Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area Act - Establishes the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area in Alabama.
Designates the Muscle Shoals Regional Center as the local coordinating entity for the Area.
Requires the Muscle Shoals Regional Center to prepare and submit a management plan for the Area.
Prohibits the Muscle Shoals Regional Center from using federal funds received under this Act to acquire real property.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1145 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1145
To establish the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area in the State of
Alabama, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 16, 2007
Mr. Cramer (for himself and Mr. Aderholt) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area in the State of
Alabama, 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 ``Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Muscle Shoals area in Northwest Alabama is a region
rich in natural and cultural history.
(2) The Muscle Shoals area is defined by its distinctive
geography, especially the Wilson Dam, a National Historic
Landmark.
(3) The Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area feasibility
study includes the counties of Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale,
Lawrence, Limestone, and Morgan, in Northwest Alabama.
(4) Muscle Shoals is the birthplace of the Tennessee Valley
Authority, notable for power generation and the creation of
recreational lakes.
(5) The Tennessee River at Muscle Shoals is important in
having shaped western expansion and cultural development of the
United States.
(6) The Muscle Shoals area drew the remarkable military and
entrepreneurial service of the General Wheeler family.
(7) The Muscle Shoals area was the birthplace of Helen
Keller, a celebrated symbol of inspiration for persons
overcoming disabilities.
(8) The Muscle Shoals area was the home of William
Christopher ``W.C.'' Handy, the first musician to identify,
arrange, publish, and popularize the ``blues'' musical genre.
(9) The world-renowned ``Muscle Shoals sound'' left an
indelible impression on the development of music in the United
States.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the
Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, established in section 4.
(2) Local coordinating entity.--The term ``local
coordinating entity'' means the local coordinating entity for
the Heritage Area designated by section 4(d).
(3) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' means
the management plan for the Heritage Area specified in section
5.
(4) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map titled ``Boundary
Map Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area-Alternative ____'',
numbered ___, and dated_____.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Alabama.
SEC. 4. MUSCLE SHOALS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Muscle Shoals National
Heritage Area.
(b) Boundaries.--The National Heritage Area shall be comprised of--
(1) the counties of Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale,
Lawrence, Limestone, and Morgan;
(2) the Wilson Dam;
(3) the Handy Home; and
(4) the Helen Keller birthplace.
(c) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and available
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park
Service, Department of the Interior.
(d) Local Coordinating Entity.--The Muscle Shoals Regional Center
shall be the local coordinating entity for the Heritage Area.
SEC. 5. LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.
(a) In General.--The local coordinating entity shall be governed by
a board of directors composed of at least 6 members, one resident from
each of Colbert, Lauderdale, Franklin, Lawrence, Morgan, and Limestone
counties, Alabama, the counties included in the Muscle Shoals National
Heritage.
(b) Duties.--To further the purposes of the Heritage Area, the
local coordinating entity shall--
(1) prepare and submit a management plan for the Heritage
Area to the Secretary in accordance with section 6;
(2) assist units of local government, regional planning
organizations, and nonprofit organizations in implementing the
approved management plan by--
(A) carrying out programs and projects that
recognize, protect, and enhance important resource
values within the Heritage Area;
(B) establishing and maintaining interpretive
exhibits and programs within the Heritage Area;
(C) developing recreational and educational
opportunities in the Heritage Area;
(D) increasing public awareness of and appreciation
for natural, historical, scenic, and cultural resources
of the Heritage Area;
(E) protecting and restoring historic sites and
buildings in the Heritage Area that are consistent with
heritage area themes;
(F) ensuring that clear, consistent, and
appropriate signs identifying points of public access
and sites of interest are posted throughout the
Heritage Area; and
(G) promoting a wide range of partnerships among
governments, organizations, and individuals to further
the purposes of the Heritage Area;
(3) consider the interests of diverse units of government,
businesses, organizations, and individuals in the Heritage Area
in the preparation and implementation of the management plan;
(4) conduct meetings open to the public at least semi-
annually regarding the development and implementation of the
management plan;
(5) submit an annual report to the secretary for any fiscal
year in which the local coordinating entity receives Federal
funds under this Act specifying--
(A) the specific performance goals and
accomplishments of the local coordinating entity;
(B) the expenses and income of the local
coordinating entity;
(C) the amounts and sources of matching funds;
(D) the amounts leveraged with Federal funds and
sources of the leveraging; and
(E) grants made to any other entities during the
fiscal year;
(6) make available for audit for any fiscal year in which
it receives Federal funds under this Act, all information
pertaining to the expenditure of such funds and any matching
funds, and require in all agreements authorizing expenditures
of Federal funds by other organizations, that the receiving
organizations make available for such audit all records and
other information pertaining to the expenditure of such funds;
and
(7) encourage by appropriate means economic viability that
is consistent with the purposes of the Heritage Area.
