H.R. 1791 — what changed

to recognize the national importance of the natural and cultural legacies of the area, as demonstrated in the study entitled “Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area Feasibility Study” dated April 2012 and its addendum dated May 2014;

to recognize the heritage of natural resource conservation in the Pacific Northwest and in the Mountains to Sound Greenway;

to promote heritage, cultural, and recreational tourism and to develop educational and cultural programs for visitors and the general public;

to recognize and interpret important events and geographic locations representing key developments in the creation of America, particularly the settlement of the American West and the stories of diverse ethnic groups, Indian tribes, and others;

to enhance a cooperative management framework to assist Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments, the private sector, and citizens residing in the Heritage Area in conserving, supporting, managing, and enhancing natural and recreational sites in the Heritage Area;

to recognize and interpret the relationship between land and people, representing broad American ideals demonstrated through the integrity of existing resources within the Heritage Area; and

to support working relationships between public land managers and the community by creating relevant links between the National Park Service, the Forest Service, other relevant Federal agencies, Tribal governments, State and local governments and agencies, and community stakeholders within and surrounding the Heritage Area in order to protect, enhance, and interpret cultural and natural resources within the Heritage Area.

In general— Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the local coordinating entity shall submit to the Secretary for approval a proposed management plan for the Heritage Area.

Requirements— The management plan shall—

include—

an inventory of the natural, historical, cultural, educational, scenic, and recreational resources of the Heritage Area, including an acknowledgment of the exercise of Tribal treaty rights, that relate to the national importance and themes of the Heritage Area that should be conserved and enhanced;

a description of strategies and recommendations for conservation, funding, management, and development of the Heritage Area;

a description of the actions that Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments, private organizations, and individuals have agreed to take to protect and interpret the natural, cultural, historical, scenic, and recreational resources of the Heritage Area;

a program of implementation for the management plan by the local coordinating entity, including—

performance goals and ongoing performance evaluation; and

commitments for implementation made by partners;

the identification of sources of funding for carrying out the management plan;

analysis and recommendations for means by which Federal, State, local, and Tribal programs may best be coordinated to carry out this section;

an interpretive plan for the Heritage Area, including Tribal heritage;

recommended policies and strategies for resource management, including the development of intergovernmental and interagency cooperative agreements to protect the natural, cultural, historical, scenic, and recreational resources of the Heritage Area; and

a definition of the roles of the National Park Service, the Forest Service, other Federal agencies, and Tribes in the coordination of the Heritage Area and in otherwise furthering the purposes of this Act.

Deadline— If a proposed management plan is not submitted to the Secretary by the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the local coordinating entity shall be ineligible to receive additional funding under this Act until the date on which the Secretary receives and approves the management plan.

In general— Not later than 180 days after the date of receipt of the proposed management plan, the Secretary, in consultation with the State, affected counties, and Tribal governments, shall approve or disapprove the management plan.

Criteria for approval— In determining whether to approve the management plan, the Secretary shall consider whether—

the local coordinating entity has afforded adequate opportunity, including public hearings, for public and governmental involvement in the preparation of the management plan;

the resource protection and interpretation strategies contained in the management plan, if implemented, would adequately protect the natural, cultural, historical, scenic, and recreational resources of the Heritage Area;

the management plan is consistent with the Secretary’s trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and Tribal treaty rights within the National Heritage Area; and

the management plan is supported by the appropriate State, Kittitas County, King County, and local officials, the cooperation of which is needed to ensure the effective implementation of State and local aspects of the management plan.

Action following disapproval— If the Secretary disapproves the management plan, the Secretary shall—

advise the local coordinating entity in writing of the reasons for the disapproval;

make recommendations to the local coordinating entity for revisions to the management plan; and

not later than 180 days after the receipt of any revised management plan from the local coordinating entity, approve or disapprove the revised management plan.

Amendments— The Secretary shall review and approve or disapprove in the same manner as the original management plan, each amendment to the management plan that makes a substantial change to the management plan, as determined by the Secretary. The local coordinating entity shall not carry out any amendment to the management plan until the date on which the Secretary has approved the amendment.

In general— For purposes of implementing the management plan, the Secretary and Forest Service may—

provide technical assistance for the implementation of the management plan; and

enter into cooperative agreements with the local coordinating entity, State and local agencies, Tribes, and other interested parties to carry out this Act, including cooperation and cost sharing as appropriate to provide more cost-effective and coordinated public land management.

Termination of authority— The authority of the Secretary to provide technical assistance under this Act terminates on the date that is 15 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Local coordinating entity authorities— For purposes of implementing the management plan, the local coordinating entity may—

make grants to the State or a political subdivision of the State, Tribes, nonprofit organizations, and other persons;

enter into cooperative agreements with, or provide technical assistance to, Federal agencies, the State or political subdivisions of the State, Tribes, nonprofit organizations, and other interested parties;

hire and compensate staff, including individuals with expertise in natural, cultural, historical, scenic, and recreational resource protection and heritage programming;

obtain money or services from any source, including any money or services that are provided under any other Federal law or program, in which case the Federal share of the cost of any activity assisted using Federal funds provided for National Heritage Areas shall not be more than 50 percent;

contract for goods or services; and

undertake to be a catalyst for other activities that—

further the purposes of the Heritage Area; and

are consistent with the management plan.

Local coordinating entity duties— The local coordinating entity shall—

in accordance with section 5, prepare and submit a management plan to the Secretary;

assist units of Federal, State, and local government, Tribes, regional planning organizations, nonprofit organizations, and other interested parties in carrying out the approved management plan by—

carrying out programs and projects that recognize, protect, and enhance important resource values in the Heritage Area;

establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits and programs in the Heritage Area;

developing recreational and educational opportunities in the Heritage Area; and

increasing public awareness of, and appreciation for, the natural, cultural, historical, Tribal, scenic, and recreational resources of the Heritage Area;

consider the interests of diverse units of government, Tribes, business, organizations, and individuals in the Heritage Area in the preparation and implementation of the management plan;

conduct meetings open to the public at least semiannually regarding the development and implementation of the management plan;

encourage, by appropriate means, economic viability that is consistent with the Heritage Area; and

the expenses and income of the local coordinating entity; and

significant grants or contracts made by the local coordinating entity to any other entity over the 5-year period that describes the activities, expenses, and income of the local coordinating entity (including grants from the local coordinating entity to any other entity during the year that the report is made).

Use of federal funds— Nothing in this Act shall preclude the local coordinating entity from using Federal funds available under other laws for the purposes for which those funds were authorized.

abridge the rights of any owner of public or private property, including the right to refrain from participating in any plan, project, program, or activity conducted within the Heritage Area;

require any property owner—

to allow public access (including access by Federal, State, or local agencies) to the property of the property owner; or

to modify public access or use of property of the property owner under any other Federal, State, or local law;

alter any duly adopted land use regulation, approved land use plan, or other regulatory authority of any Federal, State, Tribal, or local agency;

convey any land use or other regulatory authority to the local coordinating entity or any subsidiary organization, including but not necessarily limited to development and management of energy or water or water-related infrastructure;

authorize or imply the reservation or appropriation of water or water rights;

create any liability, or affects any liability under any other law, of any private property owner with respect to any person injured on the private property;

affect current or future grazing permits, leases, or allotment on Federal lands;

affect the construction, operation, maintenance or expansion of current or future water projects, including water storage, hydroelectric facilities, or delivery systems; or

alter the authority of State, county, or local governments in land use planning or obligate those governments to comply with any recommendations in the management plan.