[Senate Report 110-368]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 800
110th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 110-368
======================================================================
MISSISSIPPI DELTA NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA ACT
_______
June 16, 2008.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Bingaman, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 2512]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 2512) to establish the Mississippi Delta
National Heritage Area in the State of Mississippi, and for
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon with an amendment and recommends that the bill, as
amended, do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu
thereof the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Mississippi Delta National Heritage
Area Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Board of Directors
of the local coordinating entity.
(2) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the
Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area established by section
3(a).
(3) Local coordinating entity.--The term ``local coordinating
entity'' means the local coordinating entity for the Heritage
Area designated by section 3(d)(1).
(4) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' means the
management plan for the Heritage Area developed under section
5.
(5) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled
``Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area'', numbered T13/
80,000, and dated April 2008.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
the Interior.
(7) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of
Mississippi.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the State the Mississippi
Delta National Heritage Area.
(b) Boundaries.--The Heritage Area shall include all counties in the
State that contain land located in the alluvial floodplain of the
Mississippi Delta, including Bolivar, Carroll, Coahoma, Desoto, Holmes,
Humphreys, Issaquena, Leflore, Panola, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower,
Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Warren, Washington, and Yazoo Counties in
the State, as depicted on the map.
(c) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and available for
public inspection in the office of the Director of the National Park
Service.
(d) Local Coordinating Entity.--
(1) Designation.--The Mississippi Delta National Heritage
Area Partnership shall be the local coordinating entity for the
Heritage Area.
(2) Board of directors.--
(A) Composition.--
(i) In general.--The local coordinating
entity shall be governed by a Board of
Directors composed of 15 members, of whom--
(I) 1 member shall be appointed by
Delta State University;
(II) 1 member shall be appointed by
Mississippi Valley State University;
(III) 1 member shall be appointed by
Alcorn State University;
(IV) 1 member shall be appointed by
the Delta Foundation;
(V) 1 member shall be appointed by
the Smith Robertson Museum;
(VI) 1 member shall be appointed from
the office of the Governor of the
State;
(VII) 1 member shall be appointed by
Delta Council;
(VIII) 1 member shall be appointed
from the Mississippi Arts Commission;
(IX) 1 member shall be appointed from
the Mississippi Department of Archives
and History.
(X) 1 member shall be appointed from
the Mississippi Humanities Council; and
(XI) up to 5 additional members shall
be appointed for staggered 1- and 2-
year terms by County boards in the
Heritage Area.
(ii) Residency requirements.--At least 7
members of the Board shall reside in the
Heritage Area.
(B) Officers.--
(i) In general.--At the initial meeting of
the Board, the members of the Board shall
appoint a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and
Secretary/Treasurer.
(ii) Duties.--
(I) Chairperson.--The duties of the
Chairperson shall include--
(aa) presiding over meetings
of the Board;
(bb) executing documents of
the Board; and
(cc) coordinating activities
of the Heritage Area with
Federal, State, local, and
nongovernmental officials.
(II) Vice chairperson.--The Vice
Chairperson shall act as Chairperson in
the absence or disability of the
Chairperson.
(C) Management authority.--
(i) In general.--The Board shall--
(I) exercise all corporate powers of
the local coordinating entity;
(II) manage the activities and
affairs of the local coordinating
entity; and
(III) subject to any limitations in
the articles and bylaws of the local
coordinating entity, this Act, and any
other applicable Federal or State law,
establish the policies of the local
coordinating entity.
(ii) Staff.--The Board shall have the
authority to employ any services and staff that
are determined to be necessary by a majority
vote of the Board.
(D) Bylaws.--
(i) In general.--The Board may amend or
repeal the bylaws of the local coordinating
entity at any meeting of the Board by a
majority vote of the Board.
(ii) Notice.--The Board shall provide notice
of any meeting of the Board at which an
amendment to the bylaws is to be considered
that includes the text or a summary of the
proposed amendment.
(E) Minutes.--Not later than 60 days after a meeting
of the Board, the Board shall distribute the minutes of
the meeting among all Board members and the county
supervisors in each county within the Heritage Area.
SEC. 4. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY.
