II
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3141
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 2, 2021
Mr. Durbin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To establish the New Philadelphia National Historical Park in the State of Illinois as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the New Philadelphia National Historical Park Act
.
Findings
Congress finds that—
Frank McWorter, an enslaved man, bought his freedom and the freedom of 15 family members by—
mining for crude niter in Kentucky caves and processing the mined material into saltpeter;
hiring his time to other settlers; and
selling lots in New Philadelphia, which was—
the town founded by Frank McWorter; and
the first town planned and legally registered by a free African American before the Civil War;
the first railroad constructed in the area of New Philadelphia bypassed New Philadelphia, which led to the decline of New Philadelphia; and
the site of New Philadelphia is a registered National Historic Landmark.
Definitions
In this Act:
Park
The term Park means the New Philadelphia National Historical Park established by section 4(a).
Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
State
The term State means the State of Illinois.
Establishment of New Philadelphia National Historical Park
Establishment
There is established in the State as a unit of the National Park System the New Philadelphia National Historical Park.
Purposes
The purposes of the Park are—
to protect, preserve, and interpret the many significant aspects of the Park; and
to the extent feasible, to coordinate preservation and interpretation activities with the State and other public and nonpublic entities through cooperative agreements entered into under section 5(c).
Boundary
The Park shall consist of the approximately 124.33 acres of land within the boundary generally depicted as Legislative Boundary
on the map prepared by the National Park Service entitled New Philadelphia National Historic Site Proposed Boundary
, numbered 591/176,516, and dated July 2021.
Administration
In general
The Secretary shall administer land within the boundary of the Park in accordance with—
this Act; and
the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—
section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and sections 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of title 54, United States Code; and
chapter 3201 of title 54, United States Code.
Management and operations
The Lincoln Home National Historic Site shall be responsible for the management and operations of the Park.
Cooperative agreements
The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the State or other public and nonpublic entities under which the Secretary may identify, interpret, and provide assistance for the preservation of non-Federal land within the boundaries of the Park and at sites in close proximity to the Park but located outside the boundaries of the Park, including providing for—
the placement of directional and interpretive signage;
exhibits; and
technology-based interpretive devices.
Acquisition of land
In general
Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may acquire land and interests in land (including any buildings or structures) for inclusion in the Park by—
donation;
purchase with donated or appropriated funds; or
exchange.
Limitation
Any land owned by the State or a political subdivision of the State may be acquired for inclusion in the Park only by donation.
Technical and preservation assistance
The Secretary may provide public interpretation and technical assistance for the preservation of historic structures of, the maintenance of the cultural landscape of, and local preservation planning for, related historic and cultural resources within the boundaries of the Park.
Management plan
Not later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which funds are first made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the State, shall complete a general management plan for the Park in accordance with—
section 100502 of title 54, United States Code; and
any other applicable laws.
