[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4430 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4430

   To establish the New York Canal National Heritage Corridor as an 
  affiliated unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 6, 1998

Mr. LaFalce (for himself, Mr. Hinchey, and Mr. McNulty) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish the New York Canal National Heritage Corridor as an 
  affiliated unit of the National Park System, 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 ``New York Canal National Heritage 
Corridor Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The 524 miles of working canal that compose the New 
        York canal system and the approximately 75 miles of the old 
        Erie Canal alignment (in this Act referred to as the ``New York 
        Canal Corridor'') comprise a resource and an opportunity from a 
        tourism, economic development, recreational, and historical 
        standpoint that is not currently represented in the National 
        Park System.
            (2) The influence of the Erie Canal system and related 
        waterways, especially during the 1826 through 1860 period, 
        extends into themes as diverse as literature, music, social 
        reform, religious and political movements, and ethnic 
        diversity.
            (3) In their dimensions, construction, and operation, most 
        American canals were modeled on the New York canal system.
            (4) Both the 19th and 20th century iterations of the New 
        York canal system were the largest public works projects ever 
        undertaken by a State.
            (5) The Erie Canal came to symbolize canals and the 
        westward movement, figuring prominently in popular music, art, 
        and literature.
            (6) The Champlain portion of the New York canal system 
        became, in effect, the canal of western New England, especially 
        Vermont.
            (7) The Hudson Canal corridor helped make New York City 
        preeminent in the Nation's finance and commerce, which in turn 
        facilitated the rise of the ``Empire State''.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
            (1) To establish and recognize the New York Canal Corridor 
        as an affiliated unit of the National Park System.
            (2) To provide encouragement to those villages, towns, 
        cities, and counties along the Canal Corridor that seek to 
        revitalize the Canal Corridor through economic development, job 
        creation, recreation, and tourism.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CANAL CORRIDOR.

    There is established, as an affiliated unit of the National Park 
System, the New York Canal National Heritage Corridor (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Heritage Corridor'').

SEC. 4. HERITAGE CORRIDOR BOUNDARIES.

    The boundaries of the Heritage Corridor shall include the counties 
that are located along the New York Canal Corridor and connecting 
waterways.

SEC. 5. FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.

    The Secretaries of the Departments of Interior, Housing and Urban 
Development, Agriculture, and Transportation, and the heads of other 
appropriate Federal agencies may, upon the request of local governments 
within the Heritage Corridor, use otherwise available amounts to assist 
in the implementation of Heritage Corridor activities through any 
program under which such local governments may be assisted. Such 
assistance shall be an eligible cost of such program.

SEC. 6. NO FEDERAL RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed as a restriction on land 
use, development, or any other local or individual action.
                                 <all>