(a) Duties of the Local Coordinating Entity.--To further the purposes
of the Heritage Area, the local coordinating entity shall--
(1) prepare, and submit to the Secretary, in accordance with
section 5, a management plan for the Heritage Area;
(2) assist units of local government, regional planning
organizations, and nonprofit organizations in implementing the
approved management plan by--
(A) carrying out programs and projects that
recognize, protect, and enhance important resource
values within the Heritage Area;
(B) establishing and maintaining interpretive
exhibits and programs within the Heritage Area;
(C) developing recreational and educational
opportunities in the Heritage Area;
(D) increasing public awareness of, and appreciation
for, natural, historic, scenic, and cultural resources
of the Heritage Area;
(E) protecting and restoring historic sites and
buildings in the Heritage Area that are consistent with
the themes of the Heritage Area;
(F) ensuring that signs identifying points of public
access and sites of interest are posted throughout the
Heritage Area; and
(G) promoting a wide range of partnerships among
governments, organizations, and individuals to further
the purposes of the Heritage Area;
(3) consider the interests of diverse units of government,
businesses, organizations, and individuals in the Heritage Area
in the preparation and implementation of the management plan;
(4) conduct meetings open to the public at least semiannually
regarding the development and implementation of the management
plan;
(5) submit an annual report to the Secretary for each fiscal
year for which the local coordinating entity receives Federal
funds under this Act specifying--
(A) the accomplishments of the local coordinating
entity;
(B) the expenses and income of the local coordinating
entity;
(C) the amounts and sources of matching funds;
(D) the amounts leveraged with Federal funds and
sources of the leveraged funds; and
(E) grants made to any other entities during the
fiscal year;
(6) make available for audit for each fiscal year for which
the local coordinating entity receives Federal funds under this
Act, all information pertaining to the expenditure of the funds
and any matching funds;
(7) require in all agreements authorizing expenditures of
Federal funds by other organizations, that the receiving
organizations make available for audit all records and other
information pertaining to the expenditure of the funds; and
(8) encourage, by appropriate means, economic development
that is consistent with the purposes of the Heritage Area.
(b) Authorities.--The local coordinating entity may, subject to the
prior approval of the Secretary, for the purposes of preparing and
implementing the management plan, use Federal funds made available
under this Act to--
(1) make grants to the State, political subdivisions of the
State, nonprofit organizations, and other persons;
(2) enter into cooperative agreements with, or provide
technical assistance to, the State, political subdivisions of
the State, nonprofit organizations, Federal agencies, and other
interested parties;
(3) hire and compensate staff;
(4) obtain funds or services from any source, including funds
and services provided under any other Federal law or program;
(5) contract for goods or services; and
(6) support activities of partners and any other activities
that further the purposes of the Heritage Area and are
consistent with the approved management plan.
(c) Prohibition on Acquisition of Real Property.--The local
coordinating entity may not use Federal funds received under this Act
to acquire any interest in real property.
SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT PLAN.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds
are made available to develop the management plan, the local
coordinating entity shall submit to the Secretary for approval a
proposed management plan for the Heritage Area.
(b) Requirements.--The management plan for the Heritage Area shall--
(1) describe comprehensive policies, goals, strategies, and
recommendations for telling the story of the heritage of the
region and encouraging long-term resource protection,
enhancement, interpretation, funding, management, and
development of the Heritage Area;
(2) take into consideration existing State, county, and local
plans in the development and implementation of the management
plan;
(3) include a description of actions and commitments that
governments, private organizations, and citizens plan to take
to protect, enhance, and interpret the cultural, historical,
archaeological, natural, and recreational resources of the
Heritage Area;
(4) specify existing and potential sources of funding or
economic development strategies to protect, enhance, interpret,
fund, manage, and develop the Heritage Area;
(5) include an inventory of the cultural, historical,
archaeological, natural, and recreational resources of the
Heritage Area relating to the stories and themes of the region
that should be protected, enhanced, managed, or developed;
(6) recommend policies and strategies for resource management
including, the development of intergovernmental and interagency
agreements to protect the natural, historic, cultural,
educational, scenic, and recreational resources of the Heritage
Area;
(7) describe a program for implementation of the management
plan, including--
(A) performance goals;
(B) plans for resource protection, enhancement, and
interpretation; and
(C) specific commitments for implementation that have
been made by the local coordinating entity or any
government, organization, business, or individual;
(8) include an analysis of, and recommendations for, ways in
which Federal, State, tribal, and local programs may best be
coordinated (including the role of the National Park Service
and other Federal agencies associated with the Heritage Area)
to further the purposes of this Act;
(9) include an interpretive plan for the Heritage Area; and
(10) include a business plan that--
(A) describes the role, operation, financing, and
functions of the local coordinating entity and of each
of the major activities described in the management
plan; and
(B) provides adequate assurances that the local
coordinating entity has the partnerships and financial
and other resources necessary to implement the
management plan for the Heritage Area.
