[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1154 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.1154

                    One Hundred Seventeenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
          the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-two


                                 An Act


 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess 
the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land as the Great 
      Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area, 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 ``Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage 
Area Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
    In this Act:
        (1) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the Great 
    Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area.
        (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
    the Interior.
        (3) States.--The term ``States'' means the States of Virginia 
    and North Carolina.
        (4) Study area.--The term ``study area'' means--
            (A) the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and 
        Suffolk in the State of Virginia;
            (B) Isle of Wight County in the State of Virginia;
            (C) Camden, Currituck, Gates, and Pasquotank counties in 
        the State of North Carolina; and
            (D) any other areas in the States that--
                (i) have heritage aspects that are similar to the areas 
            described in subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C); and
                (ii) are adjacent to, or in the vicinity of, those 
            areas.
SEC. 3. STUDY.
    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with State and 
local organizations and governmental agencies, Tribal governments, non-
profit organizations, and other appropriate entities, shall conduct a 
study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the 
study area as a National Heritage Area, to be known as the ``Great 
Dismal Swamp 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--
            (A) represent distinctive aspects of the people and 
        cultures of the United States;
            (B) are worthy of recognition, conservation, 
        interpretation, and continuing use; and
            (C) would be best managed--
                (i) through partnerships among public and private 
            entities; and
                (ii) by linking diverse and sometimes noncontiguous 
            resources and active communities;
        (2) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and folklife that 
    are a valuable part of the story of the United States;
        (3) provides outstanding opportunities--
            (A) to conserve natural, historic, cultural, or scenic 
        features; and
            (B) for recreation and education;
        (4) contains resources that--
            (A) are important to any identified themes of the study 
        area; and
            (B) retain a degree of integrity capable of supporting 
        interpretation;
        (5) includes residents, business interests, nonprofit 
    organizations, and State, local, and Tribal governments, and other 
    appropriate entities that--
            (A) are involved in the planning of the Heritage Area;
            (B) have developed a conceptual financial plan that 
        outlines the roles of all participants in the Heritage Area, 
        including the Federal Government; and
            (C) have demonstrated support for the designation of the 
        Heritage Area;
        (6) has a potential management entity to work in partnership 
    with the individuals and entities described in paragraph (5) to 
    develop the Heritage Area while encouraging State and local 
    economic activity; and
        (7) has a conceptual boundary map that is supported by the 
    public.
SEC. 4. REPORT.
    Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are first made 
available to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that 
describes--
        (1) the findings of the study under section 3; and
        (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.