[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 706 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 706

 To establish the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, to 
      dedicate the Park to John H. Chafee, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 14, 2013

 Mr. Cicilline (for himself, Mr. Langevin, Mr. McGovern, and Mr. Neal) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, to 
      dedicate the Park to John H. Chafee, 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 ``Blackstone River Valley National 
Historical Park Establishment Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to establish the Blackstone River Valley 
National Historical Park--
            (1) to help preserve, protect, and interpret the nationally 
        significant resources that exemplify the industrial heritage of 
        the Blackstone River Valley for the benefit and inspiration of 
        future generations;
            (2) to support the preservation, protection, and 
        interpretation of the urban, rural, and agricultural landscape 
        features (including the Blackstone River and Canal) of the 
        region that provide an overarching context for the industrial 
        heritage of the Blackstone River Valley;
            (3) to educate the public about--
                    (A) the nationally significant sites and districts 
                that convey the industrial history of the Blackstone 
                River Valley; and
                    (B) the significance of the Blackstone River Valley 
                to the past and present of the United States; and
            (4) to support and enhance the network of partners in the 
        protection, improvement, management, and operation of related 
        resources and facilities throughout the John H. Chafee 
        Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) National heritage corridor.--The term ``National 
        Heritage Corridor'' means the John H. Chafee Blackstone River 
        Valley National Heritage Corridor.
            (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Blackstone River 
        Valley National Historical Park established under section 4.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (4) States.--The term ``States'' means--
                    (A) the State of Massachusetts; and
                    (B) the State of Rhode Island.