(c) Termination of Funding.--If the management plan is not submitted
to the Secretary in accordance with this subsection, the local
coordinating entity shall not qualify for additional financial
assistance under this Act until the management plan is submitted to,
and approved by, the Secretary.
(d) Approval of Management Plan.--
(1) Review.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which
the Secretary receives the management plan, the Secretary shall
approve or disapprove the management plan.
(2) Consultation required.--The Secretary shall consult with
the Governor of the State and any tribal government in which
the Heritage Area is located before approving the management
plan.
(3) Criteria for approval.--In determining whether to approve
the management plan, the Secretary shall consider whether--
(A) the local coordinating entity represents the
diverse interests of the Heritage Area, including
governments, natural and historic resource protection
organizations, educational institutions, businesses,
community residents, and recreational organizations;
(B) the local coordinating entity has afforded
adequate opportunity for public and governmental
involvement (including through workshops and public
meetings) in the preparation of the management plan;
(C) the resource protection and interpretation
strategies described in the management plan, if
implemented, would adequately protect the cultural,
historical, archaeological, natural, and recreational
resources of the Heritage Area;
(D) the management plan would not adversely affect
any activities authorized on Federal or tribal land
under applicable laws or land use plans;
(E) the Secretary has received adequate assurances
from the appropriate State, tribal, and local officials
whose support is needed to ensure the effective
implementation of the State, tribal, and local aspects
of the management plan; and
(F) the local coordinating entity has demonstrated
the financial capability, in partnership with others,
to carry out the management plan.
(4) Action following disapproval.--
(A) In general.--If the Secretary disapproves the
management plan, the Secretary--
(i) shall advise the local coordinating
entity in writing of the reasons for the
disapproval; and
(ii) may make recommendations to the local
coordinating entity for revisions to the
management plan.
(B) Deadline.--Not later than 180 days after
receiving a revised management plan, the Secretary
shall approve or disapprove the revised management
plan.
(5) Amendments.--
(A) In general.--An amendment to the management plan
that substantially alters the purposes of the Heritage
Area shall be reviewed by the Secretary and approved or
disapproved in the same manner as the original
management plan.
(B) Implementation.--The local coordinating entity
shall not use Federal funds authorized to be
appropriated by this Act to implement an amendment to
the management plan until the Secretary approves the
amendment.
SEC. 6. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF THE SECRETARY.
(a) Technical and Financial Assistance.--
(1) In general.--On the request of the local coordinating
entity, the Secretary may provide technical and financial
assistance, on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis (as
determined by the Secretary), to the local coordinating entity
to develop and implement the management plan.
(2) Cooperative agreements.--The Secretary may enter into
cooperative agreements with the local coordinating entity and
other public or private entities to provide technical or
financial assistance under paragraph (1).
(3) Priority.--In assisting the Heritage Area, the Secretary
shall give priority to actions that assist in--
(A) conserving the significant cultural, historical,
archaeological, natural, and recreational resources of
the Heritage Area; and
(B) providing educational, interpretive, and
recreational opportunities consistent with the purposes
of the Heritage Area.
(4) Prohibition of certain requirements.--The Secretary may
not, as a condition of the provision of technical or financial
assistance under this subsection, require any recipient of the
assistance to impose or modify any land use restriction or
zoning ordinance.
