Order Code IB10126
CRS Issue Brief for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Heritage Areas:
Background, Proposals,
and Current Issues
Updated November 23, 2005
Carol Hardy Vincent and David Whiteman
Resources, Science, and Industry Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

CONTENTS
SUMMARY
MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Background
Overview of Operations
Support, Opposition, and Challenges
Administrative Actions
Legislative Activity
109th Congress Overview
109th Congress Proposals to Establish Systemic Procedures
108th Congress Overview
108th Congress Measures Enacted
108th Congress Proposals to Establish Systemic Procedures
Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report
LEGISLATION
CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS, REPORTS, AND DOCUMENTS
FOR ADDITIONAL READING


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Heritage Areas: Background, Proposals, and Current Issues
SUMMARY
Over the past 20 years, Congress has
staffing, planning, and projects. P.L. 109-54,
established 27 National Heritage Areas
the FY2006 Interior appropriations law, con-
(NHAs) to commemorate, conserve, and
tains $13.5 million (excluding a rescission) for
promote important areas that include natural,
the NPS for assistance to heritage areas.
scenic, historic, cultural, and recreational
resources. NHAs are partnerships between the
Heritage areas have been supported as
National Park Service (NPS), states, and local
protecting lands and traditions and promoting
communities, where the NPS supports state
tourism and community revitalization, but
and local conservation through federal recog-
opposed as potentially costly and possibly
nition, seed money, and technical assistance.
leading to federal control over nonfederal
NHAs are not part of the National Park Sys-
lands.
tem, where lands are federally owned and
managed. Rather, lands within heritage areas
More than 30 measures to designate
typically remain in state, local, or private
NHAs and study the suitability and feasibility
ownership. In addition, other heritage areas
of areas for heritage status have been intro-
have been designated by states and local
duced in the 109th Congress. Some of these
governments and announcements. This issue
have passed the House — H.R. 412, H.R. 694,
brief focuses on heritage areas designated by
and H.R. 938. A Senate-passed bill, S. 203,
Congress, and related issues and legislation.
would establish 10 new areas and authorize
three area studies. The 109th Congress also
There is no comprehensive statute that
provided appropriations for NHA assistance
establishes criteria for designating NHAs or
for FY2006. The 108th Congress considered
provides standards for their funding and man-
about 60 such measures, some of which
agement. Rather, particulars for each area are
passed the House and/or Senate. Debate on
provided in its enabling legislation. Congress
private property rights provisions was conten-
designates a management entity, usually non-
tious during consideration of some of these
federal, to coordinate the work of the partners.
bills. The 108th Congress also created four
This entity typically develops and implements
new NHAs.
a plan for managing the NHA, in collaboration
with other parties. Once approved by the
The sizeable number of existing NHAs,
Secretary of the Interior, the management plan
together with the number of measures pro-
becomes the blueprint for managing the area.
posed in recent Congresses to study and desig-
nate new ones, has intensified interest by the
NHAs might receive funding from a wide
Administration and some Members in enact-
variety of sources, and Congress and the NPS
ing a law providing criteria for designating
do not ordinarily expect to provide NHAs
NHAs, standards for their management, and
with permanent federal funding. Congress
limits on federal funding support. Two such
determines the total level of federal funding
measures have been introduced in the 109th
for NHAs under annual appropriations bills
Congress — H.R. 760 and S. 243 — and the
and typically specifies in appropriations docu-
Senate bill has passed the Senate. A related
ments the funds for each area. NHAs can use
bill passed the Senate in the 108th Congress
federal funds for many purposes, including
but no further action was taken.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
On November 15, 2005, the House passed H.R. 326 to amend the boundary of the Yuma
Crossing NHA. On the same date, a Senate subcommittee held a hearing on a related bill (S.
505) and on S. 1544, to designate the Northern Plains NHA in North Dakota. On November
10, 2005, a House subcommittee held a hearing on H.R. 413, to designate the Bleeding
Kansas NHA in Kansas and Missouri.

BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Background
Over the last two decades, Congress has designated 27 National Heritage Areas (NHAs)
to recognize and assist efforts to protect, commemorate, and promote natural, cultural,
historic, and recreational resources that form distinctive landscapes. Congress has
established heritage areas for lands that are regarded as distinctive because of their
resources, their built environment, and the culture and history associated with these areas and
their residents. A principal distinction of these areas is an emphasis on the interaction of
people and their environment. Heritage areas seek to tell the story of the people, over time,
where the landscape helped shape the traditions of the residents. In a majority of cases,
NHAs now have, or have had, a fundamental economic activity as their foundation, such as
agriculture, water transportation, or industrial development. Congress also has enacted
measures authorizing the study of areas to determine their suitability and feasibility for
heritage designation.
Congress designated the first heritage area — the Illinois and Michigan Canal National
Heritage Corridor — in 1984. This area was located in one of the nation’s most
industrialized regions and sought to combine a diversity of land uses, management programs,
and historical themes. A goal was to facilitate grassroots preservation of natural resources
and economic development in areas containing industries and historic structures. The federal
government would assist the effort (e.g., through technical assistance) but not lead it. The
idea of linking and maintaining a balance between nature and industry, and encouraging
economic regeneration, resonated with many states and communities, especially in the
eastern United States. Interest in establishing heritage areas was commensurate with growing
public interest in cultural heritage tourism.
Since 1984, Congress has designated a total of 27 NHAs. The attributes of each NHA
are set out in its establishing law. Because they are based on distinctive cultural attributes,
NHAs vary in appearance and expression. They are at different stages of developing and
implementing plans to protect and promote their attributes. Table 1, below, identifies the
current NHAs.
