To establish the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Corridor in the State of Alaska, and for other purposes.

May 22, 2003

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

To establish the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Corridor in the State of Alaska, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Corridor Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) FINDINGS- Congress finds the following:

(1) The Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm transportation corridor is a major gateway to Alaska and includes a range of transportation routes used first by indigenous people who were followed by pioneers who settled the Nation's last frontier.

(2) The natural history and scenic splendor of the region are equally outstanding; vistas of nature's power include evidence of earthquake subsidence, recent avalanches, retreating glaciers and tidal action along Turnagain Arm, which has the world's second greatest tidal range.

(3) The cultural landscape formed by indigenous people and then by settlement, transportation and modern resource development in this rugged and often treacherous natural setting stands as powerful testimony to the human fortitude, perseverance, and resourcefulness that is America's proudest heritage from the people who settled the frontier.

(4) There is a national interest in recognizing, preserving, promoting, and interpreting these resources.

(5) The Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm region is geographically and culturally cohesive because it is defined by a corridor of historic routes--trail, water, railroad, and roadways through a distinct landscape of mountains, lakes, and fjords.

(6) National significance of separate elements of the region include, but are not limited to, the Iditarod National Historic Trail, the Seward Highway National Scenic Byway, and the Alaska Railroad National Scenic Railroad.

(7) National Heritage Corridor designation provides for the interpretation of these routes, as well as the national historic districts and numerous historic routes in the region as part of the whole picture of human history in the wider transportation corridor including early Native trade routes, connections by waterway, mining trail, and other routes.

(8) National Heritage Corridor designation also provides communities within the region with the motivation and means for `grass roots' regional coordination and partnerships with each other and with borough, State, and Federal agencies.

(9) National Heritage Corridor designation is supported by the Kenai Peninsula Historical Association, the Seward Historical Commission, the Seward City Council, the Hope and Sunrise Historical Society, the Hope Chamber of Commerce, the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation, the Cooper Landing Community Club, the Alaska Wilderness Recreation and Tourism Association, Anchorage Historic Properties, the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Cook Inlet Historical Society, the Moose Pass Sportsman's Club, the Alaska Historical Commission, the Girdwood Board of Supervisors, the Kenai River Special Management Area Advisory Board, the Bird/Indian Community Council, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Trails Commission, the Alaska Division of Parks and Recreation, the Kenai Peninsula Borough, the Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council, and the Anchorage Municipal Assembly.

(b) PURPOSES- The purposes of this Act are--

(1) to recognize, preserve, and interpret the historic and modern resource development and cultural landscapes of the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm historic transportation corridor, and to promote and facilitate the public enjoyment of these resources; and

(2) to foster, through financial and technical assistance, the development of cooperative planning and partnerships among the communities and borough, State, and Federal Government entities.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) HERITAGE CORRIDOR- The term `Heritage Corridor' means the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Corridor established by section 4(a).

(2) MANAGEMENT ENTITY- The term `management entity' means the 11 member Board of Directors of the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Corridor Communities Association, a non-profit corporation, established in accordance with the laws of the State of Alaska.

(3) MANAGEMENT PLAN- The term `management plan' means the management plan for the Heritage Corridor.

(4) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of the Interior.

SEC. 4. KENAI MOUNTAINS-TURNAGAIN ARM NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Corridor.

(b) BOUNDARIES- The Heritage Corridor shall comprise the lands in the Kenai Mountains and upper Turnagain Arm region generally depicted on the map entitled `Kenai Peninsula/Turnagain Arm National Heritage Corridor', numbered Map #KMTA.FF091, and dated August 1999. The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the Alaska Regional Office of the National Park Service and in the offices of the Alaska State Heritage Preservation Officer.

SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT ENTITY.

(a) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT- To carry out the purposes of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the management entity. The cooperative agreement shall be prepared with public participation and shall include information relating to the objectives and management of the Heritage Corridor, including the following:

(1) A discussion of the goals and objectives of the Heritage Corridor.

