tor of the permanent facility that is the hub of the proposed district, we recommend functions be shared between the Park Service and whatever cooperative bodies may be created.

Certain functions are most naturally and efficiently administered by Salem maritime: Coordination of a network of visitor center operations-most of the other visitor centers being operated by others and in existing buildings-collaborative interpretive training and planning among the heritage sites and resources, and educational program development we see as the role of the National Park Service.

We propose that the legislation contain a provision specifically authorizing this off-site role. This collaboration would be done by cooperative agreements. This would allow the Essex Heritage District to be a true partnership and a comanagement structure.

We recommend a few other amendments, Mr. Chairman.

We recommend that the provision in section 203(h) authorizing the acquisition of land with Federal funds be deleted. That makes it consistent with H.R. 3707.

We recommend that authorization be included for the National Park Service at Salem Maritime National Historic Site to participate in the activities of the Essex Heritage District outside the boundaries of the site.

And we recommend that there be added a provision for the cooperation and consultation of other Federal agencies consistent with section 8(b) of H.R. 3707.

The bill does not enlarge the affected park area nor require acquisition of additional properties.

That concludes the summary of my statement, Mr. Chairman, on Essex.

[Prepared statement of Mr. Galvin follows:]

STATEMENT OF DENIS GALVIN, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC LANDS, HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, CONCERNING H.R. 1685 TO ESTABLISH THE ESSEX HERITAGE DISTRICT COMMISSION.

June 28, 1994

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear before the Subcommittee today to present testimony on H.R. 1685.

We support the designation of Essex County as a national heritage district and support the bill if amended in accordance with this testimony.

The

bill would formally recognize the range of unique and interrelated historic, cultural, and natural resources existing in several areas of Essex County. It would also establish a special commission to plan, coordinate, and direct actions necessary to protect, interpret, and provide for visitor enjoyment of these resources. The commission would be responsible to the Secretary of the Interior for carrying out its official charges. The Secretary, in turn, would be required to provide technical assistance to the commission.

The proposed Essex Heritage District exceeds the qualifications for a heritage area contained in H.R. 3707, the bill for an American Heritage Areas Partnership Program. Its resources and feasibility have been evaluated by the National Park Service, and the management action plan is nearing completion. Therefore, the proposed district has already taken the first two steps required of

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units of the proposed heritage areas partnership program.

The proposal for an Essex Heritage District grew out of a National Park Service initiative beginning in 1989 to enhance the resources and interpretive programs of Salem Maritime Historic Site. One of the themes developed during this process was to recognize the site's regional context and enhance its interpretive mission by association with related non-Federal sites and resources.

The

Service's

studies found literally thousands of historic resources in Essex County, including 23 National Historic Landmarks, illustrating and illuminating the primary themes of the Park and linking them together into a coherent and intelligible story covering four centuries of American History.

Public support for an Essex Heritage District is strong. In June 1992, former Representative Nicholas Mavroules established the Essex Heritage Ad Hoc Commission. It was renewed by Representative Peter Torkildsen in 1993. The Commission is broad-based and includes all levels of government and the private sector. In Fiscal Years 1993 and 1994, Congress appropriated $75,000 to the National Park Service to provide technical assistance to the Commission to support the preparation of a management action plan, which will be completed this summer, and to undertake some early implementation actions. The private sector and municipal

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governments have more than matched these investments.

While we believe that the Essex Heritage District is worthy of Federal designation, we do not recommend the establishment of a Federal commission as the management entity for this heritage area. The Administration is committed to controlling the growth of advisory and operating commissions. We recognize the need for a coordinating mechanism, and several are possible. One alternative is a non-profit corporation based on the model of the successful Salem Partnership.

The critical factor is that the establishment of the management entity for a heritage area should be a local, not a Federal, responsibility. Under H.R. 3707, the National Park Service would assist local sponsors in preparing a management plan and, once an area is established, provide technical and financial assistance to the management entity. However, the initiative for a heritage area should be a local one. Creating a Federal commission to manage a heritage area would not appear to be consistent with this emphasis on local initiative.

Because the Essex Heritage District is an extension of the mission of Salem Maritime National Historic Site and because the Site is the operator of the permanent facility that is the hub of the

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proposed District, we recommend functions be shared between the National Park Service and whatever cooperative bodies may be created. Certain functions are most naturally and efficiently administered by the Salem Maritime site: coordination of the

network of visitor center operations, collaborative interpretive training and planning among the heritage sites and resources, and educational program development. We propose that the legislation

the Park.

contain a provision specifically authorizing this off-site role for Collaboration with cooperative bodies would be governed by cooperative agreements or other instruments. This would allow the Essex Heritage District to be a true partnership, a COmanagement structure in which functions are allocated to the cooperating entities in an effective and economical way.

We recommend that the bill be further amended as follows:

Delete the provision in Section 203 (h) authorizing the acquisition of land with Federal funds.

Include authorization for the National Park Service at Salem Maritime National Historic Site to participate in the activities of the Essex Heritage District outside the boundaries of the site.

Add a provision for the cooperation and consultation of other