[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1482 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1482

 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource 
 study to evaluate the significance of the Newtown Battlefield located 
in Chemung County, New York, and the suitability and feasibility of its 
     inclusion in the National Park System, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 2, 2011

Mrs. Gillibrand introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource 
 study to evaluate the significance of the Newtown Battlefield located 
in Chemung County, New York, and the suitability and feasibility of its 
     inclusion in 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 ``Newtown Battlefield Special Resource 
Study Act''.

SEC. 2. 1779 BATTLE OF NEWTOWN STUDY.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds as follows:
            (1) In 1972, the Newtown Battlefield was recognized by the 
        Federal Government as a significant historic resource by the 
        designation of the Newtown Battlefield National Historic 
        Landmark, consisting of approximately 2,100 acres in the towns 
        of Ashland, Chemung, and Elmira in the County of Chemung, New 
        York.
            (2) The Sullivan Campaign of 1779 was a significant event 
        in the history of American Revolutionary War.
            (3) The Battle of Newtown, fought on August 29, 1779, was 
        the most significant military engagement of the Sullivan 
        Campaign.
            (4) The National Park Service's 2007 Report on the Historic 
        Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the 
        United States categorized Newtown Battlefield as a Class A 
        site.
            (5) The designation of Newtown Battlefield as a Class A 
        site evinces a conclusion that the battlefield is a site of a 
        military action with a vital objective or result that shaped 
        the strategy, direction, outcome, or perception of the 
        Revolutionary War.
            (6) The report also found that Newtown Battlefield is a 
        site that has experienced little alteration since the 
        Revolutionary War and that it is largely unprotected by other 
        public historic preservation agencies or nonprofit 
        organizations.
    (b) Definitions.--For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Newtown battlefield.--The term ``Newtown Battlefield'' 
        means the area encompassed by the 1972 designation of the 
        Newtown Battlefield National Historic Landmark, and other 
        associated lands related to the Battle of Newtown located in 
        the towns of Elmira, Chemung, and Ashland, in Chemung County, 
        New York.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
    (c) Study.--Not later than 3 years after the date that funds are 
made available for this section, the Secretary shall, subject to the 
availability of appropriations, conduct a special resource study to 
evaluate the significance of the Newtown Battlefield in Chemung County, 
New York, as well as the suitability and feasibility of its inclusion 
in the National Park System.
    (d) Criteria for Study.--In conducting the study authorized by this 
Act, the Secretary shall use the criteria for the study of areas for 
potential inclusion in the National Park System contained in section 
8(b) of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(b)).
    (e) Content of Study.--The study shall include an analysis of the 
following:
            (1) The significance of the Battle of Newtown to the 
        Sullivan Campaign and the significance of the Campaign in 
        relation to the military objectives of the Continental Army in 
        1779.
            (2) Opportunities for public enjoyment of the Newtown 
        Battlefield.
            (3) Any operational, management, and private property 
        issues that need to be considered if the Newtown Battlefield 
        were added to the National Park System.
            (4) A determination of the feasibility of administering the 
        Newtown Battlefield considering its size, configuration, 
        ownership, costs, and other factors.
            (5) An evaluation of the adequacy of other alternatives for 
        the management and resource protection of the Newtown 
        Battlefield.
            (6) An analysis of the impact, economic and otherwise, on 
        the Chemung County community, of the inclusion of Newtown 
        Battlefield into the National Park System.
    (f) Submission of Report.--Upon completion of the study, the 
Secretary shall submit a report on the findings of the study to the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and to 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.
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