(c) Authorities.--The local coordinating entity may, for the
purposes of preparing and implementing the management plan for the
Heritage Area, use Federal funds made available through this Act to--
(1) make grants to the State of Alabama, its political
subdivisions, nonprofit organizations, and other persons;
(2) enter into cooperative agreements with or provide
technical assistance to the State of Alabama, its political
jurisdictions, nonprofit organizations, Federal agencies, and
other interested parties;
(3) hire and compensate staff, which shall include
individuals with expertise in natural, cultural, and historical
resources protection, economic and community development, and
heritage planning;
(4) obtain funds or services from any source including any
that are provided under any other Federal law or program;
(5) contract for goods or services; and
(6) support activities of partners and any other activities
that further the purposes of the Heritage Area and that are
consistent with the approved management plan.
(d) Prohibitions on the Acquisition of Real Property.--The local
coordinating entity may not use Federal funds received under this Act
to acquire real property, but may use any other source of funding,
including other Federal funding outside this authority, intended for
the acquisition of real property.
SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT PLAN.
(a) In General.--The management plan for the Heritage Area shall--
(1) include comprehensive policies, strategies, and
recommendations for conservation, funding, management, and
development of the Heritage Area;
(2) take into consideration existing State, county, and
local plans in the development of the management plan and its
implementation;
(3) include a description of actions that governments,
private organizations, and individuals have agreed to take to
protect the natural, historical, and cultural resources of the
Heritage Area;
(4) specify the existing and potential sources of funding
or economic development strategies to protect, manage, and
develop the Heritage Area;
(5) include an inventory of the natural, historical,
cultural, educational, scenic, and recreational resources of
the Heritage Area related to the themes of the Heritage Area
that should be preserved, restored, managed, developed, or
maintained;
(6) recommend policies and strategies for resource
management that consider and detail the application of
appropriate land and water management techniques including, but
not limited to, the development of intergovernmental and
interagency cooperative agreements to protect the Heritage
Area's natural, historical, cultural, educational, scenic, and
recreational resources;
(7) describe a program of implementation for the management
plan, including performance goals, plans for resource
protection, restoration, interpretation, enhancement,
management, and development, and specific commitments for
implementation that have been made by the local coordinating
entity or any government, organization, or individual;
(8) include an analysis and recommendations for ways in
which local, State, and Federal programs, including the role of
the National Park Service in the Heritage Area, may best be
coordinated to further the purposes of this Act;
(9) include an interpretive plan for the Heritage Area; and
(10) include a business plan that--
(A) describes the role, operation, financing, and
functions of the local coordinating entity and of each
of the major activities contained in the management
plan; and
(B) provides adequate assurances that the local
coordinating entity has the partnerships and financial
and other resources necessary to implement the
management plan for the Heritage Area.
(b) Deadline and Termination of Funding.--
(1) Deadline.--The local coordinating entity shall submit
the management plan to the Secretary for approval within 3
years after funds are made available for this Act.
(2) Termination of funding.--If the management plan is not
submitted to the Secretary in accordance with this subsection,
the local coordinating entity shall not qualify for Federal
funding under this Act until such time as the management plan
is submitted to and approved by the Secretary.
