16 U.S.C. § 410ppp — Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
submitted 12 years ago by Pub. L. 113-291 to r/title-16-CONSERVATION · 1,297 words · no verdicts yet
This law creates Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The park protects sites showing the region's industrial history, like old mills and canals. The Secretary can only get land by donation, purchase from a willing seller, or exchange. The Secretary cannot use condemnation. Congress dedicates the park to former Senator John H. Chafee.
(a) Purpose
This section creates the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. Its purposes are:
(1) to help preserve, protect, and interpret nationally significant resources that show the industrial heritage of the Blackstone River Valley, for the benefit and inspiration of future generations;
(2) to support preserving, protecting, and interpreting the urban, rural, and agricultural landscape features — including the Blackstone River and Canal — that provide the larger context for that industrial heritage;
(3) to educate the public about (A) the nationally significant sites and districts that convey the industrial history of the Blackstone River Valley, and (B) how significant the Blackstone River Valley has been, and still is, to the United States; and
(4) to support and enhance the network of partners who protect, improve, manage, and operate related resources and facilities throughout the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
(b) Definitions
(1) "National Heritage Corridor" means the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
(2) "Park" means the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park established by subsection (c)(1).
(3) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior.
(4) "States" means (A) Massachusetts and (B) Rhode Island.
(c) Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
(1) Establishment: This subsection establishes a unit of the National Park System in the States, called the "Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park."
(2) Historic sites and districts: The Park includes (A) Blackstone River State Park, and (B) these resources, as described in a 2011 study called "Blackstone River Valley Special Resource Study—Study Report 2011": (i) Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark District; (ii) Slatersville Historic District; (iii) Ashton Historic District; (iv) Whitinsville Historic District; (v) Hopedale Village Historic District; (vi) the Blackstone River and its tributaries; and (vii) the Blackstone Canal.
(3) Acquisition of land; park boundary
(A) Land acquisition: (i) The Secretary may acquire land or interests in land that are considered contributing historic resources in the sites and districts listed in paragraph (2)(B), for inclusion in the Park, by donation, purchase from a willing seller with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. (ii) No land may ever be acquired for the Park by condemnation.
(B) Park boundary: Once the Secretary determines enough land has been acquired to form a manageable park unit, the Secretary must establish the Park's boundary by publishing a boundary map in the Federal Register.
(C) Other resources: The Secretary may include in the Park boundary any resources covered by an agreement with the States or their subdivisions made under paragraph (4)(D).
(D) Boundary adjustment: Whenever more land is acquired under subparagraph (A), or a new agreement is made under subparagraph (C), the Secretary must adjust the Park's boundary by publishing a new map in the Federal Register.
(E) Availability of map: These maps must be available for public inspection at National Park Service offices.
(F) Administrative facilities: The Secretary may acquire not more than 10 acres in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, to develop administrative, curatorial, maintenance, or visitor facilities for the Park.
(G) Limitation: Land owned by the States or their political subdivisions may be acquired only by donation.
(4) Administration
(A) In general: The Secretary must administer land within the Park boundary under (i) this subsection and (ii) the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including (I) the National Park Service Organic Act and (II) the Act of August 21, 1935.
(B) General management plan: (i) Not later than 3 years after funds are made available, the Secretary must prepare a general management plan for the Park, in consultation with the States and other interested parties, and in accordance with section 100502 of title 54. (ii) The plan must consider ways to use preexisting or planned visitor facilities and recreational opportunities in the National Heritage Corridor, including: (I) the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center, Pawtucket, Rhode Island; (II) the Captain Wilbur Kelly House, Blackstone River State Park, Lincoln, Rhode Island; (III) the Museum of Work and Culture, Woonsocket, Rhode Island; (IV) the River Bend Farm/Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park, Uxbridge, Massachusetts; (V) the Worcester Blackstone Visitor Center at the former Washburn & Moen wire mill facility, Worcester, Massachusetts; (VI) the Route 295 Visitor Center adjacent to Blackstone River State Park; and (VII) the Blackstone River Bikeway.
(C) Related sites: The Secretary may provide technical assistance, visitor services, interpretive tours, and educational programs to sites and resources in the National Heritage Corridor that are outside the Park boundary and associated with the purposes for which the Park was established.
(D) Cooperative agreements: (i) Notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 31, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the States, their political subdivisions, nonprofit organizations (including the local coordinating entity for the National Heritage Corridor), and other interested parties to (I) provide technical assistance, interpretation, and educational programs in the historic sites and districts listed in paragraph (2)(B); and (II), subject to available appropriations and clauses (ii) and (iii), provide not more than 50 percent of the cost of any natural, historic, or cultural resource protection project in the Park consistent with the general management plan. (ii) Matching requirement: Any federal funds provided under a cooperative agreement must be matched on a 1-to-1 basis by non-federal funds. (iii) Reimbursement: If a project funded this way is later converted, used, or disposed of for purposes inconsistent with this subsection's purposes, the United States has a right to reimbursement of the greater of (I) the amount the Secretary provided to the project, or (II) the increase in the project's value attributable to that funding. (iv) Public access: Any cooperative agreement under this subparagraph must provide for reasonable public access to the covered resources.
(5) Dedication; memorial
(A) In general: Congress dedicates the Park to John H. Chafee, the former United States Senator from Rhode Island, in recognition of (i) his role in preserving the resources of the Blackstone River Valley and the heritage corridor that bears his name, and (ii) his decades of service to the people of Rhode Island and the United States.
(B) Memorial: The Secretary must display a memorial at an appropriate location in the Park recognizing John H. Chafee's role in preserving the resources of the Blackstone River Valley for the people of the United States.
