purposes of this 
        Act, the Secretary may consult with and enter into cooperative 
        agreements with the State of New York, the Thomas Cole 
        Foundation, and other public and private entities to facilitate 
        public understanding and enjoyment of the lives and works of 
        the Hudson River artists through the development, presentation, 
        and funding of art exhibits, resident artist programs, and 
        other appropriate activities related to the preservation, 
        interpretation, and use of the historic site.
            (2) Library and research center.--The Secretary may enter 
        into a cooperative agreement with the Greene County Historical 
        Society to provide for the establishment of a library and 
        research center at the historic site.
    (c) Exhibits.--The Secretary may display, and accept for the 
purposes of display, works of art associated with Thomas Cole and other 
Hudson River artists, as may be necessary for the interpretation of the 
historic site.
    (d) General Management Plan.--Not later than two complete fiscal 
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
develop a general management plan for the historic site. Upon its 
completion, the Secretary shall submit the plan to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on 
Resources of the House of Representatives. The plan shall include 
recommendations for regional wayside exhibits, to be carried out 
through cooperative agreements with the State of New York and other 
public and private entitles. The plan shall be prepared in accordance 
with section 12(b) of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-1 et seq.; 
commonly known as the National Park System General Authorities Act).

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to carry out this Act.
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