(2) An explanation of the proposed approach to conservation and interpretation of the Heritage Corridor.

(3) A general outline of the protection measures to which the management entity commits.

(b) LIMITS- Nothing in this Act authorizes the management entity to assume any management authorities or responsibilities on Federal lands.

(c) DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN- Representatives of other organizations shall be invited and encouraged to participate with the management entity and in the development and implementation of the management plan, including but not limited to: The State Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation; the State Division of Mining, Land and Water; the Forest Service; the State Historic Preservation Office; the Kenia Peninsula Borough, the Municipality of Anchorage; the Alaska Railroad, the Alaska Department of Transportation; and the National Park Service.

SEC. 6. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF MANAGEMENT ENTITY.

(a) MANAGEMENT PLAN-

(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 3 years after the Secretary enters into a cooperative agreement with the management entity, the management entity shall develop a management plan for the Heritage Corridor, taking into consideration Federal, State, borough, and local plans.

(2) CONTENTS- The management plan shall include, but not be limited to--

(A) comprehensive recommendations for conservation, funding, management, and development of the Heritage Corridor;

(B) a description of agreements on actions to be carried out by public and private organizations to protect the resources of the Heritage Corridor;

(C) a list of specific and potential sources of funding to protect, manage, and develop the Heritage Corridor;

(D) an inventory of the known cultural and historic resources contained in the Heritage Corridor; and

(E) a description of the role and participation of other Federal, State, and local agencies that have jurisdiction on lands within the Heritage Corridor.

(b) PRIORITIES- The management entity shall give priority to the implementation of actions, goals, and policies set forth in the cooperative agreement with the Secretary and the management plan, including assisting communities within the region in--

(1) carrying out programs that recognize important resource values in the Heritage Corridor;

(2) encouraging economic viability in the affected communities;

(3) establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits in the Heritage Corridor;

(4) improving and interpreting heritage trails;

(5) increasing public awareness and appreciation for the natural, historical, and cultural resources and modern resource development of the Heritage Corridor;

(6) restoring historic buildings and structures that are located within the boundaries of the Heritage Corridor; and

(7) ensuring that clear, consistent, and appropriate signs identifying public access points and sites of interest are placed throughout the Heritage Corridor.

(c) PUBLIC MEETINGS- The management entity shall conduct 2 or more public meetings each year regarding the initiation and implementation of the management plan for the Heritage Corridor. The management entity shall place a notice of each meeting in a newspaper of general circulation in the Heritage Corridor and shall make the minutes of the meeting available to the public.

SEC. 7. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.

In accordance with the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement, upon the request of the management entity, and subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary may provide administrative, technical, financial, design, development, and operations assistance to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 8. SAVINGS PROVISIONS.

(a) REGULATORY AUTHORITY- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to grant powers of zoning or management of land use to the management entity.

(b) EFFECT ON AUTHORITY OF GOVERNMENTS- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to modify, enlarge, or diminish any authority of the Federal, State, or local governments to manage or regulate any use of land as provided for by law or regulation.

(c) EFFECT ON BUSINESS- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to obstruct or limit business activity on private development or resource development activities.

SEC. 9. PROHIBITION ON THE ACQUISITION OR REAL PROPERTY.

The management entity may not use funds appropriated to carry out the purposes of this Act to acquire real property or interests in real property.

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) FIRST YEAR- For the first year $350,000 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the purposes of this Act, and is made available upon the Secretary and the management entity entering into a cooperative agreement under section 3.

(b) IN GENERAL- There is authorized to be appropriated not more than $1,000,000 to carry out the purposes of this Act for any fiscal year after the first year. Not more than $10,000,000, in the aggregate, may be appropriated for the Heritage Corridor.

(c) MATCHING FUNDS- Federal funding provided under this Act shall be matched at least 25 percent by other funds or in-kind services.

(d) SUNSET PROVISION- The Secretary may not make any grant or provide any assistance under this Act beyond 15 years from the date that the Secretary and the management entity enter into a cooperative agreement.

END