H.R. 2991 — what changed

Local coordinating entity— The Susquehanna Heritage Corporation, a nonprofit organization established under the laws of the State, shall be the local coordinating entity for the Heritage Area.

Authorities of local coordinating entity— The local coordinating entity may, for purposes of preparing and implementing the management plan—

prepare reports, studies, interpretive exhibits and programs, historic preservation projects, and other activities recommended in the management plan for the Heritage Area;

make grants to the State, political subdivisions of the State, nonprofit organizations, and other persons;

enter into cooperative agreements with the State, political subdivisions of the State, nonprofit organizations, and other organizations;

hire and compensate staff;

Duties of local coordinating entity— To further the purposes of the Heritage Area, the local coordinating entity shall—

prepare a management plan for the Heritage Area in accordance with section 5;

give priority to the implementation of actions, goals, and strategies set forth in the management plan, including assisting units of government and other persons in—

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

encouraging economic viability in the Heritage Area in accordance with the goals of the management plan;

establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits in the Heritage Area;

developing heritage-based recreational and educational opportunities for residents and visitors in the Heritage Area;

increasing public awareness of and appreciation for the natural, historic, and cultural resources of the Heritage Area;

restoring historic buildings that are—

located in the Heritage Area; and

related to the themes of the Heritage Area; and

installing throughout the Heritage Area clear, consistent, and appropriate signs identifying public access points and sites of interest;

consider the interests of diverse units of government, businesses, tourism officials, private property owners, and nonprofit groups within the Heritage Area in developing and implementing the management plan;

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

submit to the Secretary an annual report that describes—

the accomplishments of the local coordinating entity;

the expenses and income of the local coordinating entity; and

the entities to which the local coordinating entity made any grants;

make available for audit all records relating to the expenditure of the Federal funds and any matching funds; and

require, with respect to all agreements authorizing the expenditure of Federal funds by other organizations, that the receiving organizations make available for audit all records relating to the expenditure of the Federal funds.

Other sources— Nothing in this Act precludes the local coordinating entity from using funds from other sources for authorized purposes, including the acquisition of real property or any interest in real property.

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

requires any property owner to permit 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;

alters any duly adopted land use regulation, approved land use plan, or other regulatory authority of any Federal, State, or local agency, or conveys any land use or other regulatory authority to the local coordinating entity;

authorizes or implies the reservation or appropriation of water or water rights;

diminishes the authority of the State to manage fish and wildlife, including the regulation of fishing and hunting within the Heritage Area; or

creates 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.

conduct an evaluation of the accomplishments of the Heritage Area; and

prepare a report in accordance with subsection (c).

Evaluation— An evaluation conducted under subsection (a)(1) shall—

assess the progress of the local coordinating entity with respect to—

accomplishing the purposes of this Act for the Heritage Area; and

achieving the goals and objectives of the approved management plan for the Heritage Area;

analyze the Federal, State, local, and private investments in the Heritage Area to determine the leverage and impact of the investments; and

review the management structure, partnership relationships, and funding of the Heritage Area for purposes of identifying the critical components for sustainability of the Heritage Area.

In general— Based on the evaluation conducted under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall prepare a report that includes recommendations for the future role of the National Park Service, if any, with respect to the Heritage Area.

Submission to congress— On completion of the report, the Secretary shall submit the report to—

the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate; and

the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.