(b) Evaluation; Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years before the date on
which authority for Federal funding terminates for the Heritage
Area under section 10, the Secretary shall--
(A) conduct an evaluation of the accomplishments of
the Heritage Area; and
(B) prepare a report with recommendations for the
future role of the National Park Service, if any, with
respect to the Heritage Area, in accordance with
paragraph (3).
(2) Evaluation.--An evaluation conducted under paragraph
(1)(A) shall--
(A) assess the progress of the local coordinating
entity with respect to--
(i) accomplishing the purposes of this Act
for the Heritage Area; and
(ii) achieving the goals and objectives of
the approved management plan for the Heritage
Area;
(B) analyze the Federal, State, local, and private
investments in the Heritage Area to determine the
leverage and impact of the investments; and
(C) 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.
(3) Report.--
(A) In general.--Based on the evaluation conducted
under paragraph (1)(A), 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.
(B) Required analysis.--If the report prepared under
this paragraph recommends that Federal funding for the
Heritage Area be reauthorized, the report shall include
an analysis of--
(i) ways in which Federal funding for the
Heritage Area may be reduced or eliminated; and
(ii) the appropriate time period necessary to
achieve the recommended reduction or
elimination.
(C) Submission to congress.--On completion of a
report under this paragraph, the Secretary shall submit
the report to--
(i) the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate; and
(ii) the Committee on Natural Resources of
the House of Representatives.
SEC. 7. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.
(a) In General.--Nothing in this Act affects the authority of a
Federal agency to provide technical or financial assistance under any
other law.
(b) Consultation and Coordination.--To the maximum extent
practicable, the head of any Federal agency planning to conduct
activities that may have an impact on the Heritage Area is encouraged
to consult and coordinate the activities with the Secretary and the
local coordinating entity.
(c) Other Federal Agencies.--Nothing in this Act--
(1) modifies, alters, or amends any laws (including
regulations) authorizing a Federal agency to manage Federal
land under the jurisdiction of the Federal agency;
(2) limits the discretion of a Federal land manager to
implement an approved land use plan within the boundaries of
the Heritage Area; or
(3) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized use of Federal
land under the jurisdiction of a Federal agency.
SEC. 8. PROPERTY OWNERS AND REGULATORY PROTECTIONS.
Nothing in this Act--
(1) abridges 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;
(2) requires any property owner to--
(A) permit public access (including Federal, tribal,
State, or local government access) to the property; or
(B) modify any provisions of Federal, tribal, State,
or local law with regard to public access or use of
private land;
(3) alters any duly adopted land use regulations, approved
land use plan, or any other regulatory authority of any
Federal, State, or local agency, or tribal government;
(4) conveys any land use or other regulatory authority to the
local coordinating entity;
(5) authorizes or implies the reservation or appropriation of
water or water rights;
(6) diminishes the authority of the State to manage fish and
wildlife, including the regulation of fishing and hunting
within the Heritage Area;
(7) 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;
(8) restricts an Indian tribe from protecting cultural or
religious sites on tribal land; or
(9) diminishes the trust responsibilities of government-to-
government obligations of the United States of any federally
recognized Indian tribe.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this Act $10,000,000, of which not more than $1,000,000 may be made
available for any fiscal year.
(b) Cost-Sharing Requirement.--
(1) In general.--The Federal share of the total cost of any
activity under this Act shall be not more than 50 percent.
(2) Form.--The non-Federal contribution--
(A) shall be from non-Federal sources; and
(B) may be in the form of in-kind contributions of
goods or services fairly valued.
SEC. 10. TERMINATION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
The authority of the Secretary to provide financial assistance under
this Act terminates on the date that is 15 years after the date of
enactment of this Act.
PURPOSE
The purpose of S. 2512 is to designate the Mississippi
Delta National Heritage Area in the State of Mississippi.
BACKGROUND AND NEED
The Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area would
encompass 18 counties along the Mississippi River Delta in
western Mississippi. The area has been strongly influenced by
the immigration of people of African, Asian, and European
descent to the United States. The Mississippi Delta has been
the backdrop for a culture of the United States, not found
anywhere else, including the birth of Delta Blues music and the
setting for the popular Mark Twain stories.