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Table 1. Existing National Heritage Areas, by Date of Authorization
Date of
Enabling
National heritage area
State
authorization
legislation
Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage
IL
August 24, 1984
P.L. 98-398
Corridor
John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National
MA/RI
November 10, 1986
P.L. 99-647
Heritage Corridor
Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
PA
November 18, 1988
P.L. 100-692
Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation
PA
November 19, 1988
P.L. 100-698
Commission (Path of Progress)
Cane River National Heritage Area
LA
November 2, 1994
P.L. 103-449
Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National
CT/MA
November 2, 1994
P.L. 103-449
Heritage Corridor
Cache La Poudre River Corridor
CO
October 19, 1996
P.L. 104-323
America’s Agricultural Heritage Partnership (Silos
IA
November 12, 1996
P.L. 104-333
and Smokestacks)
Augusta Canal National Heritage Area
GA
November 12, 1996
P.L. 104-333
Essex National Heritage Area
MA
November 12, 1996
P.L. 104-333
Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area
NY
November 12, 1996
P.L. 104-333
National Coal Heritage Area
WV
November 12, 1996
P.L. 104-333
Ohio and Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor
OH
November 12, 1996
P.L. 104-333
Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area
PA
November 12, 1996
P.L. 104-333
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic
VA
November 12, 1996
P.L. 104-333
District
South Carolina National Heritage Corridor
SC
November 12, 1996
P.L. 104-333
Tennessee Civil War Heritage Area
TN
November 12, 1996
P.L. 104-333
(MotorCities-)Automobile National Heritage Area
MI
November 6, 1998
P.L. 105-355
Lackawanna Valley National Heritage Area
PA
October 6, 2000
P.L. 106-278
Schuylkill River Valley National Heritage Area
PA
October 6, 2000
P.L. 106-278
Wheeling National Heritage Area
WV
October 11, 2000
P.L. 106-291
Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area
AZ
October 19, 2000
P.L. 106-319
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
NY
December 21, 2000
P.L. 106-554
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
NC
November 10, 2003
P.L. 108-108
National Aviation Heritage Area
OH/IN
December 8, 2004
P.L. 108-447
Oil Region National Heritage Area
PA
December 8, 2004
P.L. 108-447
Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area
MS
December 8, 2004
P.L. 108-447
Sources: P.L. 108-447, and U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Heritage Areas:
Legislative Citations
, at [http://www.cr.nps.gov/heritageareas/INFO/legisindex.HTM], visited Dec. 1, 2003,
and U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Budget Justifications and Performance
Information, Fiscal Year 2004
(Washington, DC: 2003), page NR&P 83.
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Heritage areas are not federally owned, and a designation generally is not intended to
lead to federal acquisition of lands. They consist mainly of private properties, although some
include publicly owned lands. In most cases, the laws establishing NHAs do not provide for
acquisition of land, and once designated, heritage areas generally remain in private, state, or
local government ownership. However, in a few cases Congress has authorized federal
acquisition of land in heritage areas. For instance, Congress authorized creation of the Cane
River Creole National Historical Park (LA) within the Cane River NHA. Such cases of
federal acquisition/ownership have been challenged by property rights advocates, who
generally oppose federal land ownership and possible resulting limitations on private land
uses. (See “Support, Opposition, and Challenges,” below.)
Heritage areas are among the types of entities that use technical and financial aid from
the National Park Service (NPS) but are not directly owned and managed by the agency.
They also are not part of the National Park System, where lands are federally owned and
managed. Congressional designation of heritage areas is commonly viewed as a less
expensive alternative to creating and operating new units of the National Park System. That
System now has 388 diverse units: national parks, national monuments, national historic
sites, national battlefields, national preserves, and other designations. (For information on
establishing units of the National Park System, see CRS Report RS20158, National Park
System: Establishing New Units
, by Carol Hardy Vincent.)
While the concept of heritage areas is more than two decades old, NHAs are viewed by
some as an experimental form of protecting lands that reflects an evolution in roles and
responsibilities. The traditional form of NPS land protection has been through government
ownership, management, and funding of lands set aside for protection and enjoyment. By
contrast, NHAs typically are non-federally owned, managed by local people with many
partners and NPS advice, funded from many sources, and intended to promote local
economic development as well as protect natural and cultural heritage resources and values.

Since the creation of the first NHA, interest in additional NHA designations has grown
considerably. There has been significant interest from communities seeking tourism and
economic revitalization as well as conservation and preservation. The Bush Administration
generally has supported NHAs because they embody partnerships between communities and
the federal government, locally driven resource preservation, and local (rather than federal)
control of land. At hearings early in the 109th Congress, however, the Administration
recommended deferring action on certain bills seeking to establish heritage areas, despite
favorable studies of the areas, until systemic NHA legislation is enacted. (See “Legislative
Activity,” below.) In the past few Congresses, many proposals to designate heritage areas
or study lands for heritage status have been introduced, and Congress has held many hearings
on heritage bills and issues. More than thirty bills introduced thus far in the 109th Congress,
and approximately 60 proposals introduced in the 108th Congress, to designate heritage areas
or study lands for heritage status indicate a continued high level of congressional interest in
NHAs. The sizeable number of existing NHAs, together with the substantial number of
proposals to study and designate new ones, has fostered interest by some Members and the
Administration in establishing a standardized process and criteria for designating NHAs.
(See “Legislative Activity,” below.) However, some opponents believe NHAs present such
numerous problems and challenges that Congress should oppose efforts to designate new
areas and create a “system” of NHAs. (See “Support, Opposition, and Challenges,” below.)
