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HR 8114

Endless Mountains National Heritage Area Act

119th Congress Introduced by Dan Meuser

Designates Endless Mountains in PA as a National Heritage Area with local planning, a 3-year plan deadline, and sunset of federal support 15 years after enactment.

Introduced in House
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Bill Summary · HR 8114

Summary: HR 8114 – Endless Mountains National Heritage Area Act (119th Congress)

Purpose
- To designate the Endless Mountains National Heritage Area in Pennsylvania as a component of the National Heritage Area System and establish related management and authorization provisions.

Key Provisions

1) Designation and geographic scope
- Amends Section 6001(a) of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to create the Endless Mountains National Heritage Area (E.M. NHA).
- Geographic coverage: Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming Counties in Pennsylvania, plus any portions of other Pennsylvania counties identified in the feasibility study for the E.M. NHA.
- The exact boundaries will be established by the Secretary of the Interior based on the feasibility study.

2) Local coordinating entity
- The Endless Mountains Heritage Region, Inc. is designated as the local coordinating entity for the E.M. NHA.

3) Management planning
- The local coordinating entity must submit a proposed management plan to the Secretary of the Interior for approval no later than 3 years after enactment.

4) Termination of federal authority
- The Secretary’s authority to provide assistance under the relevant NHA provisions for the E.M. NHA would terminate 15 years after the date of enactment.

Additional details
- Bill status: Introduced March 26, 2026; referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Sponsor: Rep. Dan Meuser (co-sponsor listed).
- Short title: “Endless Mountains National Heritage Area Act.”

Implications and Potential Impacts

  • National Heritage Area designation

    • Creates a framework for federal, state, and local collaboration to interpret, preserve, and promote the cultural, historical, natural, and recreational resources of the Endless Mountains region.

  • Local governance and partnership

    • Empowers the local coordinating entity (Endless Mountains Heritage Region, Inc.) to guide planning and partner with municipalities, non-profits, and private Stakeholders for conservation, interpretation, and economic development activities tied to heritage tourism.

  • Planning and implementation timeline

    • A management plan must be developed and approved within 3 years, guiding projects and use of federal support over the 15-year federal authority horizon.

  • Sunset of federal support

    • Federal authority to provide assistance under the National Heritage Area program for this designation is limited to a 15-year window from enactment, after which no further federal assistance is authorized under this act (though other non-federal funding or authorities could apply outside this act).

Who is affected

  • Residents and communities in Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming Counties (PA) and nearby areas identified in the feasibility study.
  • Local governments, non-profits, and businesses engaged in heritage, cultural, and tourism activities.
  • The Secretary of the Interior, and the designated local coordinating entity, with the potential impact on funding and program focus during the 15-year authorization period.

Timeline at a glance

  • Enactment date: Not specified in bill text; assumed upon passage and signing.
  • Management plan due: Within 3 years after enactment.
  • Federal assistance sunset: 15 years after enactment.

Notes for further consideration

  • The feasibility study referenced will determine precise boundaries beyond the core four counties.
  • The act does not specify funding amounts; appropriations would be subject to future appropriations processes.
  • Details on specific programs, projects, or interpretive themes would be developed in the management plan and subsequent implementing documents.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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