H.R. 706 – Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act

Union Calendar No. 518

113th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 706

[Report No. 113–687]

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

December 22, 2014

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 14, 2013

A BILL

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

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act.

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 3.

(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.

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 may 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 in the historic sites and districts described in subsection (b)(2) for inclusion in the Park boundary by donation 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 may establish a boundary for the Park by publishing a boundary map in the Federal Register.

(3)

Boundary adjustment

On the acquisition of additional land or interests in land under paragraph (1), the boundary of the Park shall be adjusted to reflect the acquisition by publishing a Park boundary map in the Federal Register.

(4)

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.

(5)

Written consent of the owner

No non-Federal property may be included in the Park without the written consent of the owner.

(6)

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)

Technical assistance

The Secretary may provide technical assistance to State, local, or tribal governments, organizations, or individuals for the management, interpretation, and historic preservation of historically significant Blackstone River Valley resources not included within the Park.

(4)

Cooperative agreements

(A)

In general

The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements to carry out this Act.

(B)

Matching requirement

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) 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); 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.

(f)

No use of condemnation

The Secretary may not acquire by condemnation any land or interest in land under this Act for the purposes of this Act.

(g)

No buffer zone created

Nothing in this Act, the establishment of the Park, or the management plan for the Park shall be construed to create buffer zones outside of the Park. That activities or uses can be seen, heard, or detected from areas within the Park shall not preclude, limit, control, regulate, or determine the conduct or management of activities or uses outside of the Park.

December 22, 2014

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act

Legislative Activity

Bill Text