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In addition to the federal heritage areas, other heritage areas have been designated by
local governments or announcements by local preservation groups, and a number of states
have developed their own heritage area programs. A White House initiative, Preserve
America
(Executive Order 13287, Mar. 3, 2003), directs federal agencies to improve
management of historic properties through adaptive reuse initiatives and to promote heritage
tourism through partnerships with communities. Also, the Alliance of National Heritage
Areas (ANHA), a collaboration of the management entities for the federally designated
NHAs, working through its Heritage Development Institute initiative, provides training to
practitioners of heritage development. (See [http://www.heritagedevelopmentinstitute.org/
home], visited on August 24, 2005.) The ANHA also operates a resource center for heritage
areas, organizes educational workshops and programs, and promotes heritage tourism.
Overview of Operations
There is no comprehensive statute that establishes criteria for designating NHAs or
provides standards for their funding and management. Rather, particulars for an area are
provided in its enabling legislation. While there tended to be greater variety in the creation
and operation of earlier heritage areas, over the past several years the establishment and
management of heritage areas have become somewhat more standardized. Common
understandings and characteristics are discussed below.
NHAs involve partnerships between the NPS, states, and local interests. In establishing
heritage areas, Congress typically designates a management entity to coordinate the work of
the partners. Management entities could include state or local government agencies,
nonprofit corporations, and independent federal commissions. The management entity
usually develops and implements a plan for managing the NHA, in collaboration with
partners and other interested parties. While the components of the plans vary, in accordance
with the authorizing legislation and local needs, they often identify resources and themes; lay
out policies and implementation strategies for protection, use, and public education; describe
needed restoration of physical sites; discuss recreational opportunities; outline funding goals
and possibilities; and define the roles and responsibilities of partners. Once the Secretary of
the Interior approves a plan, it essentially becomes the blueprint for managing the heritage
area and is implemented as funding and resources are available. Implementation of
management plans is accomplished primarily through voluntary actions.
NHAs might receive funding to prepare and implement their plans from a wide array
of sources, including philanthropic organizations, endowments, individuals, businesses, and
governments. Congress and the NPS do not ordinarily expect to provide NHAs with
permanent federal funding, but rather encourage NHAs to develop alternative sources of
funding to become financially self-sufficient. A March 30, 2004 report of the General
Accounting Office (now called the Government Accountability Office) states that during the
six-year period from FY1997 to FY2002, heritage areas received $310 million in total
funding. About half the funds ($154 million) were derived from state and local governments
and private sources, with the other half ($156 million) provided by the federal government.
Of the federal funding, about $50 million came from the NPS heritage program and $44
million came from other NPS programs, with the balance (about $61 million) provided by
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11 other federal sources.1 A report of the Alliance of National Heritage Areas with data over
a longer period shows the federal contribution at about one-third (34%) of total funding from
1985 through 2004. State and local governments also contributed about one-third (35%) of
NHA funds, with private funding sources providing 27% and the remaining 4% deriving
from other sources. For 2004, the report indicates that the federal (30%) and state and local
(27%) shares of NHA funding were significantly less than private contributions (42%). The
remaining 1% of NHA funding during 2004 was provided by other sources.2
Congress determines the total level of federal funding for NHAs and typically specifies
in appropriations documents the allocation for each NHA that is funded. The management
entity generally receives any federal appropriations for the area. Federal funds might be used
to help rehabilitate an important site, develop tours, establish interpretive exhibits and
programs, increase public awareness, and sponsor special events to showcase an area’s
natural and cultural heritage. In testimony presented in March 2003, an official from the
Department of the Interior (DOI) testified to the success of NHAs in using funds provided
by the NPS to leverage additional funding from other sources.3
Support, Opposition, and Challenges4
Some believe that the benefits of heritage areas are considerable and thus Congress
should expand its assistance for creating and sustaining heritage areas. Supporters view
NHAs as important for protecting history, traditions, and cultural landscapes, especially
where communities are losing their traditional economic base (e.g., industry or farming),
facing a loss of population, or experiencing rapid growth from people unfamiliar with the
region. Advocates see NHAs as unifying forces that increase the pride of people in their
traditions, foster a spirit of cooperation and unity, and promote a stewardship ethic among
the general public.
Advocates of NHAs assert that they foster cultural tourism, community revitalization,
and regional economic development. Heritage areas are advertised as entertaining and
1 The data reflect funding for 22 of the then existing 24 heritage areas. See U.S. General Accounting
Office, National Park Service: A More Systematic Process for Establishing National Heritage Areas
and Actions to Improve Their Accountability Are Needed
, GAO-04-593T, Summary (Washington,
DC, March 30, 2004), at [http://www.gao.gov/].
2 See Alliance of National Heritage Areas, Telling America’s Story: Annual Report 2004, p. 10, at
[http://www.nationalheritageareas.org/reports.htm].
3 Testimony of Paul Hoffman, U.S. Department of the Interior, before the Senate Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources, Subcommittee on National Parks, March 13, 2003, available at
[http://energy.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=627&wit_id=1714].
4 For sources generally supportive of NHAs, see, for example, the websites of the National Park
Service at [http://www.cr.nps.gov/heritageareas/], Alliance of National Heritage Areas at [http://
www.nationalheritageareas.com/], and the National Trust for Historic Preservation at [http://www.
ruralheritage.org/]. For information generally opposed to NHAs, see, for example, the websites of
the Property Rights Foundation of America, Inc., at [http://prfamerica.org/
HeritageRiversAreasIndex.html] and the American Policy Center at [http://www.americanpolicy.
org/prop/main.htm], and congressional testimony by Daniel M. Clifton of Americans for Tax Reform
at [http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/108cong/parks/2003sep16/agenda.htm].
