[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 60 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4451-S4452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Kerry, and Mr. 
        Kennedy):
  S. 919. A bill to amend the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley 
National Heritage Corridor Act of 1994 to expand the boundaries of the 
corridor; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


   quinebaug and shetucket rivers valley national heritage corridor 
                      reauthorization act of 1999

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with my colleagues, 
Senator Lieberman, Senator Kerry, and Senator Kennedy, to introduce 
legislation to reauthorize the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley 
National Heritage Corridor (Corridor). Congressman Gejdenson from 
Connecticut and Congressman Neal from Massachusetts will be introducing 
companion legislation today in other body.
  The 25-town area in eastern Connecticut was originally designated a 
Corridor in 1994, when the U.S. Congress passed and the President 
signed Public Law 103-449. The purpose of the Corridor is to encourage 
grassroots efforts to preserve historic and environmental treasures 
while promoting economic development. Today's legislation builds upon 
the success of the Corridor and extends it by including nine towns from 
Massachusetts and one additional town from Connecticut. The towns 
affected include Union, Connecticut, and the following towns in 
Massachusetts--Brimfield, Charlton, Dudley, East Brookfield, Holland, 
Oxford, Southbridge, Sturbridge, and Webster.
  Because this is an established Corridor which has been developing and 
implementing cultural, economic and environmental programs to preserve 
this beautiful and historic region of Connecticut, the legislation we 
are introducing increases the Corridor authorization level to $1.5 
million. This level of funding is consistent with recent new Corridor 
authorization levels of $1 million. Our Corridor has been significantly 
underfunded each year; I can only imagine the further great works that 
can be undertaken with adequate funding.
  Unfortunately, Connecticut ranks near the bottom among States in the 
amount of Federal land within its borders, such as National Parks, 
Recreation Areas, and Forests. That is why I joined with Congressman 
Gejdenson back in 1993 to introduce the original bill designating the 
Quinebaug and Shetucket Heritage Corridor and why I am advocating an 
increase in the size and scope of it. Extending through eastern 
Connecticut and soon southeastern Massachusetts, the Corridor is within 
a two hour's drive from the major metropolitan areas of Boston, New 
Haven, Hartford and New York.
  The Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley saw a rebirth with the dawn 
of the industrial age. Hundreds of mills were built along the banks of 
the rivers and this region became a leader in the textile industry. 
Today, the mills are quiet, many of them abandoned, and the valley is a 
picturesque area of rolling hills and beautiful farms. It offers 
landscapes for hiking and biking, rivers for canoeing and fishing, and 
abandoned mills which offer a glimpse at history. It is the birthplace 
of Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale and the Prudence Crandall School, 
the site of the first teacher-training school for African-American 
women established in 1833. There are also many Native American and 
archaeological sites.
  The area is rich in history and those groups and individuals involved 
with the Corridor have developed a management plan to preserve local 
resources, enhance recreational potential and promote appropriate 
development. By joining forces with the people of Massachusetts, a more 
integrated system can be undertaken. The important historic and 
cultural resources do not stop at the border.
  In the few short years that the Corridor has been in place, its 
stewards have provided grants and technical assistance to towns and 
nonprofits embarking on historic preservation and research, economic 
development, tourism, natural resource conservation and recreation.
  The Corridor has public and private support throughout Connecticut 
and the regions in Massachusetts look forward to working with the 
existing partnerships to enhance their quality of life. It is the goal 
of the Corridor to ensure a healthy environment and robust economy 
compatible with the character of the region.
  Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to look favorably on this effort 
and I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 919

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Quinebaug 
     and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor 
     Reauthorization Act of 1999''.
       (b) References.--Except as otherwise expressly provided, 
     wherever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in 
     terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other 
     provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 
     section or other provision of the Quinebaug and Shetucket 
     Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor Act of 1994 (16 
     U.S.C. 461 note; title I of Public Law 103-449).

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Section 102 is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and the Commonwealth 
     of Massachusetts'' after ``State of Connecticut'';
       (2) by striking paragraph (2);
       (3) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (9) as 
     paragraphs (2) through (8), respectively;

[[Page S4452]]

       (4) in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated), by inserting 
     ``New Haven,'' after ``Hartford,''; and
       (5) in paragraph (8) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``regional and State agencies'' and inserting ``regional, and 
     State agencies,''.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF QUINEBAUG AND SHETUCKET RIVERS 
                   VALLEY NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR; PURPOSE.

