[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 21287-21289]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   QUINEBAUG AND SHETUCKET RIVERS VALLEY NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR 
                      REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 1999

  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1619) to amend the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley 
National Heritage Corridor Act of 1994 to expand the boundaries of the 
Corridor, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1619

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCE.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Quinebaug 
     and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor 
     Reauthorization Act of 1999''.
       (b) Reference.--Whenever in this Act a section or other 
     provision is amended or repealed, such amendment or repeal 
     shall be considered to be made to that section or other 
     provision of the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley 
     National Heritage Corridor Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-449; 
     16 U.S.C. 461 note).

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

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

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

       (a) Establishment.--Section 103(a) of the Act is amended by 
     inserting ``and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts'' after 
     ``State of Connecticut''.
       (b) Purpose.--Section 103(b) of the Act is amended to read 
     as follows:
       ``(b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this title to provide 
     assistance to the State of Connecticut and the Commonwealth 
     of Massachusetts, 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 lands, water, structures, and history of the 
     Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley.''.

     SEC. 4. BOUNDARIES AND ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) Boundaries.--Section 104(a) of the Act is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``Union,'' after ``Thompson,''; and
       (2) by inserting after ``Woodstock'' the following: ``in 
     the State of Connecticut, and the towns of Brimfield, 
     Charlton, Dudley, E. 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''.
       (b) Administration.--Section 104 of the Act is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Administration.--
       ``(1) In general.--(A) The Corridor shall be managed by the 
     management entity in accordance with the management plan, in 
     consultation with the Governor and pursuant to a compact with 
     the Secretary.
       ``(B) The management entity shall amend its by-laws to add 
     the Governor of Connecticut (or the Governor's designee) and 
     the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (or the 
     Governor's designee) as a voting members of its Board of 
     Directors.
       ``(C) The management entity shall provide the Governor with 
     an annual report of its activities, programs, and projects. 
     An annual report prepared for any other purpose shall satisfy 
     the requirements of this paragraph.
       ``(2) Compact.--To carry out the purposes of this Act, the 
     Secretary shall enter into a compact with the management 
     entity. The compact shall include information relating to the 
     objectives and management of the Corridor, including, but not 
     limited to, each of the following:
       ``(A) A delineation of the boundaries of the Corridor.
       ``(B) A discussion of goals and objectives of the Corridor, 
     including an explanation of the proposed approaches to 
     accomplishing the goals set forth in the management plan.
       ``(C) A description of the role of the State of Connecticut 
     and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

[[Page 21288]]

       ``(3) Authorities of management entity.--For the purpose of 
     achieving the goals set forth in the management plan, the 
     management entity may use Federal funds provided under this 
     Act--
       ``(A) to make grants to the State of Connecticut and the 
     Commonwealth of Massachusetts, their political subdivisions, 
     nonprofit organizations, and other persons;
       ``(B) to enter into cooperative agreements with or provide 
     technical assistance to the State of Connecticut and the 
     Commonwealth of Massachusetts, their political subdivisions, 
     nonprofit organizations, and other persons;
       ``(C) to hire and compensate staff; and
       ``(D) to contract for goods and services.
       ``(4) Prohibition on acquisition of real property.--The 
     management entity may not use Federal funds received under 
     this Act to acquire real property or any interest in real 
     property.''.

     SEC. 5. STATES CORRIDOR PLAN.

       Section 105 of the Act is amended--
       (1) by striking subsections (a) and (b);
       (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (a);
       (3) in subsection (a) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) by striking the first sentence and all that follows 
     through ``Governor,'' and inserting the following: ``The 
     management entity shall implement the management plan. Upon 
     request of the management entity,''; and
       (B) in paragraph (5), by striking ``identified pursuant to 
     the inventory required by section 5(a)(1)''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Grants and Technical Assistance.--For the purposes of 
     implementing the management plan, the management entity may 
     make grants or provide technical assistance to the State of 
     Connecticut and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 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 of the Act is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking ``Governor'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``management entity'';
       (B) by striking ``preparation and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following: ``Such assistance 
     shall include providing funds authorized under section 109 
     and technical assistance necessary to carry out this Act.''; 
     and
       (2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
       ``(b) Termination of Authority.--The Secretary may not make 
     any grants or provide any assistance under this Act after 
     September 30, 2009.''.

     SEC. 7. DUTIES OF OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.

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

     SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

       Section 108 of the Act is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting before the period the 
     following: ``and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts''.
       (2) in paragraph (3), by inserting before the period the 
     following: ``and the Governor of the Commonwealth of 
     Massachusetts'';
       (3) in paragraph (5), by striking ``each of'' and all that 
     follows and inserting the following: ``the Northeastern 
     Connecticut Council of Governments, the Windham Regional 
     Council of Governments, and the Southeastern Connecticut 
     Council of Governments in Connecticut, (or their successors), 
     and the Pioneer Valley Regional Planning Commission and the 
     Southern Worcester County Regional Planning Commission (or 
     their successors) in Massachusetts.''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) 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', the 
     management plan for the Corridor, as it may be amended or 
     replaced from time to time.
       ``(7) The term `management entity' means Quinebaug-
     Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc., a not-for-profit 
     corporation (or its successor) incorporated in the State of 
     Connecticut.''.

     SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 109 of the Act is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 109. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     under this title not more than $1,000,000 for any fiscal 
     year. Not more than a total of $10,000,000 may be 
     appropriated for the Corridor under this title after the date 
     of the enactment of the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley 
     National Heritage Corridor Reauthorization Act of 1999.
       ``(b) 50 Percent Match.--Federal funding provided under 
     this title may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of any 
     assistance or grant provided or authorized under this 
     title.''.

     SEC. 10. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

       (a) Long Title.--The long title of the Act is amended to 
     read as follows: ``An Act to establish the Quinebaug and 
     Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor in the 
     State of Connecticut and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 
     and for other purposes.''.
       (b) Heading.--The heading for section 110 of the Act is 
     amended by striking ``service'' and inserting ``system''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood).
  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1619 amends the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers 
National Heritage Corridor Act of 1994 by expanding the boundaries of 
the Corridor.
  Specifically, this bill authorizes the expansion of the Corridor into 
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Corridor currently is wholly 
contained within the State of Connecticut. These river valleys contain 
significant natural and historical resources, including scenic vistas, 
archaeological sites, and recreational opportunity.
  As a college student, I canoed down through this river. It is a 
beautiful river valley.

                              {time}  1530

  The bill, as amended, assures that both the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts and the State of Connecticut remain involved in the 
management of the corridor. Furthermore, the legislation provides for a 
sunset of the funding and assistance from the Federal Government which 
may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of that assistance or 
grant.
  This bill has local and State support and is also supported by the 
administration. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1619, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I do want to commend first the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Neal) for their sponsorship of this legislation. I also want to commend 
the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico 
(Mr. Romero-Barcelo), the chairman and ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands, for their sponsorship 
and support of this legislation; and definitely both the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller), the chairman and the ranking member of the full committee, for 
their support.
  Mr. Speaker, the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National 
Heritage Corridor is an 850-square-mile area, including more than 25 
towns, along the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers in Northeastern 
Connecticut. The area includes lush woodlands, clean rivers and 
streams, as well as many historically and culturally significant sites. 
This corridor has been referred to as the ``last green valley'' in the 
area between Boston and Washington.
  The 103rd Congress designated the area as a National Heritage 
Corridor. None of the land within the corridor is federally owned but 
the designation has allowed the National Park Service to provide 
important technical assistance, coordination and funding to what began, 
and has continued to be, a grassroots effort to preserve this area and 
to educate people about its importance.
  Mr. Speaker, a management plan for the corridor, approved by the 
Governor of Connecticut, was adopted earlier this year and a private, 
nonprofit organization has been designated to implement the plan.
  The bill, H.R. 1619, sponsored, as I said earlier, by the gentleman 
from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) and the gentleman from Massachusetts 
(Mr. Neal) would reauthorize the corridor and extend its reach in the 
process. This legislation would add several counties in Massachusetts 
to the corridor and amend the original enabling legislation to reflect 
adoption of the management plan. Importantly, this measure was amended 
by the Committee on Resources to increase oversight of the corridor's 
management entity.
  Mr. Speaker, creation of this heritage corridor has led to important 
educational and preservation efforts. It has worked so well, in fact, 
that another State now wants to be included.

[[Page 21289]]