Congress authorized a study of the entire Mississippi Delta
region in 1994 and the study was completed in 1998. The bill
requires that the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area
Partnership be the coordinating entity for the heritage area.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
S. 2512 was introduced by Senator Cochran on December 18,
2007. Senator Wicker is a cosponsor. The Subcommittee on
National Parks held a hearing on the bill on April 23, 2008.
At its business meeting on May 7, 2008, the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 2512 favorably
reported, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open
business session on May 7, 2008, by a voice vote of a quorum
present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 2512, if amended as
described herein.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
During the consideration of S. 2512, the Committee adopted
an amendment in the nature of a substitute. The amendment
removes the findings section, incorporates consistent with
other national heritage area designations reported by the
Committee, and makes other clarifying and conforming changes.
The amendment is described in detail in the section-by-section
analysis, below.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1 provides the short title, the ``Mississippi Delta
National Heritage Area Act of 2008.''
Section 2 defines the key terms used in the Act.
Section 3(a) establishes the Mississippi Delta National
Heritage Area (``heritage area'') in the State of Mississippi.
Subsection (b) describes the boundaries of the heritage
area and lists the counties as depicted on the referenced map.
Subsection (c) states that a map of the heritage area shall
be made available on file in appropriate offices of the
National Park Service.
Subsection (d) authorizes the Mississippi Delta National
Heritage Area Partnership as the local coordinating entity for
the heritage area, and describes the composition of its Board
of Directors.
Section 4 describes the duties and authorities of the local
coordinating entity.
Subsection (a) requires the local coordinating entity to
prepare and submit a management plan to the Secretary for the
heritage area.
Subsection (b) details the authorities of the management
entity.
Subsection (c) prohibits the acquisition of any interest in
real property.
Section 5(a) requires the management entity to prepare and
submit for review a management plan to the Secretary not later
than three years after the date on which the funds are made
available to carry out this Act.
Subsection (b) lists the requirements for the contents of
the management plan.
Subsection (c) states that if the management plan is not
submitted within the three-year period, Federal funding is
suspended until the plan is submitted to the Secretary.
Subsection (d) requires the Secretary to approve or
disapprove the management plan within 180 days after receiving
the plan and lists the criteria the Secretary is to consider in
determining whether to approve or disapprove the plan.
Section 6(a) authorizes the Secretary to provide technical
and financial assistance to the local coordinating entity in
developing and implementing the management plan.
Subsection (b) requires that the Secretary conduct an
evaluation of the heritage area and prepare a report with
recommendations for the future role of the National Park
Service, no later than 3 years before the date on which
authority for federal funding terminates.
Section 7 describes the relationship of the heritage area
to other Federal Agencies.
Subsection (a) clarifies that nothing in this Act affects
the authority of a Federal agency to provide technical or
financial assistance under any other law.
Subsection (b) encourages the head of a Federal agency
planning to conduct activities that may have an impact on the
heritage area to consult and coordinate the activities with the
Secretary and the management entity to the maximum extent
practicable.
Subsection (c) clarifies that nothing in this Act modifies
authorities of Federal agencies to manage Federal land, limits
the discretion of a Federal agency to implement an approved
land use plan, or modifies or alters any authorized use of
Federal land.
Section 8 contains several savings provisions to clarify
that the designation of the national heritage area will not
affect private property rights, affect governmental land use
regulation, reserve or appropriate water rights, and diminish
the authority of the State to manage fish and wildlife, or
create any liability for property owners within the heritage
area.
Section 9(a) authorizes the appropriations of $10 million,
with not more than $1 million authorized to be appropriated for
any fiscal year.
Subsection (b) requires Federal funding to be matched on a
50:50 basis with funds from non-Federal sources.
Section 10 provides that the authority of the Secretary to
provide assistance under the Act terminates 15 years after the
date of enactment.
COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS
The following estimate of costs of this measure has been
provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
S. 2512--Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area Act of 2008
S. 2512 would establish the Mississippi Hills National
Heritage Area (NHA) in Mississippi and designate the
Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area Partnership, a local
nonprofit organization, as the management entity for the NHA.