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educational places for tourists, and may involve activities such as stories, music, food areas,
walking tours, boat rides, and celebrations. Through increased tourism, communities benefit
locally when services and products are purchased. In some cases, increased heritage tourism,
together with an emphasis on adaptive reuse of historic resources, has attracted broader
business growth and development.
Some supporters see NHAs as generally more desirable than other types of land
conservation. They prefer the designation of NHAs because the lands typically remain in
nonfederal ownership, to be administered locally. Other NHA backers view establishing and
managing federal areas, such as units of the National Park System, as too costly, and observe
that small federal investments in heritage areas have been successful in attracting funds from
other sources. Some proponents also see NHAs as flexible enough to encompass a diverse
array of initiatives and areas because the heritage concept lacks systemic laws or regulations,
while other proponents favor a standardized program and process.
Property rights advocates take the lead in opposing heritage areas. They contend that
some national heritage areas lack significant local support. They charge that private property
owners should be routinely notified when their lands fall within proposed heritage areas,
because the NPS could exert a degree of federal control over nonfederal lands by influencing
zoning and land-use planning. Some fear that any private property protections in legislation
would not be routinely adhered to by the federal government. They are concerned that
localities have to obtain the approval of the Secretary of the Interior for heritage area
management plans and believe that some plans are overly prescriptive in regulating details
of private property use (e.g., the species of trees that landowners can plant). Another concern
of opponents is that NHA lands may one day be targeted for purchase and direct management
by the federal government.
The lack of a general statute providing a framework for heritage area establishment,
management, and funding has prompted criticism that the process is inconsistent and
fragmented. Some see a need to establish and define the criteria for creating NHAs, specify
what NHAs are and do, and clarify the federal role in supporting these areas. They are
concerned that the enactment of additional heritage bills could substantially increase the
administrative and financial obligations of the NPS. Some detractors assert that federal
funds would be more appropriately spent on NPS park units and other existing protected
areas rather than on creating new heritage areas. Still others cite a need for a mechanism to
hold the management entities accountable for the federal funds they receive and the decisions
they make.

Some observers recommend caution in creating NHAs, because in practice NHAs may
face an array of challenges to success. For instance, heritage areas may have difficulty
providing the infrastructure that increased tourism requires, such as additional parking,
lodging, restaurants, and well-coordinated attractions. Other areas may need additional
protective measures to ensure that increased tourism and development do not degrade the
resources and landscapes. Still other NHAs may require improvements in leadership and
organization of the management entities, including explaining their message and
accomplishments. Some NHAs may experience difficulty attracting funds because the
concept is relatively recent and not universally accepted as a sustainable approach to resource
preservation or economic development. Some conservationists think the protective measures
are not strong enough and some economic development professionals think the heritage idea
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does not fit the traditional framework for development. Also, achieving and maintaining
appropriate levels of public commitment to implementation may be challenging.5
Administrative Actions
The NPS assists communities interested in attaining the federal NHA designation by
helping them craft a regional vision for heritage preservation and development. The agency
also provides a variety of types of assistance to areas once designated — administrative,
financial, policy, technical, and public information. The NPS seeks to serve as a catalyst by
offering assistance to designated heritage areas only for a limited number of years.
Specifically, the NPS has sought to limit each heritage area to no more than $1 million per
year, not to exceed $10 million per area over 15 years. In 2004, the Administration presented
a draft National Heritage Partnership Act that sought, in part, to codify these funding
parameters and require each heritage area management plan to include a business plan
demonstrating financial capability to carry out the plan. This business plan was intended to
foster self-sufficiency of NHAs.6 Similar provisions are included in S. 243, which passed
the Senate, and H.R. 760, which has been introduced. (See “Legislative Activity,” below.)
As part of its annual budget justification to Congress for the National Park Service, the
Administration submits its desired overall funding level for the NPS Heritage Partnership
Program. Congress generally determines a total funding level and the distribution of the
funds for specified NHAs. NHAs can use such funds for varied purposes including staffing,
planning, and implementing projects. For FY2006, the Administration requested $5.0
million for NHAs, a significant decrease from the FY2005 level of $14.6 million.
Historically, the Bush Administration’s requests for NHA funding have been significantly
lower than the previous year’s appropriation; however, Congress typically has restored or
increased NHA funds. In a May 19, 2005, Statement of Administration Policy, the
Administration urged the House to approve its proposed reduction in funding for NHAs.
Nevertheless, P.L. 109-54, the FY2006 Interior appropriations law, contained $13.5 million,
excluding a rescission of 0.476%.
Once a heritage area is designated by Congress, the NPS typically enters into a
cooperative agreement, or compact, with the designated management entity, often comprised
of local activists, to help plan and organize the area. The compact outlines the goals for the
heritage area and defines the roles and contributions of the NPS and other partners, typically
setting out the parameters of the NPS’s technical assistance. It also serves as the legal
vehicle for channeling federal funds to non-governmental management entities.
At congressional direction, the NPS also prepares studies as to whether areas are
suitable for designating as NHAs. The NPS often testifies before Congress on the results of
these studies. The studies typically address a variety of topics, including whether an area has
5 Information on challenges to NHA success is found in Jane Daly, “Heritage Areas: Connecting
People to their Place and History,” Forum Journal (Journal of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation
), vol. 17, no. 4 (summer 2003), pp. 5-12.
6 Testimony of A. Durand Jones, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, before the
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Subcommittee on National Parks, March 30,
2004, at [http://energy.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1128].
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resources reflecting aspects of American heritage that are worthy of recognition,
conservation, and continued use. They usually discuss whether an area would benefit from
being managed through a public-private partnership, and if there is a community of residents,
businesses, nonprofit organizations, and state and local agencies that would work to support
a heritage area.
