[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 140 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 140

To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the State of New 
 York as an affiliated area of the National Park System, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 19, 1999

  Mr. Moynihan (for himself and Mr. Schumer) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in the State of New 
 York as an affiliated area 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 ``Thomas Cole National Historic Site 
Designation Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (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 the United States, particularly in 
        the Hudson River Valley region in the State of New York;
            (2) Thomas Cole is recognized as the United States's most 
        prominent landscape and allegorical painter of the mid-19th 
        century;
            (3) located in Greene County, New York, the Thomas Cole 
        House, also known as Thomas Cole's Cedar Grove, 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, such as Frederic Church, 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; and
            (6) establishment of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site 
        will provide--
                    (A) opportunities for the illustration and 
                interpretation of cultural themes of the heritage of 
                the United States; and
                    (B) unique opportunities for education, public use, 
                and enjoyment.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to preserve and interpret the Thomas Cole House and 
        studio 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 the history and culture of the United 
        States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Historic site.--The term ``historic site'' means the 
        Thomas Cole National Historic Site established by section 4.
            (2) Hudson river artist.--The term ``Hudson River artist'' 
        means an artist associated with the Hudson River school of 
        landscape painting.
            (3) Plan.--The term ``plan'' means the general management 
        plan developed under section 6(d).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (5) Society.--The term ``Society'' means the Greene County 
        Historical Society of Greene County, New York, that owns the 
        Thomas Cole House, studio, and other property comprising the 
        historic site.

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

    (a) Establishment.--There is established, as an affiliated area 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 Thomas 
Cole House and studio, 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. RETENTION OF OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF HISTORIC SITE BY 
              GREENE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

    Under a cooperative agreement entered into under section 6(b)(1), 
the Greene County Historical Society of Greene County, New York, shall 
own, manage, and operate the historic site.

SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.

    (a) Applicability of National Park System Laws.--Under a 
cooperative agreement entered into under subsection (b)(1), the 
historic site shall be administered by the Society in a manner 
consistent with this Act and all laws generally applicable to units of 
the National Park System, including--
            (1) the Act entitled ``An Act to establish a National Park 
        Service, and for other purposes'', approved August 25, 1916 (16 
        U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and
            (2) the Act entitled ``An Act to provide for the 
        preservation of historic American sites, buildings, objects, 
        and antiquities of national significance, and for other 
        purposes'', approved August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).
    (b) Cooperative Agreements.--
            (1) Assistance to society.--The Secretary may enter into 
        cooperative agreements with the Society--
                    (A) to preserve the Thomas Cole House and other 
                structures in the historic site; and
                    (B) to assist with education programs and research 
                and interpretation of the Thomas Cole House and 
                associated landscapes in the historic site.
            (2) Other assistance.--The Secretary may enter into 
        cooperative agreements with the State of New York, the Society, 
        the Thomas Cole Foundation, and other public and private 
        entities to--
                    (A) further the purposes of this Act; and
                    (B) develop, present, and fund art exhibits, 
                resident artist programs, and other appropriate 
                activities related to the preservation, interpretation, 
                and use of the historic site.
    (c) Artifacts and Property.--
            (1) Personal property generally.--The Secretary may acquire 
        personal property associated with, and appropriate for, the 
        interpretation of the historic site.
            (2) Works of art.--The Secretary may acquire works of art 
        associated with Thomas Cole and other Hudson River artists for 
        the purpose of display at the historic site.
    (d) General Management Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than September 30, 2000, under a 
        cooperative agreement entered into under section 6(b)(1), the 
        Society, with the assistance of the Secretary, shall develop a 
        general management plan for the historic site.
            (2) Contents of plan.--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 entities.
            (3) Authority.--The plan shall be prepared in accordance 
        with section 12(b) of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-7(b)).
            (4) Submission of plan.--On the completion of the plan, the 
        Secretary shall provide a copy of the plan to--
                    (A) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
                of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Resources of the House of 
                Representatives.

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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