SEC. 4. BLACKSTONE RIVER VALLEY NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the States a unit of 
the National Park System, to be known as the ``Blackstone River Valley 
National Historical Park''.
    (b) Historic Sites and Districts.--The Park shall include--
            (1) Blackstone River State Park; and
            (2) the following resources, as described in Management 
        Option 3 of the study entitled ``Blackstone River Valley 
        Special Resource Study--Study Report 2011'':
                    (A) Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark 
                District.
                    (B) Slatersville Historic District.
                    (C) Ashton Historic District.
                    (D) Whitinsville Historic District.
                    (E) Hopedale Village Historic District.
                    (F) Blackstone River and the tributaries of 
                Blackstone River.
                    (G) Blackstone Canal.
    (c) Acquisition of Land; Park Boundary.--
            (1) Land acquisition.--The Secretary may acquire land or 
        interests in land that are considered contributing historic 
        resources in the historic sites and districts described in 
        subsection (b)(2) for inclusion in the Park boundary by 
        donation, purchase from a willing seller with donated or 
        appropriated funds, or exchange.
            (2) Park boundary.--On a determination by the Secretary 
        that a sufficient quantity of land or interests in land has 
        been acquired to constitute a manageable park unit, the 
        Secretary shall establish a boundary for the Park by publishing 
        a boundary map in the Federal Register.
            (3) Other resources.--The Secretary may include in the Park 
        boundary any resources that are the subject of an agreement 
        with the States or a subdivision of the States entered into 
        under subsection (d)(4).
            (4) Boundary adjustment.--On the acquisition of additional 
        land or interests in land under paragraph (1), or on entering 
        an agreement under paragraph (3), the boundary of the Park 
        shall be adjusted to reflect the acquisition or agreement by 
        publishing a Park boundary map in the Federal Register.
            (5) Availability of map.--The maps referred to in this 
        subsection shall be available for public inspection in the 
        appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
            (6) Administrative facilities.--The Secretary may acquire 
        not more than 10 acres in Woonsocket, Rhode Island for the 
        development of administrative, curatorial, maintenance, or 
        visitor facilities for the Park.
            (7) Limitation.--Land owned by the States or a political 
        subdivision of the States may be acquired under this subsection 
        only by donation.
    (d) Administration.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall administer land within 
        the boundary of the Park in accordance with--
                    (A) this section; and
                    (B) the laws generally applicable to units of the 
                National Park System, including--
                            (i) the National Park Service Organic Act 
                        (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and
                            (ii) the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 
                        461 et seq.).
            (2) General management plan.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the 
                date on which funds are made available to carry out 
                this section, the Secretary shall prepare a general 
                management plan for the Park--
                            (i) in consultation with the States and 
                        other interested parties; and
                            (ii) in accordance with section 12(b) of 
                        the National Park System General Authorities 
                        Act (16 U.S.C. 1a-7(b)).
                    (B) Requirements.--The plan shall consider ways to 
                use preexisting or planned visitor facilities and 
                recreational opportunities developed in the National 
                Heritage Corridor, including--
                            (i) the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center, 
                        Pawtucket, Rhode Island;
                            (ii) the Captain Wilbur Kelly House, 
                        Blackstone River State Park, Lincoln, Rhode 
                        Island;
                            (iii) the Museum of Work and Culture, 
                        Woonsocket, Rhode Island;
                            (iv) the River Bend Farm/Blackstone River 
                        and Canal Heritage State Park, Uxbridge, 
                        Massachusetts;
                            (v) the Worcester Blackstone Visitor 
                        Center, located at the former Washburn & Moen 
                        wire mill facility, Worcester, Massachusetts;
                            (vi) the Route 295 Visitor Center adjacent 
                        to Blackstone River State Park; and
                            (vii) the Blackstone River Bikeway.
            (3) Related sites.--The Secretary may provide technical 
        assistance, visitor services, interpretive tours, and 
        educational programs to sites and resources in the National 
        Heritage Corridor that are located outside the boundary of the 
        Park and associated with the purposes for which the Park is 
        established.
            (4) Cooperative agreements.--
                    (A) In general.--To further the purposes of this 
                section and notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 31, 
                United States Code, the Secretary may enter into 
                cooperative agreements with the States, political 
                subdivisions of the States, nonprofit organizations 
                (including Blackstone River Valley National Heritage 
                Corridor, Inc.), and other interested parties--
                            (i) to provide technical assistance, 
                        interpretation, and educational programs in the 
                        historic sites and districts described in 
                        subsection (b)(2); and
                            (ii) subject to the availability of 
                        appropriations and subparagraphs (B) and (C), 
                        to provide not more than 50 percent of the cost 
                        of any natural, historic, or cultural resource 
                        protection project in the Park that is 
                        consistent with the general management plan 
                        prepared under paragraph (2).
                    (B) Matching requirement.--As a condition of the 
                receipt of funds under subparagraph (A)(ii), the 
                Secretary shall require that any Federal funds made 
                available under a cooperative agreement entered into 
                under this paragraph are to be matched on a 1-to-1 
                basis by non-Federal funds.
                    (C) Reimbursement.--Any payment made by the 
                Secretary under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be subject 
                to an agreement that the conversion, use, or disposal 
                of the project for purposes that are inconsistent with 
                the purposes of this section, as determined by the 
                Secretary, shall result in a right of the United States 
                to reimbursement of the greater of--
                            (i) the amount provided by the Secretary to 
                        the project under subparagraph (A)(ii); or
                            (ii) an amount equal to the increase in the 
                        value of the project that is attributable to 
                        the funds, as determined by the Secretary at 
                        the time of the conversion, use, or disposal.
                    (D) Public access.--Any cooperative agreement 
                entered into under this paragraph shall provide for 
                reasonable public access to the resources covered by 
                the cooperative agreement.
    (e) Dedication; Memorial.--
            (1) In general.--Congress dedicates the Park to John H. 
        Chafee, the former United States Senator from Rhode Island, in 
        recognition of--
                    (A) the role of John H. Chafee in the preservation 
                of the resources of the Blackstone River Valley and the 
                heritage corridor that bears the name of John H. 
                Chafee; and
                    (B) the decades of the service of John H. Chafee to 
                the people of Rhode Island and the United States.
            (2) Memorial.--The Secretary shall display a memorial at an 
        appropriate location in the Park that recognizes the role of 
        John H. Chafee in preserving the resources of the Blackstone 
        River Valley for the people of the United States.

