§460kkk Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

Summary

Creates the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area to protect the islands, waters, and nearby shore sites for public use, enjoyment, education, and recreation. It requires managing the area in partnership with the private sector, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, nearby cities and towns, the Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center, the Trustees of Reservations, and other groups. The plan is to improve public boat access and to offer visitor programs that teach about the islands’ natural and cultural resources, including Native American history. The recreation area is made up of the lands and waters shown on the map titled “Proposed Boston Harbor Islands NRA” (map BOHA 80,002, dated September 1996) that is kept on file with the National Park Service. The Secretary of the Interior may make small boundary changes after notifying the proper Congressional committees. The area also includes certain landside access and service points in Boston, Quincy, Hingham, Hull, Salem, Lynn, and other nearby sites. The Secretary may acquire limited interests in land at Thompson Island only by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. The area must be run as a unit of the National Park System and managed under an integrated resource management plan made with local and state partners. State and local governments keep their normal law-making, law-enforcement, and taxing powers inside the recreation area. The Secretary may enter cooperative agreements with the Commonwealth, local governments, or other Partnership members to manage land and build facilities if funds are available and it’s in the United States’ interest. The Secretary may also build essential visitor or administrative facilities on non-Federal public lands if money is appropriated in advance, and may accept donated funds, property, and services. A Boston Harbor Islands Partnership of 13 members is set up to coordinate planning and management. Members serve three-year terms and may be reappointed once; the Secretary must appoint the first members within 30 days after receiving the required recommendations. The Partnership chooses a chair and vice chair, may hire staff from the Secretary, and can accept donations and seek funding. Within three years after November 12, 1996, the Partnership had to deliver an integrated management plan covering administration, financing (including a required non-Federal match), recreation, conservation, education, access, revenue ideas, and protection of Native American burial grounds. The Governor of Massachusetts gets 90 days to review the plan, and the Secretary then has 90 days to approve or disapprove, with set timelines for revisions if disapproved. An Advisory Council of at least 18 public members will advise the Partnership. Federal money may be appropriated as needed to carry out the plan, but no federal funds may be used to buy land, and any federal money must be matched by at least three non-Federal dollars for every federal dollar.