Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Lower Mississippi River Area Study Act”.
Lower Mississippi River Area Study Act
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating sites in the Lower Mississippi River Area in the State of Louisiana as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
Study area— The term study area includes Fort St. Philip, Fort Jackson, the Head of Passes, and any related and supporting historical, cultural, and recreational resources located in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.
Sec. 3 Study
In general— Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the State of Louisiana and other interested organizations, shall complete a special resource study that evaluates—
the national significance of the study area; and
the suitability and feasibility of designating the study area as a unit of the National Park System.
Criteria— In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall use the criteria for the study of areas for potential inclusion in the National Park System in section 8(c) of National Park System General Authorities Act (16 U.S.C. 1a–5(c)).
Content— The study described in subsection (a) shall—
include cost estimates for the potential acquisition, development, operation, and maintenance of the study area; and
identify alternatives for the management, administration, and protection of the study area.
Sec. 4 Agreement; Donations
The study described in section 3 shall not be conducted until the date on which—
the Secretary enters into an agreement with a State, unit of local government, or other entity to conduct the study using non-Federal funds; or
the Secretary receives a donation of an amount of non-Federal funds sufficient to pay the cost of conducting the study.