       Section 103 is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``and the Commonwealth 
     of Massachusetts'' after ``State of Connecticut''; and
       (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
       ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this title is to provide 
     assistance to the State of Connecticut and the Commonwealth 
     of Massachusetts, and their units of local and regional 
     government and citizens, in the development and 
     implementation of integrated natural, cultural, historic, 
     scenic, recreational, land, and other resource management 
     programs in order to retain, enhance, and interpret the 
     significant features of the land, water, structures, and 
     history of the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley.''.

     SEC. 4. BOUNDARIES AND ADMINISTRATION.

       Section 104 is amended--
       (1) in the first sentence of subsection (a)--
       (A) by inserting ``Union,'' after ``Thompson,''; and
       (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``in the State of Connecticut, and the towns of 
     Brimfield, Charlton, Dudley, East Brookfield, Holland, 
     Oxford, Southbridge, Sturbridge, and Webster in the 
     Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which are contiguous areas in 
     the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley, related by shared 
     natural, cultural, historic, and scenic resources''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Administration.--The Corridor shall be managed by 
     Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc., in accordance 
     with the management plan and in consultation with the 
     Governors.''.

     SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN.

       Section 105 is amended--
       (1) by striking the section heading and inserting the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 105. MANAGEMENT PLAN.'';

       (2) by striking subsections (a) and (b);
       (3) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (a);
       (4) in subsection (a) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``Management'' 
     before ``Plan'';
       (B) by striking the first sentence and inserting the 
     following: ``The management entity shall implement the 
     management plan.'';
       (C) in paragraph (5), by striking ``identified pursuant to 
     the inventory required in section 5(a)(1)''; and
       (D) in paragraphs (6) and (7), by striking ``plan'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``management plan''; and
       (5) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Grants and Loans.--The management entity may, for the 
     purposes of implementing the management plan, make grants or 
     loans to the States, their political subdivisions, nonprofit 
     organizations, and other persons to further the goals set 
     forth in the management plan.''.

     SEC. 6. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.

       Section 106 is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 106. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.

       ``(a) In General.--Upon request of the management entity, 
     the Secretary and the heads of other Federal agencies shall 
     assist the management entity in the implementation of the 
     management plan.
       ``(b) Forms of Assistance.--Assistance under subsection (a) 
     shall include provision of funds authorized under section 109 
     and technical assistance necessary to carry out this Act.''.

     SEC. 7. DUTIES OF OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.

       Section 107 is amended by striking ``Governor'' and 
     inserting ``management entity''.

     SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

       Section 108 is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting before the period at the 
     end the following: ``and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts'';
       (2) in paragraph (3), by inserting before the period at the 
     end the following: ``and the Governor of the Commonwealth of 
     Massachusetts'';
       (3) in paragraph (5), by striking ``means each of'' and all 
     that follows and inserting the following: ``means--
       ``(A) the Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, 
     the Windham Regional Council of Governments, and the 
     Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments in 
     Connecticut (or any successor council); and
       ``(B) the Pioneer Valley Regional Planning Commission and 
     the Southern Worcester County Regional Planning Commission in 
     Massachusetts (or any successor commission).''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) Management entity.--The term `management entity' 
     means Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc., a not-for-
     profit corporation incorporated under the law of the State of 
     Connecticut (or a successor entity).
       ``(7) Management plan.--The term `management plan' means 
     the document approved by the Governor of the State of 
     Connecticut on February 16, 1999, and adopted by the 
     management entity, entitled `Vision to Reality: A Management 
     Plan', comprising the management plan for the Corridor, as 
     the document may be amended or replaced from time to time.''.

     SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 109 is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 109. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     to carry out this title--
       ``(1) $1,500,000 for any fiscal year; but
       ``(2) not more than a total of $15,000,000.
       ``(b) Cost Sharing.--Federal funding provided under this 
     title may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of any 
     assistance provided under this title.''.

     SEC. 10. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

       Section 110 is amended in the section heading by striking 
     ``SERVICE'' and inserting ``SYSTEM''.
                                 ______