The purpose of this section is to establish the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park—
to help preserve, protect, and interpret the nationally significant resources that exemplify the industrial heritage of the Blackstone River Valley for the benefit and inspiration of future generations;
to support the preservation, protection, and interpretation of the urban, rural, and agricultural landscape features (including the Blackstone River and Canal) of the region that provide an overarching context for the industrial heritage of the Blackstone River Valley;
to educate the public about—
the nationally significant sites and districts that convey the industrial history of the Blackstone River Valley; and
the significance of the Blackstone River Valley to the past and present of the United States; and
to support and enhance the network of partners in the protection, improvement, management, and operation of related resources and facilities throughout the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
In this section:
The term “National Heritage Corridor” means the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
The term “Park” means the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park established by subsection (c)(1).
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.
The term “States” means—
the State of Massachusetts; and
the State of Rhode Island.
There is established in the States a unit of the National Park System, to be known as the “Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park”.
The Park shall include—
Blackstone River State Park; and
the following resources, as described in Management Option 3 of the study entitled “Blackstone River Valley Special Resource Study—Study Report 2011”:
Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark District.
Slatersville Historic District.
Ashton Historic District.
Whitinsville Historic District.
Hopedale Village Historic District.
Blackstone River and the tributaries of Blackstone River.
Blackstone Canal.
The Secretary may acquire land or interests in land that are considered contributing historic resources in the historic sites and districts described in paragraph (2)(B) for inclusion in the Park boundary by donation, purchase from a willing seller with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange.
No land or interest in land may be acquired for the Park by condemnation.
On a determination by the Secretary that a sufficient quantity of land or interests in land has been acquired to constitute a manageable park unit, the Secretary shall establish a boundary for the Park by publishing a boundary map in the Federal Register.
The Secretary may include in the Park boundary any resources that are the subject of an agreement with the States or a subdivision of the States entered into under paragraph (4)(D).
On the acquisition of additional land or interests in land under subparagraph (A), or on entering an agreement under subparagraph (C), the boundary of the Park shall be adjusted to reflect the acquisition or agreement by publishing a Park boundary map in the Federal Register.
The maps referred to in this paragraph shall be available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
The Secretary may acquire not more than 10 acres in Woonsocket, Rhode Island 1 for the development of administrative, curatorial, maintenance, or visitor facilities for the Park.
Land owned by the States or a political subdivision of the States may be acquired under this paragraph only by donation.
The Secretary shall administer land within the boundary of the Park in accordance with—
this subsection; and
the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—
the National Park Service Organic Act (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); 2 and
the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).2
Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this subsection, the Secretary shall prepare a general management plan for the Park—
in consultation with the States and other interested parties; and
in accordance with section 100502 of title 54.
The plan shall consider ways to use preexisting or planned visitor facilities and recreational opportunities developed in the National Heritage Corridor, including—
the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center, Pawtucket, Rhode Island;
the Captain Wilbur Kelly House, Blackstone River State Park, Lincoln, Rhode Island;
the Museum of Work and Culture, Woonsocket, Rhode Island;
the River Bend Farm/Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park, Uxbridge, Massachusetts;
the Worcester Blackstone Visitor Center, located at the former Washburn & Moen wire mill facility, Worcester, Massachusetts;
the Route 295 Visitor Center adjacent to Blackstone River State Park; and
the Blackstone River Bikeway.
The Secretary may provide technical assistance, visitor services, interpretive tours, and educational programs to sites and resources in the National Heritage Corridor that are located outside the boundary of the Park and associated with the purposes for which the Park is established.
To further the purposes of this subsection and notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 31, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the States, political subdivisions of the States, nonprofit organizations (including the local coordinating entity for the National Heritage Corridor), and other interested parties—
to provide technical assistance, interpretation, and educational programs in the historic sites and districts described in paragraph (2)(B); and
subject to the availability of appropriations and clauses (ii) and (iii), to provide not more than 50 percent of the cost of any natural, historic, or cultural resource protection project in the Park that is consistent with the general management plan prepared under subparagraph (B).
As a condition of the receipt of funds under clause (i)(II), the Secretary shall require that any Federal funds made available under a cooperative agreement entered into under this paragraph are to be matched on a 1-to-1 basis by non-Federal funds.
Any payment made by the Secretary under clause (i)(ii) 3 shall be subject to an agreement that the conversion, use, or disposal of the project for purposes that are inconsistent with the purposes of this subsection, as determined by the Secretary, shall result in a right of the United States to reimbursement of the greater of—
the amount provided by the Secretary to the project under clause (i)(II); or
an amount equal to the increase in the value of the project that is attributable to the funds, as determined by the Secretary at the time of the conversion, use, or disposal.
Any cooperative agreement entered into under this subparagraph shall provide for reasonable public access to the resources covered by the cooperative agreement.
Congress dedicates the Park to John H. Chafee, the former United States Senator from Rhode Island, in recognition of—
the role of John H. Chafee in the preservation of the resources of the Blackstone River Valley and the heritage corridor that bears the name of John H. Chafee; and
the decades of the service of John H. Chafee to the people of Rhode Island and the United States.
The Secretary shall display a memorial at an appropriate location in the Park that recognizes the role of John H. Chafee in preserving the resources of the Blackstone River Valley for the people of the United States.
Source credit: (Pub. L. 113–291, div. B, title XXX, § 3031, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3767.)
- 2014Enacted · Pub. L. 113-291 · 128 Stat. 3767
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 113-291 on 2014-12-19.
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