Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 1.djvu/855

 PUBLIC LAW 106-278—OCT. 6, 2000 114 STAT. 819 TITLE II—SCHUYLKILL RIVER VALLEY schuyikm mver VaU Heri Act. NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA nS^'tT" SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. This title may be cited as the "Schuylkill River Valley National 16 USC 461 note. Heritage Area Act". SEC. 202. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) FINDINGS.— Congress finds that— (1) the Schuylkill River Valley made a unique contribution to the cultural, political, and industrial development of the United States; (2) the Schuylkill River is distinctive as the first spine of modern industrial development in Pennsylvania and one of the first in the United States; (3) the Schuylkill River Valley played a significant role in the struggle for nationhood; (4) the Schuylkill River Valley developed a prosperous and productive agricultural economy that survives today; (5) the Schuylkill River Valley developed a charcoal iron industry that made Pennsylvania the center of the iron industry within the North American colonies; (6) the Schuylkill River Valley developed into a significant anthracite mining region that continues to thrive today; (7) the Schuylkill River Valley developed early transportation systems, including the Schuylkill Canal and the Reading Railroad; (8) the Schuylkill River Valley developed a significant industrial base, including textile mills and iron works; (9) there is a longstanding commitment to— (A) repairing the environmental damage to the river and its surroundings caused by the largely unregulated industrial activity; and (B) completing the Schuylkill River Trail along the 128-mile corridor of the Schuylkill Valley; (10) there is a need to provide assistance for the preservation and promotion of the significance of the Schuylkill River as a system for transportation, agriculture, industry, commerce, and immigration; and (11)(A) the Department of the Interior is responsible for protecting the Nation's cultural and historical resources; and (B) there are significant examples of such resources within the Schuylkill River Valley to merit the involvement of the Federal Government in the development of programs and projects, in cooperation with the Schuylkill River Green way Association, the State of Pennsylvania, and other local and governmental bodies, to adequately conserve, protect, and interpret this heritage for future generations, while providing opportunities for education and revitalization. (b) PURPOSES. — The purposes of this title are— (1) to foster a close working relationship with all levels of government, the private sector, and the local communities in the Schuylkill River Valley of southeastern Pennsylvania and enable the communities to conserve their heritage while continuing to pursue economic opportunities; and

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