Legislative Brief: Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009
On March 30, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009, which includes over 160 bills related to public lands, national parks, historic sites and battlefields, conservation and wilderness designation, national heritage areas and corridors, and historic trails.
Receiving broad, bipartisan support in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, this milestone legislation establishes a new system of public lands that will protect some 26 million acres of American heritage. Officially called the National Landscape Conservation System, it is comprised of the best lands, waterways and cultural resources managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, working with The Wilderness Society and a coalition of more than eighty groups, has spearheaded the effort over the past several years to make this 866-unit system permanent.
"This action by Congress creates the first major system of U.S. public lands in nearly a half century," said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "And, it could well be the last one ever created. Its importance can't be overstated."
Above you will find photos taken at the bill signing ceremony by National Trust Public Lands Policy Program Manager Denise Ryan, and below you will find a summary of the bill's provisions that are relevant to historic preservation in the following areas:
Public Lands
National Landscape Conservation System Act (H.R. 404): Establishes in the Bureau of Land Management the National Landscape Conservation System in order to conserve, protect and restore nationally-significant landscapes that have outstanding cultural, ecological and scientific values for the benefit of current and future generations.
National Landscape Conservation System Expansion
- Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area Act, New Mexico (S. 260): Establishes the Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Cave Conservation Area in Lincoln County, New Mexico, to protect, conserve and enhance the historic, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural and educational subterranean cave resources of the Fort Stanton-Snowy River cave system.
- Washington County Growth and Conservation Act, Utah (S. 2834): Establishes Red Cliffs National Conservation Area to conserve, protect and enhance the ecological, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational and paleontological resources of the national conservation area. Establishes Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area to to conserve, protect and enhance the ecological, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational and paleontological resources of the national conservation area.
Preserve America
Preserve America Act (S. 2262):Establishes an authorization under which the Secretary of the Interior may provide competitive grants to specified entities to support preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education and historic preservation planning activities.
Save America's Treasures
Save America's Treasures Act (S. 2262): Establishes an authorization under which the amounts available shall be used by the Secretary of the Interior to provide grants to eligible entities for projects to preserve nationally-significant collections and historic properties.
Historic Battlefields
Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act (H.R. 146): Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish an acquisition grant program for nationally-significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Through this program, the Secretary may make grants to state and local governments to pay the federal share of the cost of acquiring eligible sites from willing sellers.
Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act (S.1921): Amends the American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996 to extend the American Battlefield Protection Program until September 30, 2013.
Heritage Tourism
Route 66 Corridor Program: Authorizes appropriations through FY2019 to carry out the purposes of Public Law 106-45, which relates to the preservation of the Route 66 Corridor and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance for the preservation of the corridor.
National Parks
Newly-Established National Parks
- Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in New Jersey as a Unit of the National Park System (H.R. 189)
- President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home in Hope, Arkansas, as a National Historic Site and Unit of the National Park System (S. 245)
- River Raisin National Battlefield Park in the State of Michigan (S. 3247)
Amendments to Existing Units of the National Park System
- Hopewell Culture National Historical Park Boundary Adjustment Act, Ohio (H.R. 2197)
- Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Boundary Adjustment Act, Louisiana (S. 783)
- Minute Man National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act, Massachusetts (S. 2513)
- Kalaupapa Memorial Act, Hawaii (H.R. 3332)
- Act Commemorating the Lifetime Innovations of Thomas Edison, New Jersey (H.R. 2627)
- National Women's Rights History Project Act, New York (S. 1816)
- Martin Van Buren National Historic Site Boundary Revision Act, New York (S. 2535)
- Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site Boundary Expansion Act, Texas (S. 3011)
- Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park Act, Kentucky (S. 3226)
- Fort Davis National Historic Site in Fort Davis, Texas (H.R. 6167)
National Park Service Special Resource Studies
- Tule Lake Segregation Center Special Resource Study Act, California (S. 1476): Study of the Tule Lake Segregation Center in Modoc County, California, to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing the site as a unit of the National Park System.
- Alexander Hamilton Boyhood Home Study Act, Virgin Islands (S. 1969): Study to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating Estate Grange, as well as other sites related to Alexander Hamilton's life on the island of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, as units of the National Park System.
- Harriet Beecher Stowe House Special Resource Study Act, Maine (S. 662): Study to evaluate resources at the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Brunswick, Maine, to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing the site as a unit of the National Park System.
- Battle of Shepherdstown, West Virginia (S. 1633): Study relating to the Battle of Shepherdstown in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to evaluate: (1) the national significance of the Shepherdstown battlefield and related sites; and (2) the suitability and feasibility of adding Shepherdstown battlefield and such sites as part of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park or Antietam National Battlefield.
- Green McAdoo School National Historic Site Study Act, Tennessee: Study of the site of Green McAdoo School in Clinton, Tennessee, so as to evaluate the national significance of the site and the suitability and feasibility of designating it as a unit of the National Park System.
- America's Historical and Natural Legacy Study Act (H.R. 3998): Special resources studies of certain lands and structures to determine the appropriate means for preservation, use and management of their resources. Includes Harry S. Truman Birthplace, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Expansion Study, Battle of Matewan Study, Battle of Camden Study, Fort San Geronimo Study, Wolf House Study, and Butterfield Overland Trail Study.
- Cold War (S. 2561): Theme study to identify sites and resources to commemorate and interpret the Cold War. Requires the theme study to include recommendations for commemorating and interpreting identified sites and resources, including; (1) sites for which studies for potential inclusion in the National Park System should be authorized; (2) sites for which new national historic landmarks should be nominated; and (3) other appropriate designations.
National Heritage Areas & Corridors
Newly-Established National Heritage Areas
- Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area (S. 443)
- Cache La Poudre River National Heritage Area (S. 128)
- South Park National Heritage Area (S. 444)
- Northern Plains National Heritage Area (S. 2098)
- Baltimore National Heritage Area (S. 2604)
- Freedom's Way National Heritage Area (S. 827)
- Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area (S. 2254)
- Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area (S. 2512)
- Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area (H.R. 1483)
- Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area (S. 3045)
- Chatahoochee Trace National Heritage Area (S. 637)
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Northern Neck National Heritage Area (H.R. 1483)
Amendments Relating to National Heritage Corridors
- Quinebaugh and Shetucket Heritage Corridor (S. 1182): Increases authorization from $10 million to $15 million. Requires an evaluation and report of the corridor's need for additional federal funding, as well as the impact of federal, state, local and private investments in the corridor.
- Delaware and Lehigh Heritage Corridor (S. 817): Authorizes the transition from a commission to a corporation to manage the corridor.
- Erie Canal National Historic Corridor (H.R. 1483): Expands the governing commission from 14 to 21 members.
- John H. Chafee Blackstone River (H.R. 1483): Technical amendments only.
National Historic Trails
- H.R. 1286: Amends the National Trails System Act to designate the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail Provision. Also includes a willing-seller language that requires owner consent for purchase of land or interest in lands in and around the national historic trail.
- S. 580: Amends the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to (1) revise the feasibility and suitability studies for certain existing National Historic Trails for consideration of possible additions to such trails; and (2) study the feasibility and suitability of designating certain routes and cutoffs as components of the Oregon, Pony Express, California and Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trails and as shared components of the California and Oregon National Historic Trails.
- S. 2255: Amends the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct separate studies to consider the designation of the Chisholm Trail and the Great Western Trail for study and potential addition to the National Trails System. Requires the Secretary to identify the point at which such trails originated south of San Antonio, Texas.