Administration representatives have testified in support of developing systemic NHA
legislation to list the qualities a prospective area must possess and the parameters under
which designation could occur. At a March 30, 2004 hearing of a Senate Energy and Natural
Resources Subcommittee, a DOI witness7 outlined the Administration’s draft legislation to
create a National Heritage Areas Program. At an earlier subcommittee hearing, the Deputy
Director of the NPS expressed “strong support” for legislation to establish a national heritage
program, while suggesting modifications to S. 2543 on behalf of DOI.8

The NPS Advisory Board was created in 1935 to advise the Director of the NPS and the
Secretary of the Interior on issues relating to the National Park Service. The Partnership
Committee of the NPS Advisory Board conducted a review of NHAs, the Heritage
Partnership Program, and future NPS involvement with NHAs. The DOI accepted the
committee’s findings and recommendations and recommended their transmittal to Congress.
An interim report contains the committee’s findings and recommendations.9 A key
recommendation is to establish a legislative foundation for a system of NHAs in the Park
Service, based on specified concepts. A final report is expected in late 2005.
Legislative Activity

109th Congress Overview. The 109th Congress continues a high level of interest in
heritage area bills and issues. On July 26, 2005, the Senate passed S. 203, to establish 10
new heritage areas as follows: Northern Rio Grande NHA, Atchafalaya NHA, Arabia
Mountain NHA, Mormon Pioneer NHA, Bleeding Kansas NHA, Upper Housatonic Valley
NHA, Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership, Great Basin National Heritage
Route, Gullah/Geechee Heritage Corridor, and Crossroads of the American Revolution NHA.
The bill also would authorize studies of the suitability and feasibility of establishing three
other areas: the Western Reserve NHA, St. Croix NHA, and Southern Campaign of the
Revolution NHA. Further, it would amend the Illinois and Michigan Canal National
Heritage Corridor regarding transition of the management entity from a federal commission
to a nonprofit organization; such provisions were incorporated into H.R. 938 as passed by
the House.
Three bills to designate heritage areas and/or study areas for possible heritage
designation have passed the House. H.R. 412 would authorize a study of whether to
establish the Western Reserve NHA, while H.R. 694 would designate the Gullah/Geechee
7 Ibid.
8 Testimony of A. Durand Jones, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, before the
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Subcommittee on National Parks, June 24,
2004, at [http://energy.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1243&wit_id=169].
9 A copy of the interim report is available on the NPS website at
[http://www.cr.nps.gov/heritageareas/].
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Cultural Heritage Area. H.R. 938 would authorize a study of whether to establish the St.
Croix NHA and designate the Northern Rio Grande and Upper Housatonic Valley NHAs.
Other bills to designate heritage areas or study specific areas for possible heritage status have
been introduced. Some of them would create heritage “corridors,” “routes,” or
“partnerships.” A number of existing heritage areas have similar titles, and the NPS
considers all of them to be NHAs. These bills are shown in Table 2, below. General
heritage area legislation (in contrast to area designations or studies) is discussed following
the table and is identified in the “Legislation” section, below.
Other pending legislation would amend existing heritage areas. H.R. 3843 would
amend the boundary of the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor to include three
counties, with related changes to the area’s management plan. As introduced, H.R. 326 and
S. 505 would amend the boundary of the Yuma Crossing NHA, and the House bill also
would extend the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance from 2015
until 2020. H.R. 326 passed the House with an amendment to strike the extension for the
Secretary to provide assistance. A Senate subcommittee held a hearing on S. 505 on
November 15, 2005. H.R. 1205 and S. 574 seek to amend the Quinebaug and Shetucket
Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor Act to increase the authorization of appropriations
and extend the authorization for the heritage corridors. For the John H. Chafee Blackstone
River Valley National Heritage Corridor, S. 1387, S. 1721, and H.R. 3775 would provide for
an update of the management plan, extend the authority of the commission, and authorize
additional appropriations.
For each of nine heritage areas, H.R. 888 and S. 1721 would extend the authorization
from September 30, 2012, to September 30, 2027, and increase the total authorization of
appropriations from $10 million to $20 million. They also would rename the Ohio and Erie
Canal National Heritage Corridor as the Ohio and Erie National Heritage Canalway, and
make other changes regarding that area, the National Coal Heritage Area, and the South
Carolina National Heritage Corridor. S. 1721 has additional provisions as discussed above
and shown in the table below.
On March 15, 2005, a Senate subcommittee held a hearing on establishing three heritage
areas that feasibility studies determined to be appropriate for designation. They are in the
“Bleeding Kansas” area (KS, MO; S. 175), Champlain Valley (NY, VT; S. 322), and Upper
Housatonic Valley (CT, MA; S. 429). Several witnesses testified in favor of establishing one
or more of the areas as NHAs, while one witness testified against NHAs generally. The
Administration recommended deferring action on the bills until the enactment of systemic
NHA legislation that would set guidelines and a process for designating NHAs. The
Administration also recommended deferring action due to current fiscal constraints and for
consistency with the Administration’s FY2006 budget.
While the Administration’s FY2006 budget proposed a sizeable decrease in funding for
the NPS for NHAs, the Administration asserted that through several efforts and programs the
budget “will go a long way toward supporting local efforts to preserve” heritage resources.10
10 Testimony of Janet Snyder Mattthews, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior,
before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Subcommittee on National Parks,
(continued...)