SEC. 7. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF THE SECRETARY.
(a) Technical and Financial Assistance.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may, upon the request of the
local coordinating entity, provide technical and financial
assistance on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis (as
determined by the Secretary) to the Heritage Area to develop
and implement the approved management plan. The Secretary is
authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with the local
coordinating entity and other public or private entities for
this purpose.
(2) Priority actions.--In assisting the Heritage Area, the
Secretary shall give priority to actions that in general assist
in--
(A) conserving the significant natural, historical,
cultural, and scenic resources of the Heritage Area;
and
(B) providing educational, interpretive, and
recreational opportunities consistent with the purposes
of the Heritage Area.
(b) Approval and Disapproval of Management Plan.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall approve or disapprove
the management plan not later than 180 days after receiving the
management plan.
(2) Criteria for approval.--In determining the approval of
the management plan, the Secretary shall consider whether--
(A) the local coordinating entity is representative
of the diverse interests of the Heritage Area,
including governments, natural and historic resource
protection organizations, educational institutions,
businesses, and recreational organizations;
(B) the local coordinating entity has afforded
adequate opportunity for public and governmental
involvement, including public hearings, in the
preparation of the management plan;
(C) the resource protection and interpretation
strategies contained in the management plan, if
implemented, would adequately protect the natural,
historical, and cultural resources of the Heritage
Area;
(D) the Secretary has received adequate assurances
from the appropriate State and local officials whose
support is needed to ensure the effective
implementation of the State and local aspects of the
management plan; and
(E) the local coordinating entity has demonstrated
the financial capability, in partnership with others,
to carry out the plan.
(3) Action following disapproval.--If the Secretary
disapproves the management plan, the Secretary shall advise the
local coordinating entity in writing of the reasons therefore
and shall make recommendations for revisions to the management
plan. The Secretary shall approve or disapprove a proposed
revision within 180 days after the date it is submitted.
(4) Approval of amendments.--Substantial amendments to the
management plan shall be reviewed by the Secretary and approved
in the same manner as provided for the original management
plan. The local coordinating entity shall not use Federal funds
authorized by this Act to implement any amendments until the
Secretary has approved the amendments.
SEC. 8. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.
(a) In General.--This Act shall not affect the authority of any
Federal official to provide technical or financial assistance under any
other law.
(b) Consultation and Coordination.--The head of any Federal agency
planning to conduct activities that may have an impact on the Heritage
Area is encouraged to consult and coordinate the activities with the
Secretary and the local coordinating entity to the extent practicable.
(c) Other Federal Agencies.--Nothing in this Act--
(1) modifies, alters, or amends any law or regulation
authorizing a Federal agency to manage Federal land under the
jurisdiction of the Federal agency;
(2) limits the discretion of a Federal land manager to
implement an approved land use plan within the boundaries of
the Heritage Area; or
(3) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized use of
Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Federal agency.
SEC. 9. PROPERTY OWNERS AND REGULATORY PROTECTIONS.
(a) No Effect on Private Property.--Nothing in this subtitle shall
be construed--
(1) to modify, enlarge, or diminish any authority of
Federal, State, or local governments to regulate any use of
privately owned lands; or
(2) to grant the local coordinating entity any authority to
regulate the use of privately owned lands.
(b) Authority of Governments.--Nothing in this subtitle shall--
(1) modify, enlarge, or diminish any authority of Federal,
State, tribal, or local governments to manage or regulate any
use of land as provided for by law or regulation; or
(2) authorize the local coordinating entity to assume any
management authorities over such lands.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated for the
purposes of this Act $10,000,000, of which not more than $1,000,000
shall be made available for any fiscal year.
(b) Matching Funds.--Federal funding provided under this Act may
not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of any assistance or grant
provided or authorized under this Act.
(c) Administrative Costs.--The local coordinating entity may not
expend more than 15 percent of funds made available under this Act for
administrative costs.
SEC. 11. SUNSET.
The authority of the Secretary to provide financial assistance
under this Act shall terminate on the day occurring 15 years after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line