Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Act of 2002

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Act of 2002 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to review a certain specified study to determine whether specified land in North Carolina shall be designated as the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Delineates certain elements the Secretary shall consider, including whether the area: (1) has resources that represent distinctive aspects of American heritage; (2) provides outstanding recreational and educational opportunities; (3) includes local and State governments and a variety of non-profit organizations, residents, and business interests that support such designation and have developed a conceptual financial plan; and (4) has a potential management entity to work with locals to support development consistent with continued local and State economic activity. Authorizes appropriations contingent on the area being designated as a heritage area, and limits the Federal assistance match to 50 percent of the total cost of any assistance or grant provided.

[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5168 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5168

 To provide a process for the establishment of the Blue Ridge National 
 Heritage Area in the State of North Carolina, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 18, 2002

 Mr. Taylor of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was 
                 referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide a process for the establishment of the Blue Ridge National 
 Heritage Area in the State of North Carolina, 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 ``Blue Ridge National Heritage Area 
Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. BLUE RIDGE NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA, NORTH CAROLINA.

    (a) Review of Heritage Area Study.--Within 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
complete a review of the study entitled ``Western North Carolina 
National Heritage Area Feasibility Study and Plan'', which was prepared 
by Handmade in America and Advantage West and covers the study area 
specified in subsection (b), to determine whether the study area--
            (1) has an assemblage of natural, historic, and cultural 
        resources that--
                    (A) together represent distinctive aspects of 
                American heritage worthy of recognition, conservation, 
                interpretation, and continuing use; and
                    (B) would be best managed through partnerships 
                among public and private entities and by combining 
                diverse and sometime noncontiguous resources and active 
                communities;
            (2) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and folklife 
        that are a valuable part of the national story;
            (3) provides outstanding opportunities to conserve natural, 
        historic, cultural, or scenic features;
            (4) provides outstanding recreational and educational 
        opportunities;
            (5) contains resources important to the identified theme or 
        themes of the study area that retain a degree of integrity 
        capable of supporting interpretation;
            (6) includes residents, business interests, nonprofit 
        organizations, and local and State governments that--
                    (A) support the designation of the study area as a 
                national heritage area;
                    (B) were involved in the preparation of the study; 
                and
                    (C) have developed a conceptual financial plan that 
                outlines the roles of all participants, including the 
                Federal Government; and
            (7) has a potential management entity to work in 
        partnership with residents, business interests, nonprofit 
        organizations, and local and State governments to develop a 
        national heritage area consistent with continued local and 
        State economic activity.
    (b) Covered Study Area.--The study area referred to in this section 
consists of the counties of Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Swain, Macon, 
Jackson, Transylvania, Haywood, Madison, Buncombe, Henderson, Yancey, 
Mitchell, McDowell, Rutherford, Polk, Burke, Avery, Caldwell, Watauga, 
Ashe, Wilkes, Alleghany, Surry, and Yadkin, North Carolina.
    (c) Submission of Results of Review.--Within 30 days after 
completing the review required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 
report containing the results of the review, including the 
determination of the Secretary regarding whether the study area 
satisfies the criteria specified in paragraphs (1) through (7) of such 
subsection.
    (d) Designation of National Heritage Area.--If, as a result of the 
review required by subsection (a), the Secretary determines that the 
study area satisfies the criteria specified in paragraphs (1) through 
(7) of such subsection, the Secretary shall designate the study area as 
the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area upon the completion of the 30-day 
period beginning on the date the Secretary submits the report under 
subsection (c) to Congress.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated under this section not more than $1,000,000 for any fiscal 
year to support the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, if designated 
pursuant to subsection (d). Not more than a total of $10,000,000 may be 
appropriated for the heritage area under this section.
    (f) 50 Percent Match.--Federal funding provided under this section, 
after the designation of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, may not 
exceed 50 percent of the total cost of any assistance or grant provided 
to support the heritage area.
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