H.R. 2991

Susquehanna National Heritage Area Act

STATEMENT OF JOY BEASLEY, ACTING ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, CULTURAL RESOURCES, PARTNERSHIPS, AND SCIENCE, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL LANDS, CONCERNING H.R. 2991, A BILL TO ESTABLISH THE SUSQUEHANNA NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

APRIL 11, 2018

Chairman McClintock, Ranking Member Hanabusa, and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the Department of the Interior’s views on H.R. 2991, a bill to establish the Susquehanna National Heritage Area in the State of Pennsylvania, and for other purposes.

The Department recognizes that the proposed Susquehanna National Heritage Area has been found to meet the National Park Service’s interim criteria for designation as a national heritage area.  However, in order to focus resources on reducing the National Park Service’s $11.6 billion deferred maintenance backlog and addressing other critical national park needs, funding for national heritage areas is not a priority in the Administration’s FY 2019 budget.  Under these circumstances, we believe it would be unwise to designate a new national heritage area at this time.

Most of the language in H.R. 2991 is standard for national heritage area designation legislation that Congress has enacted in the last decade.  However, the bill’s management plan requirements are missing some standard provisions.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement.  I would be pleased to answer any questions you or other members of the Subcommittee may have.

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