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At a March 1, 2005, Senate committee hearing on the DOI budget, Secretary of the Interior
Gale Norton stated that the NPS is seeking money for heritage areas from sources including
one proposed program — Preserve America. Through P.L. 109-54, which provided $13.5
for NPS assistance to heritage areas, Congress rejected the Administration’s request for a
large program decrease. More recently, the House Republican Study Committee, in a
September 21, 2005 document, proposed eliminating funding for NHAs as part of a wide
array of options to offset spending for relief from Hurricane Katrina.
On August 10, 2005, the President signed H.R. 3, the Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users (P.L. 109-59). The law would authorize funds for federal-aid highways,
highway safety programs, and transit programs, among other purposes. The omnibus bill
authorized appropriations for several years for congressional “high priority projects” under
Title I, Federal-Aid Highways. Title I included authorizations for projects at the Erie
Canalway National Heritage Corridor and the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley
National Heritage Corridor. Title III, Federal Transit Administration Programs, included
project authorizations for new fixed guideway capital projects. Among the projects
authorized by H.R. 3 for alternatives analysis and preliminary engineering is the Aviation
Heritage Corridor Streetcar Project in Dayton, Ohio. (For more information on the operation
of federal highway and transit programs, see CRS Report RL33119, Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU or
SAFETEA): Selected Major Provisions
, by John W. Fischer.)
Table 2. Bills to Establish Heritage Areas or Authorize Studies, 109th
Congress
(as of November 22, 2005)
Bill Number
State
Type
Title
Status
H.R. 61
VI
Study
St. Croix NHA Study Act
Introduced;
H.R. 938
Passed House;
S. 203
Passed Senate
H.R. 73
VA
Study
Northern Neck NHA Study Act
Introduced
H.R. 87/S. 825
NJ
Desig.
Crossroads of the American Revolution
Introduced;
S. 203
NHA Act
Passed Senate
H.R. 412
OH
Study
Western Reserve Heritage Area Study Act
Passed House;
S. 203
Passed Senate
H.R. 413
KS/MO
Desig.
Bleeding Kansas NHA Act
Hearing Held;
S. 175
Hearing Held;
S. 203
Passed Senate
H.R. 522
LA
Desig.
Atchafalaya NHA Act
Introduced;
S. 204
Comm. Reported
(S.Rept. 109-5);
S. 203
Passed Senate
10 (...continued)
March 15, 2005, at [http://energy.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1412], visited March 22,
2005.
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Bill Number
State
Type
Title
Status
H.R. 694
FL, GA,
Desig.
Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Act
Passed House;
NC, SC
S. 203
Passed Senate
H.R. 732
NM
Desig.
Northern Rio Grande NHA Act
Introduced;
H.R. 938
Passed House;
S. 63
Comm. Reported
(S.Rept. 109-1);
S. 203
Passed Senate
H.R. 938
CT/MA
Desig.
Upper Housatonic Valley NHA Act
Passed House;
S. 429
Hearing Held;
S. 203
Passed Senate
H.R. 956/S. 1898
MA/NH
Desig.
Freedom’s Way NHA Act
Introduced
H.R. 1087
NC
Study
Northeastern North Carolina Heritage
Introduced
Area Study Act
H.R. 1192/S. 973
IL
Desig.
Abraham Lincoln NHA Act
Introduced
H.R. 1289/S.
SC
Study
Southern Campaign of the Revolution
Introduced;
1121
Heritage Area Study Act
Passed Senate
S. 203
H.R. 2099/H.R.
GA
Desig.
Arabia Mountain NHA Act
Introduced;
2297
Comm. Reported
S. 200
(S.Rept. 109-3);
Passed Senate
S. 203
H.R. 3158
TN
Desig.
Cherokee Overhill Territory NHA
Introduced
S. 163
UT
Desig.
Mormon Pioneer NHA Act
Comm. Reported
(S.Rept. 109-2);
S. 203
Passed Senate
S. 249
NV, UT
Desig.
Great Basin National Heritage Route Act
Comm. Reported
(S.Rept. 109-6);
S. 203
Passed Senate
S. 322
NY, VT
Desig.
Champlain Valley National Heritage
Hearing Held;
S. 203
Partnership Act
Passed Senate
S. 1414
AZ, CO,
Study
Trail of the Ancients NHA Study Act
Introduced
NM, UT
S. 1544
ND
Desig.
Northern Plains NHA Act
Hearing Held
S. 1721
MS
Desig.
Mississippi River NHA Act
Introduced
S. 2037
CO
Desig.
Sangre de Cristo NHA Act
Introduced
Source: Compiled by CRS from the Legislative Information System (LIS) of the U.S. Congress, 109th Congress
data file.
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109th Congress Proposals to Establish Systemic Procedures. Under
consideration are House and Senate companion bills — H.R. 760 and S. 243 — to establish
a unified process for creating, operating, and funding NHAs and a heritage area program
(House bill) or system (Senate bill). The Senate passed S. 243 on July 26, 2005, with an
amendment in the nature of a substitute. The House bill is essentially identical to legislation
(S. 2543) passed by the Senate but not enacted in the 108th Congress, while S. 243 contains
additional provisions. Both 109th Congress bills would require the Secretary of the Interior
to conduct suitability-feasibility studies, or review and comment on such studies prepared
by others, for areas under consideration for NHA designation. They set out criteria by which
such areas would be evaluated, including identification of a local coordinating entity,
demonstration of support by local governments and communities, development of a
conceptual financial plan outlining the responsibilities of participants, and concurrence of
managers of any federal lands within the proposed NHA. The criteria include evidence of
resources and traditional uses that are of “national importance,” a term used to avoid
confusion with the “national significance” needed for designating units of the National Park
System.
The measures would provide for the local coordinating entity for an NHA to develop
a management plan for the area within three years of the availability of funds, and a process
and time frame for action by the Secretary of the Interior to approve/disapprove the plan.