SEC. 5. JOHN H. CHAFEE BLACKSTONE RIVER VALLEY NATIONAL HERITAGE 
              CORRIDOR AMENDMENTS.

    Public Law 99-647 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; 100 Stat. 3625) is amended--
            (1) in the first sentence of section 2 (110 Stat. 4202), by 
        striking ``the map entitled `Blackstone River Valley National 
        Heritage Corridor Boundary Map', numbered BRV-80-80,011, and 
        dated May 2, 1993'' and inserting ``the map entitled `John H. 
        Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor--
        Proposed Boundary', numbered 022/111530, and dated November 10, 
        2011'';
            (2) in section 7 (120 Stat. 1858, 125 Stat. 155)--
                    (A) in the section heading, by striking 
                ``termination of commission'' and inserting 
                ``termination of commission; designation of local 
                coordinating entity'';
                    (B) by striking ``The Commission'' and inserting 
                the following:
    ``(a) In General.--The Commission''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Local Coordinating Entity.--
            ``(1) Designation.--The Blackstone River Valley National 
        Heritage Corridor, Inc., shall be the local coordinating entity 
        for the Corridor (referred to in this section as the `local 
        coordinating entity').
            ``(2) Implementation of management plan.--The local 
        coordinating entity shall assume the duties of the Commission 
        for the implementation of the Cultural Heritage and Land 
        Management Plan developed and approved under section 6.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--For the purposes of carrying out the 
management plan, the local coordinating entity may use amounts made 
available under this Act--
            ``(1) to make grants to the States of Massachusetts and 
        Rhode Island (referred to in this section as the `States'), 
        political subdivisions of the States, nonprofit organizations, 
        and other persons;
            ``(2) to enter into cooperative agreements with or provide 
        technical assistance to the States, political subdivisions of 
        the States, nonprofit organizations, Federal agencies, and 
        other interested parties;
            ``(3) to hire and compensate staff, including individuals 
        with expertise in--
                    ``(A) natural, historical, cultural, educational, 
                scenic, and recreational resource conservation;
                    ``(B) economic and community development; or
                    ``(C) heritage planning;
            ``(4) to obtain funds or services from any source, 
        including funds and services provided under any other Federal 
        law or program;
            ``(5) to contract for goods or services; and
            ``(6) to support activities of partners and any other 
        activities that further the purposes of the Corridor and are 
        consistent with the approved management plan.'';
            (3) in section 8 (120 Stat. 1858)--
                    (A) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) by striking ``The Secretary'' and 
                        inserting the following:
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary''; and
                            (ii) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Cooperative agreements.--Notwithstanding chapter 63 
        of title 31, United States Code, the Secretary may enter into 
        cooperative agreements with the local coordinating entity 
        designated by paragraph (1) and other public or private 
        entities for the purpose of--
                    ``(A) providing technical assistance; or
                    ``(B) implementing the plan under section 6(c).''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the 
                following:
    ``(d) Transition Memorandum of Understanding.--The Secretary shall 
enter into a memorandum of understanding with the local coordinating 
entity to ensure--
            ``(1) the appropriate transition of management of the 
        Corridor from the Commission to the local coordinating entity; 
        and
            ``(2) coordination regarding the implementation of the 
        Cultural Heritage and Land Management Plan.'';
            (4) in section 10 (120 Stat. 1858)--
                    (A) in subsection (a) by striking ``for each year 
                in which the Commission is in existence'' and replace 
                with ``until September 30, 2016''; and
                    (B) by striking subsection (c); and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 11. REFERENCES TO THE CORRIDOR, INC.

    ``For purposes of sections 6, 8, 9 and 10 (other than section 
8(d)(1)), a reference to the `Commission' shall be considered to be a 
reference to the local coordinating entity.''.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to carry out sections 2 through 4.
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