text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; DEFINITIONS.
  
      (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Richmond National 
  Battlefield Park Act of 2000''.
      (b) Definitions.--In this Act:
              (1) Battlefield park.--The term ``battlefield park'' means 
          the Richmond National Battlefield Park.
              (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
          of the Interior.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
  
      (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
              (1) In the Act of March 2, 1936 (Chapter 113; 49 Stat. 
          1155; 16 U.S.C. 423j), Congress authorized the establishment of 
          the Richmond National Battlefield Park, and the boundaries of 
          the battlefield park were established to permit the inclusion 
          of all military battlefield areas related to the battles fought 
          during the Civil War in the vicinity of the city of Richmond, 
          Virginia. The battlefield park originally included the area 
          then known as the Richmond Battlefield State Park.-
              (2) The total acreage identified in 1936 for consideration 
          for inclusion in the battlefield park consisted of 
          approximately 225,000 acres in and around the city of Richmond. 
          A study undertaken by the congressionally authorized Civil War 
          Sites Advisory Committee determined that of these 225,000 
          acres, the historically significant areas relating to the 
          campaigns against and in defense of Richmond encompass 
          approximately 38,000 acres.
              (3) In a 1996 general management plan, the National Park 
          Service identified approximately 7,121 acres in and around the 
          city of Richmond that satisfy the National Park Service 
          criteria of significance, integrity, feasibility, and 
          suitability for inclusion in the battlefield park. The National 
          Park Service later identified an additional 186 acres for 
          inclusion in the battlefield park.
              (4) There is a national interest in protecting and 
          preserving sites of historical significance associated with the 
          Civil War and the city of Richmond.
              (5) The Commonwealth of Virginia and its local units of 
          government have authority to prevent or minimize adverse uses 
          of these historic resources and can play a significant role in 
          the protection of the historic resources related to the 
          campaigns against and in defense of Richmond.
              (6) The preservation of the New Market Heights Battlefield 
          in the vicinity of the city of Richmond is an important aspect 
          of American history that can be interpreted to the public. The 
          Battle of New Market Heights represents a premier landmark in 
          black military history as 14 black Union soldiers were awarded 
          the Medal of Honor in recognition of their valor during the 
          battle. According to National Park Service historians, the 
          sacrifices of the United States Colored Troops in this battle 
          helped to ensure the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the 
          United States Constitution to abolish slavery.
      (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act--
              (1) to revise the boundaries for the Richmond National 
          Battlefield Park based on the findings of the Civil War Sites 
          Advisory Committee and the National Park Service; and
              (2) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to work in 
          cooperation with the Commonwealth of Virginia, the city of 
          Richmond, other political subdivisions of the Commonwealth, 
          other public entities, and the private sector in the 
          management, protection, and interpretation of the resources 
          associated with the Civil War and the Civil War battles in and 
          around the city of Richmond, Virginia.
  
  SEC. 3. RICHMOND NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD PARK; BOUNDARIES.
  
      (a) Establishment and Purpose.--For the purpose of protecting, 
  managing, and interpreting the resources associated with the Civil War 
  battles in and around the city of Richmond, Virginia, there is 
  established the Richmond National Battlefield Park consisting of 
  approximately 7,307 acres of land, as generally depicted on the map 
  entitled ``Richmond National Battlefield Park Boundary Revision'', 
  numbered 367N.E.F.A.80026A, and dated September 2000. The map shall be 
  on file in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
      (b) Boundary Adjustments.--The Secretary may make minor adjustments 
  in the boundaries of the battlefield park consistent with section 7(c) 
  of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-
  9(c)).
  
  SEC. 4. LAND ACQUISITION.
  
      (a) Acquisition Authority.--
              (1) In general.--The Secretary may acquire lands, waters, 
          and interests in lands within the boundaries of the battlefield 
          park from willing landowners by donation, purchase with donated 
          or appropriated funds, or exchange. In acquiring lands and 
          interests in lands under this Act, the Secretary shall acquire 
          the minimum interest necessary to achieve the purposes for 
          which the battlefield is established.
              (2) Special rule for private lands.--Privately owned lands 
          or interests in lands may be acquired under this Act only with 
          the consent of the owner.
      (b) Easements.--
              (1) Outside boundaries.--The Secretary may acquire an 
          easement on property outside the boundaries of the battlefield 
          park and around the city of Richmond, with the consent of the 
          owner, if the Secretary determines that the easement is 
          necessary to protect core Civil War resources as identified by 
          the Civil War Sites Advisory Committee. Upon acquisition of the 
          easement, the Secretary shall revise the boundaries of the 
          battlefield park to include the property subject to the 
          easement.
              (2) Inside boundaries.--To the extent practicable, and if 
          preferred by a willing landowner, the Secretary shall use 
          permanent conservation easements to acquire interests in land 
          in lieu of acquiring land in fee simple and thereby removing 
          land from non-Federal ownership.
      (c) Visitor Center.--The Secretary may acquire the Tredegar Iron 
  Works buildings and associated land in the city of Richmond for use as 
  a visitor center for the battlefield park.
  
  SEC. 5. PARK ADMINISTRATION.
  
      (a) Applicable Laws.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of 
  the National Park Service, shall administer the battlefield park in 
  accordance with this Act and laws generally applicable to units of the 
  National Park System, including the Act of August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 
  et. seq.) and the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et. seq.).
      (b) New Market Heights Battlefield.--The Secretary shall provide 
  for the establishment of a monument or memorial suitable to honor the 
  14 Medal of Honor recipients from the United States Colored Troops who 
  fought in the Battle of New Market Heights. The Secretary shall include 
  the Battle of New Market Heights and the role of black Union soldiers 
  in the battle in historical interpretations provided to the public at 
  the battlefield park.
      (c) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into 
  cooperative agreements with the Commonwealth of Virginia, its political 
  subdivisions (including the city of Richmond), private property owners, 
  and other members of the private sector to develop mechanisms to 
  protect and interpret the historical resources within the battlefield 
  park in a manner that would allow for continued private ownership and 
  use where compatible with the purposes for which the battlefield is 
  established.
      (d) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical 
  assistance to the Commonwealth of Virginia, its political subdivisions, 
  nonprofit entities, and private property owners for the development of 
  comprehensive plans, land use guidelines, special studies, and other 
  activities that are consistent with the identification, protection, 
  interpretation, and commemoration of historically significant Civil War 
  resources located inside and outside of the boundaries of the 
  battlefield park. The technical assistance does not authorize the 
  Secretary to own or manage any of the resources outside the battlefield 
  park boundaries.
  
  SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
  to carry out this Act.
  
  SEC. 7. REPEAL OF SUPERSEDED LAW.
  
      The Act of March 2, 1936 (Chapter 113; 16 U.S.C. 423j-423l) is 
  repealed.
  
              Passed the House of Representatives October 17, 2000.
  
              Attest:
  
                                                                   Clerk.
target: Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide for the establishment of a monument or memorial to honor the 14 Medal of Honor recipients from the United States Colored Troops who fought in the Battle of New Market Heights; and (2) include the role of black Union soldiers in historical interpretations provided at the Park.
feat_title: Richmond National Battlefield Park Act of 2000