110 HR 160 EH: Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act U.S. House of Representatives 0 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IB 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 160 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend the American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996 to establish a battlefield acquisition grant program for the acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act.

2.

Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program for battlefields of the Revolutionary War and War of 1812

(a)

Grant program

The American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996 (section 604 of division I of Public Law 104–333; 16 U.S.C. 469k) is amended— (1)by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and (2)by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection: (e)

Battlefield acquisition grant program for battlefields of the revolutionary war and war of 1812

(1)

Definitions

In this subsection: (A)

Battlefield report

The term battlefield report means the document entitled Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States, prepared by the National Park Service, and dated September 2007. (B)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means a State or local government. (C)

Eligible site

The term eligible site means a site that— (i)is not within the exterior boundaries of a unit of the National Park System; and (ii)is identified in the battlefield report. (D)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the American Battlefield Protection Program. (2)

Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a battlefield acquisition grant program for nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 under which the Secretary may make grants to eligible entities to pay the Federal share of the cost of acquiring fee-simple or lesser interests from willing sellers in eligible sites for the preservation and protection of those eligible sites. (3)

Nonprofit partners

An eligible entity may acquire an interest in an eligible site using a grant under this subsection in partnership with a nonprofit organization. (4)

Non-federal share

The non-Federal share of the total cost of acquiring an interest in an eligible site under this subsection shall be not less than 50 percent. (5)

Limitations on land use

An interest in an eligible site acquired under this subsection shall be subject to section 6(f)(3) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 4601–8(f)(3)). (6)

Reports

(A)

In general

Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the activities carried out under this subsection. (B)

Update on battlefield report

Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that updates the battlefield report to reflect— (i)preservation activities carried out at the 677 battlefields and associated sites identified in the battlefield report during the period between publication of the battlefield report and the update; (ii)changes in the condition of the battlefields and associated sites during that period; and (iii)any other relevant developments relating to the battlefields and associated sites during that period. (7)

Authorizations of appropriations

(A)

In general

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to provide grants under this subsection $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013. (B)

Update of battlefield report

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out paragraph (6)(B), $500,000. . (b)

Conforming amendments

(1)

References to other battlefield acquisition program

Subsection (d) of the American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996, as added by section 3 of Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–359; 116 Stat. 3016), is amended— (A)in the subsection heading, by striking Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program and inserting Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program for Battlefields of the Civil War; and (B)in paragraph (2), by striking grant program and inserting grant program for battlefields of the Civil War; and (2)

Termination of authority

Subsection (f) of the American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996, as redesignated by subsection (a)(1), is amended— (A)in the subsection heading, by striking Repeal and inserting Expiration; and (B)in paragraph (1), by striking is repealed and inserting expires.

Passed the House of Representatives September 24, 2008.Lorraine C. Miller,Clerk.