This bill, H.R. 1619, would allow more people to experience and benefit 
from the beauty and history of this area. Again, I urge my colleagues 
to support this legislation.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, as the sponsor of H.R. 1619 along with 
Congressman Neal, I rise in strong support of this measure. I would 
like to begin by thanking Chairmen Young and Hansen and Ranking Members 
Miller and Romero-Barcelo and their staffs for their support in moving 
this legislation through the Committee process. I truly appreciate 
their efforts.
  The bill before us today represents a consensus reached between 
residents of Connecticut and Massachusetts to expand the Quinebaug and 
Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor. The new communities 
in Massachusetts and Connecticut are linked to the existing 25 towns in 
the Corridor by geography, history, culture and, most importantly, the 
rivers they share.
  The bill before us today has been slightly modified from the measure 
Congressman Neal an I introduced in late April. I am pleased to report 
that the amended version has the support of the National Park Service, 
the States of Connecticut and Massachusetts, the management authority 
and citizens in both states.
  The bill expands the boundary of the Corridor to include Union, 
Connecticut and the towns of Brimfield, Charlton, Dudley, E. 
Brookfield, Holland, Oxford, Southbridge, Sturbridge, and Webster, 
Massachusetts. It designates a local, nonprofit entity--Quinebaug-
Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc.--as the management entity. It 
provides a continuing role for the Governors of Connecticut and 
Massachusetts in Corridor management. Finally, the measure increases 
federal support for the Corridor.
  I believe the increase in funding is reasonable. It would provide the 
necessary funds to expand programs into the new communities in 
Massachusetts and Connecticut. It would also bring the Quinebaug and 
Shetucket in line with other Corridors created since 1996. The National 
Park Service has also supported the increase in testimony before the 
subcommittee on Parks and Public Lands.
  I want to note that this bill does not change the non-regulatory 
nature of the Corridor. Land use and zoning regulations will remain 
completely under the control of local governments. Moreover, the 
management entity does not have the authority to purchase land with 
federal funds. Land will remain in private hands and local residents 
will continue to chart the region's direction. The Corridor has always 
been, and continues to be, a mechanism for organizing many efforts to 
achieve common goals.
  The Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers National Heritage Corridor is a 
nationally significant resource which deserves continued federal 
support. The Corridor has proven to be successful over the last four 
years in preserving cultural, natural and historic resources and in 
promoting to better understanding of the importance of this region to 
our country. Passing this legislation today will allow citizens in 
Connecticut and Massachusetts to build on this record of success.
  I urge my colleagues would join me in voting in support of H.R. 1619.
  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of an 
extremely worthwhile piece of legislation, the Quinebaug and Shetucket 
Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor Reauthorization Act of 1999, 
House Resolution 1619. H.R. 1619 expands the boundaries of this 
National Heritage Corridor by ten towns, nine of which are in my home 
state of Massachusetts. I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank 
Mr. Gejdenson for his tireless efforts on behalf of this bill.
  The Quinebaug and Shetucket region's history and significance begins 
with the Native Americans, as it was largely a frontier zone between 
tribes. European settlement began in the late 1650s, and the area soon 
became a center of fiscal, religious, and political radicalism. The 
Industrial Revolution began on a small scale here, with water powered 
textile structures on lesser streams and as a spillover from the 
adjoining Blackstone Valley. However, the latter half of the nineteenth 
century saw the construction of the great mills that characterize the 
valley. Staffed by immigrants from Europe and Canada, these factories 
were the region's prime economic engine.
  However, the twentieth century brought steady declines of the textile 
industry, leaving many formerly busy mills empty or only marginally 
used. Thus, the region entered a long period of economic recession and 
the need to develop a more diversified economy, a condition that brings 
us to the present day.
  The region into which we wish to expand this Heritage Corridor is 
clearly both culturally and environmentally part of ``the Last Green 
Valley.'' The expansion area shares a history, a desire to protect 
resources and a view to economic revitalization. The mill towns and 
farmland offer residents and visitors a special view into the American 
experience and allow them to explore New England's agrarian and 
industrial past.
  Environmental protection is one of the most important tasks facing 
the American people as we go forth into the new millennium. As such, 
the goal of this legislation is to develop and implement natural, 
cultural, historic, scenic, recreational, land and other resource 
management programs. The purpose is to retain and enhance the 
significant features of lands, water, structures, and history of the 
Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley. The National Heritage Corridor 
designation allows local governments and grassroots organizations to 
carry out their visions for a healthier, more sustainable society. As 
always, the delicate balance between environmental protection and 
economic growth is at the heart of the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers 
Valley National Heritage Corridor.
  Since the authorization of the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley 
National Heritage Corridor in 1994, the State of Connecticut, via the 
Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc., has worked efficiently 
under a constrained budget by combining the financial resources of the 
public and private sectors. As a result, the economic aspect of the 
Corridor has been as successful as the environmental protection 
programs. The Corridor Commission has been able to match federal funds 
at a ratio of 12:1. The Commission and its partners have revitalized 
Industrial Revolution era mills, enhanced greenways and waterways, and 
have increased preservation of open space and wildlife habitats, 
resulting in an increase in tourism. The proximity of the Corridor to 
the major metropolitan areas of Springfield, Worcester, Boston, 
Hartford, Providence, and New York City serves as further evidence that 
this expansion is an economically viable venture.
  In order to ensure that the projects selected reflect the needs and 
desires of the states, the Corridor Commission Board of Directors will 
include voting members from the offices of the Governors of 
Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Commission will also be linked to, 
and under the guidance of, the Secretary of the Interior via a compact.
  Mr. Speaker, the most important people involved in the environmental 
and historical preservation process are the locals. These are the 
people involved in the actual work that our legislation authorizes. I 
would like my colleagues to understand that the local governments and 
local business along the Corridor are in overwhelming support of this 
legislation. I have received numerous calls from businessmen and women 
looking for ways to get involved and the Boards of Selectmen of the 
affected towns have been pressing the issue in their town halls. The 
people have spoken out and they are in favor of the Corridor Expansion.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that we in Massachusetts are not 
stepping on the toes of our Connecticut neighbors. The members of the 
Massachusetts State Heritage Corridor Commission have been working with 
their successful counterparts from Connecticut for a long time now. The 
two groups have come to an understanding and are looking forward to 
working together. In order for the Corridor Expansion to be a success, 
the experience of those on the Connecticut side must be utilized.
  Mr. Speaker, once again I would like to thank Mr. Gejdenson for all 
of his work, and I would like to thank the members of the Corridor 
Commission who have been the driving force behind this legislation.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Foley). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1619, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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