109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5724
To establish the Land Between the Rivers National Heritage Area
in the State of Illinois, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 29, 2006
Mr. COSTELLO (for himself, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr.
KIRK, Mr. EVANS, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. EMANUEL, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. WELLER,
Ms. BEAN, Mr. RUSH, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois, Mr. DAVIS of
Illinois, Mrs. BIGGERT, and Mr. MANZULLO) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To establish the Land Between the Rivers National Heritage Area
in the State of Illinois, 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 `Land Between the Rivers Southern Illinois
National Heritage Area Act of 2006'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
(1) southern Illinois has a cohesive, distinctive, and important landscape
that distinguishes the area as worthy of designation as a National Heritage
Area;
(2) the historic features of southern Illinois reflect a period during
which the area was the strategic convergence point during the westward
expansion of the United States;
(3) the geographic centrality of southern Illinois ensured that the area
played a pivotal military, social, and political role during the Civil
War, which resulted in the area being known as the `Confluence of Freedom';
(4) southern Illinois is at the junction of the ending glaciers and 6
ecological divisions;
(5) after the expeditions of Lewis and Clark, the land between the rivers
became known as `Egypt' because of the rivers in, and the beauty and agricultural
abundance of, the area;
(6) Native Americans described the area in southern Illinois between the
Mississippi and Ohio Rivers as the `Land Between the Rivers';
(7) a feasibility study led by the Office of Economic and Regional Development
at Southern Illinois University Carbondale that was revised in April 2006
documents a sufficient assemblage of nationally distinctive historic resources
to demonstrate the feasibility of, and the need for, establishing the
Land Between the Rivers National Heritage Area; and
(8) stakeholders participating in the feasibility study process for the
Heritage Area have developed a proposed management entity and financial
plan to preserve the natural, cultural, historic, and scenic features
of the area while furthering recreational and educational opportunities
in the area.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
(1) HERITAGE AREA- The term `Heritage Area' means the Land Between the
Rivers National Heritage Area established by section 4(a).
(2) MANAGEMENT ENTITY- The term `management entity' means the management
entity for the Heritage Area designated by section 4(c).
(3) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of the Interior.
(4) STATE- The term `State' means the State of Illinois.
SEC. 4. LAND BETWEEN THE RIVERS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.
(a) Establishment- There is established in the State the Land Between the
Rivers National Heritage Area.
(b) Boundaries- The Heritage Area shall include--
(1) Kincaid Mound, Fort de Chartres, Kaskaskia, Fort Massac, Wilkinsonville
Contonment, the Lewis and Clark Sculpture, Flat Boat, Cave-in-Rock, the
Shawneetown Bank Building, the Iron Furnace, the Crenshaw `Slave House,'
Roots House, the site of the Lincoln-Douglas debate, certain sites associated
with John A. Logan, the Fort Defiance Planning Map, Mound City National
Cemetery, and Riverlore Mansion; and
(2) any other sites in Randolph, Perry, Jefferson, Franklin, Hamilton,
White, Jackson, Williamson, Saline, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin,
Alexander, Pulaski, and Massac Counties in the State that the Secretary,
in consultation with the management entity, determine to be appropriate
for inclusion in the Heritage Area.
(c) Management Entity- The management entity for the Heritage Area shall
be the Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
END