The management plan is to include a business plan demonstrating that the local coordinating
entity has sufficient partnerships and financial resources to carry out the plan, to encourage
self-sufficiency of heritage areas. For each NHA, the bills would authorize funding of not
more than $1 million per year, with a total of not more than $10 million over 15 years. The
House bill would cap funding for all NHAs at $15 million per year, while the Senate-passed
bill includes $25 million. The Senate-passed bill also includes provisions on partnership
support, authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to award competitive grants to local
coordinating entities whose financial assistance has ended. The grants could be used for
individual projects at NHAs that further the purposes of the management plan.
The bills seek to protect private property owners, for instance, by not requiring their
participation in NHA plans and activities. They also seek to protect existing regulatory
authorities — for example, by not altering “any duly adopted land use regulation, approved
land use plan, or other regulatory authority.” They set out the responsibilities of local
coordinating entities and the authorities of the Secretary of the Interior (through the NPS).
The Senate-passed bill also sets out the relationship between the NHA system and the
National Park System, stating explicitly that NHAs are not to be considered units of the Park
System.
108th Congress Overview. The 108th Congress considered measures to designate
and study heritage areas, as well as to extend the authorization of existing NHAs, establish
uniform criteria and procedures for designating and managing heritage areas, and appropriate
funds for heritage areas. The 108th Congress also held legislative and oversight hearings on
heritage bills and issues.
In addition to enacting several measures (see below), the 108th Congress considered, but
did not enact, about 60 bills for more than 20 different areas, to establish other NHAs or to
study the suitability and feasibility of areas for heritage status. Some of these bills passed
the House and/or Senate. Other legislation sought to extend the authorization for certain
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NHAs from September 30, 2012, until September 30, 2027, and increase the total funding
authorized for each area from $10 million to $20 million. Still other measures proposed
changes to existing NHAs to add explicit property rights protections, revise boundaries, or
amend management authorities.
108th Congress Measures Enacted. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of
FY2005 (P.L. 108-447) established three new NHAs: the National Aviation Heritage Area
(OH/IN), the Oil Region NHA (PA), and the Mississippi Gulf Coast NHA (MS). The
language for all three heritage areas seeks to protect private property rights, although the
Mississippi Gulf Coast provisions do not include property owner notification and consent
language. Such language for the other two areas provides that private property shall not be
“preserved, conserved, or promoted by the management plan for the Heritage Area” until the
owner receives written notification and gives written consent. Owners of land within the
boundary of the heritage area “shall have their property immediately removed” upon written
request. Further, private property owners cannot be compelled to allow public access to their
property or to participate in, or be associated with, the NHA. Private property provisions
have been advocated as necessary to prevent federally influenced restrictive zoning, to
protect land-use options of property owners, and to prevent possible future federal ownership
of heritage lands. Opponents have criticized such provisions as impractical, expensive, and
burdensome for the local management entities. In earlier action, provisions of P.L. 108-108
established the Blue Ridge NHA (NC) with specified private property protections.
As in previous Congresses, the 108th Congress enacted appropriations for the NPS to
partially fund heritage areas. The FY2005 request for NHA funding was $2.5 million, an
$11.8 million decrease from the FY2004 enacted level. P.L. 108-447 provided $14.6 million
for 25 of the 27 existing heritage areas for FY2005, including $500,000 for three NHAs
established in the law. For FY2004, Congress enacted $14.3 million for the NPS for heritage
areas (P.L. 108-108).

108th Congress Proposals to Establish Systemic Procedures. Legislation
governing the evaluation, designation, and management of new NHAs was considered but
not enacted during the 108th Congress. S. 2543, which passed the Senate on September 15,
2004, sought to establish a unified process for creating, operating, and funding NHAs. It was
similar to draft legislation prepared by the Administration. This legislation was reintroduced
in the 109th Congress (H.R. 760) and is discussed above.
H.R. 1427, to establish procedures for designating, managing, and funding heritage
areas, also was introduced in the 108th Congress but no further action was taken. The bill
would have authorized the Secretary of the Interior to recommend to Congress that an area
be granted heritage designation if, within five years of Congress authorizing a feasibility
study, the Secretary has completed the study, determined the area to be suitable, and
approved a management plan for the area. Prior to the Secretary’s recommendation, private
property owners would have been notified and given an opportunity to decide whether to
include their property in heritage area activities. The bill outlined requirements for
conducting and approving feasibility studies. It would have required the local coordinating
entity for the proposed area to prepare a management plan and would have provided for
action by the Secretary to approve/disapprove the plan.
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H.R. 1427 would have authorized the Secretary to make grants during the five-year
period following authorization of a feasibility study for a “proposed” NHA. For established
heritage areas, the bill would have authorized the Secretary to make grants during a 10-year
period, and would have authorized appropriations of not more than $1 million yearly per area
with not more than $10 million total per NHA. Grant recipients would have been required
to provide matching funds, while the Secretary would have been authorized to provide
technical assistance on a nonreimbursable basis. The bill also contained provisions seeking
to protect private property, and outlined circumstances and procedures under which the
Secretary would terminate funding for an NHA.
Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report. A GAO report on NHAs,
released March 30, 2004, concluded that because there is no systematic process for
designating NHAs, or well-defined NPS criteria for assessing the qualifications of areas, it
is not possible to ensure that future areas will have the resources and support to be viable or
that federal funds are well spent. The agency also concluded that the NPS does not employ
key management controls in overseeing heritage areas; for instance, the NPS does not
consistently review areas’ financial audit reports or use results-oriented goals and measures.
