[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 407 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 407


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 8, 2007

    Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine 
the feasibility of establishing the Columbia-Pacific National Heritage 
  Area in the States of Washington and Oregon, 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 ``Columbia-Pacific National Heritage 
Area Study Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the 
        Columbia-Pacific National Heritage Area.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (3) Study area.--The term ``study area'' means--
                    (A) the coastal areas of Clatsop and Pacific 
                Counties (also known as the North Beach Peninsula); and
                    (B) areas relating to Native American history, 
                local history, Euro-American settlement culture, and 
                related economic activities of the Columbia River 
                within a corridor along the Columbia River eastward in 
                Clatsop, Pacific, Columbia, and Wahkiakum Counties.

SEC. 3. COLUMBIA-PACIFIC NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA STUDY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the managers 
of any Federal land within the study area, appropriate State and local 
governmental agencies, tribal governments, and any interested 
organizations, shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility of 
designating the study area as the Columbia-Pacific National Heritage 
Area.
    (b) Requirements.--The study shall include analysis, documentation, 
and determinations on whether the study area--
            (1) has an assemblage of natural, historic, and cultural 
        resources that together represent distinctive aspects of 
        American heritage worthy of recognition, conservation, 
        interpretation, and continuing use, and are best managed 
        through partnerships among public and private entities and by 
        combining diverse and sometimes noncontiguous resources and 
        active communities;
            (2) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and folklife 
        that are a valuable part of the national story;
            (3) provides outstanding opportunities to conserve natural, 
        historic, cultural, or scenic features;
            (4) provides outstanding recreational and educational 
        opportunities;
            (5) contains resources important to the identified theme or 
        themes of the Study Area that retain a degree of integrity 
        capable of supporting interpretation;
            (6) includes residents, business interests, nonprofit 
        organizations, and local and State governments that are 
        involved in the planning, have developed a conceptual financial 
        plan that outlines the roles for all participants, including 
        the Federal Government, and have demonstrated support for the 
        concept of a national heritage area;
            (7) has a potential local coordinating entity to work in 
        partnership with residents, business interests, nonprofit 
        organizations, and local and State governments to develop a 
        national heritage area consistent with continued local and 
        State economic activity; and
            (8) has a conceptual boundary map that is supported by the 
        public.
    (c) Private Property.--In conducting the study required by this 
section, the Secretary shall analyze the potential impact that 
designation of the area as a national heritage area is likely to have 
on land within the proposed area or bordering the proposed area that is 
privately owned at the time that the study is conducted.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

    Not later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which funds are 
made available to carry out the study, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report 
that describes the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the 
Secretary with respect to the study.

            Passed the House of Representatives May 7, 2007.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.