[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 371 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 371
To establish the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, to
dedicate the Park to John H. Chafee, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 14, 2013
Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Cowan)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Energy and 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 (104 Stat. 1018, 120 Stat. 1858)--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``in which the
Commission is in existence'' and inserting ``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 (other than section 8(d)(1)), 9,
and 10, 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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