Further, the agency asserted that existing heritage areas do not appear to have affected
property owners’ rights. The GAO recommends that in the absence of congressional action
to establish a formal heritage program, the NPS take the following actions: develop
standards and processes for the agency’s regional staff to use in approving heritage area
management plans; require regular and consistent review of audit reports of NHAs; and
develop results-oriented goals and measures for heritage area activities.
LEGISLATION
Measures to establish individual heritage areas or authorize studies of individual areas,
as of November 22, 2005, are listed in Table 2, above. This section includes general
heritage area legislation introduced in the 109th Congress.
H.R. 760 (Hefley); S. 243 (Thomas)
The National Heritage Partnership Act would establish a program and criteria for
NHAs. H.R. 760 introduced Feb. 10, 2005; referred to Committee on Resources. S. 243
passed Senate July 26, 2005; referred to House Committee on Resources July 27, 2005.
H.R. 888 (Regula)
For several existing NHAs, seeks to extend the authority of the Secretary of the Interior
and to increase total authorization of appropriations, among other changes. Introduced Feb.
17, 2005; referred to Committee on Resources.
S. 203 (Thomas)
This measure seeks to create 10 new heritage areas, authorize three area studies, and
amend the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor regarding transition of the
management entity. Passed Senate July 26, 2005; referred to House Committee on
Resources July 27, 2005.
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CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS, REPORTS, AND DOCUMENTS
U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Arabia Mountain
National Heritage Area Act, S.Rept. 109-3, 109th Cong., 1st Sess., Feb. 16, 2005,
available on the Web in LIS under S. 200 at
[http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp109:FLD010:@1(sr003)].
——Atchafalaya National Heritage Area Act, S.Rept. 109-5, 109th Cong., 1st Sess., Feb. 16,
2005, available on the Web in LIS under S. 204 at
[http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp109:FLD010:@1(sr005)].
——Great Basin National Heritage Route Act, S.Rept. 109-6, 109th Cong., 1st Sess., Feb. 16,
2005, available on the Web in LIS under S. 249 at
[http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp109:FLD010:@1(sr006)].
——Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area Act, S.Rept. 109-2, 109th Cong., 1st Sess., Feb.
16, 2005, available on the Web in LIS under S. 163 at
[http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp109:FLD010:@1(sr002)].
——National Heritage Partnership Act, S.Rept. 109-26, 109th Cong., 1st Sess., March 9,
2005, available on the Web in LIS under S. 243, at
[http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp109:FLD010:@1(sr026)].
——Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area Act, S.Rept. 109-1, 109th Cong., 1st Sess.,
Feb. 16, 2005, available on the web in LIS under S. 63 at
[http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/cpquery/R?cp109:FLD010:@1(sr001)].
FOR ADDITIONAL READING
CRS Report RS20158, National Park System: Establishing New Units, by Carol Hardy
Vincent.
CRS Issue Brief IB10141, Recreation on Federal Lands, coordinated by Kori Calvert and
Carol Hardy Vincent.
A l l i a n c e o f N a t i o n a l H e r i t a g e A r e a s , B e s t P r a c t i c e s , a t
[http://www.nationalheritageareas.com/] and Telling America’s Story: Annual Report
2004
, at [http://www.nationalheritageareas.org/reports.htm], visited March 24, 2005.
American Policy Center, Property Rights, at
[http://www.americanpolicy.org/prop/main.htm], visited on January 19, 2005.
Americans for Tax Reform. Statement of Daniel M. Clifton, House Committee on
Resources, Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands, September
16, 2003, Washington, DC, at
[http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/108cong/parks/2003sep16/agenda.htm], visited
on January 19, 2005.
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Barrett, Brenda, and Suzanne Copping. National Heritage Areas: Developing a Model for
Measuring Success, at [http://www.cr.nps.gov/heritageareas/REP/research.htm], visited
on January 19, 2005.
Bray, Paul M. The Heritage Area Phenomenon: Where Is It Coming From, at
[http://www.cr.nps.gov/heritageareas/REP/research.htm], visited on January 19, 2005.
The George Wright Society, “Stewardship of Heritage Areas,” The George Wright Forum,
v. 20, no. 2 (June 2003).
Hart, Judy, “Planning for and Preserving Cultural Resources through National Heritage
Areas,” Cultural Resource Management, v. 23, no. 7 (2000) pp. 29-32.
Knight, Peyton, “The Great National Land Grab,” Capitalism Magazine (June 13, 2003), at
[http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=2850], visited on March 19, 2004.
Means, Mary, “Happy Trails,” Planning (Journal of the American Planning Association), v.
65, no. 8 (August 1, 1999).
——National Trust Forum, “Regional Heritage Areas: Connecting People to Places and
History,” Forum Journal, vol. 17, no. 4 (summer 2003).
The Property Rights Foundation of America, Inc., Heritage Rivers and Areas, at
[http://prfamerica.org/HeritageRiversAreasIndex.html], visited on January 19, 2005.
U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Heritage Areas, at
[http://www.cr.nps.gov/heritageareas/], visited on January 19, 2005. The 2003 Annual
Report on National Heritage Areas is on the NPS website at [http://www.cr.nps.gov/
heritageareas/REP/annrep2003.pdf], visited on January 19, 2005.
——Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2005, Washington,
D.C. 2004, pages NR&P 57-74.
U.S. General Accounting Office. National Park Service: A More Systematic Process for
Establishing National Heritage Areas and Actions to Improve Their Accountability Are
Needed.
Statement of Barry T. Hill, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources, Subcommittee on National Parks, March 30, 2004, Washington, DC (GAO-
04-593T), at [http://www.gao.gov/], visited on January 19, 2005.
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