The bill would authorize the appropriation of $10 million, not
to exceed $1 million annually, for financial assistance to the
partnership and other eligible entities over the next 15 years.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO
estimates that implementing S. 2512 would cost $5 million over
the 2009-2013 period and an additional $5 million after 2013.
Enacting the legislation would have no effect on direct
spending or revenues.
S. 2512 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis.
This estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION
In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following
evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in
carrying out S. 2512. The bill is not a regulatory measure in
the sense of imposing Government-established standards or
significant economic responsibilities on private individuals
and businesses.
No personal information would be collected in administering
the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal
privacy.
Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the
enactment of S. 2512, as ordered reported.
CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING
In accordance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the
following identification of congressionally directed spending
items contained in the bill, as reported:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section Provision Member
------------------------------------------------------------------------
9............................... Authorization of Cochran
appropriations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
The testimony provided by the National Park Service at the
April 23, 2008, hearing on S. 2512 follows:
Statement of Katherine H. Stevenson, Acting Assistant Director,
Business Services, National Park Service, Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for
the opportunity to appear before you today to present the views
of the Department of the Interior on S. 2512, a bill to
establish the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area in the
State of Mississippi.
The Department cannot support S. 2512 unless the bill is
amended to be a feasibility study for a Mississippi Delta
National Heritage Area. The Department believes that a
feasibility study should be required for every proposed
national heritage area and the study should be evaluated
against our interim criteria before designation. The standards
for evaluating areas proposed for national designation are an
essential element prior to establishing a national heritage
area. A study should be prepared that demonstrates evidence of
place-based resources that tell a nationally important story,
which has the support and involvement of the local community.
Various congressionally mandated studies have previously
gathered information on the Mississippi Delta region, including
the Lower Mississippi Delta Region Heritage Study and the
Mississippi River Corridor Study. While these studies have
confirmed the importance and significance of the Mississippi
Delta region, they were undertaken before generally accepted
criteria for designating heritage areas had been established,
and were directed at a much larger region than the area
encompassed by this bill.
The Department is willing to provide advice or assistance
in the completion of a study that meets applicable standards
and provides Congress with the necessary information and
assessment upon which to base its decision regarding
designation in the future.
With 37 national heritage areas designated across 27
states, and more heritage area legislative proposals
forthcoming, the Administration believes it is critical for
Congress to enact national heritage area program legislation.
This legislation would provide a much-needed framework for
evaluating proposed national heritage areas, offering
guidelines for successful planning and management, clarifying
the roles and responsibilities of all parties, and
standardizing timeframes and funding for designated areas.
Program legislation would also clarify the expectation that
heritage areas would work toward self-sufficiency by outlining
the necessary steps, including appropriate planning, to achieve
that goal.
The Mississippi River's role as a major transporter of
goods and people has long influenced the Delta's history and
character. Since the earliest days of human habitation, the
Mississippi River has been essential for transportation,
communication, and commerce. The river and associated
ecosystems are part of North America's largest wetland area and
provide habitat for a wide variety of flora, fauna, and aquatic
species. Archeological sites across the Delta attest to the
thousands of years of human occupation.
The Mississippi Delta's cultural traditions are rich and
diverse; it is a land of converging cultures. The Delta has
also been the site of a number of important historic events,
such as the Great Flood of 1927 and the Civil Rights Movement.
S. 2512 would establish a Mississippi Delta National
Heritage Area along the lines outlined in the Lower Mississippi
Delta Region Heritage Study, but covering a substantially
smaller area, located entirely in the State of Mississippi. It
would include some 18 counties in the State located within the
alluvial floodplain of the Mississippi River. It would also
encompass the Delta National Forest.
The bill designates the Mississippi Delta National Heritage
Area Partnership as the coordinating entity of the heritage
area. The Partnership is to be governed by a board of directors
composed of 15 members. The members are to be appointed by
various entities, including the Governor; various universities,
councils, and commissions; and County boards from the heritage
area.
Mr. Chairman, the Department is prepared to work with the
subcommittee on amending S. 2512 to authorize a feasibility
study for a Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area.
This concludes my prepared remarks. I would be pleased to
answer any questions you or any members of the Subcommittee may
have.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no
changes in existing law are made by the bill, S. 2512, as
ordered reported.