Overview

Title

To amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to designate as a component of the National Heritage Area System the Finger Lakes National Heritage Area in the State of New York, and for other purposes.

ELI5 AI

S. 2743 is a plan to make the Finger Lakes in New York a special protected area so people can enjoy nature more. A group called the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance will help take care of it, and they have to make a plan in three years, but they can only get help from the government for 15 years.

Summary AI

S. 2743 proposes to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act by designating the Finger Lakes area in New York as a National Heritage Area. This designation includes counties like Cayuga, Chemung, and Onondaga, among others, and tasks the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance with coordinating efforts. The bill requires a management plan to be submitted within three years and limits federal assistance to a duration of fifteen years from the bill's enactment.

Published

2024-11-21
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: SENATE
Status: Reported to Senate
Date: 2024-11-21
Package ID: BILLS-118s2743rs

Keywords AI

finger lakes national heritage area national heritage area system finger lakes tourism alliance john d. dingell jr. conservation management recreation act local coordinating entity federal assistance management plan secretary of the interior new york designation

Sources

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
2
Words:
629
Pages:
4
Sentences:
9

Language

Nouns: 261
Verbs: 31
Adjectives: 8
Adverbs: 2
Numbers: 35
Entities: 69

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.21
Average Sentence Length:
69.89
Token Entropy:
4.60
Readability (ARI):
36.82

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

The proposed legislation seeks to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to designate the Finger Lakes National Heritage Area as part of the National Heritage Area System in New York. The bill recognizes specific counties in New York as constituting the Finger Lakes National Heritage Area. Additionally, it assigns the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance as the local coordinating entity responsible for managing the heritage area. A management plan is expected to be submitted within three years, and the Secretary of the Interior's authority to provide assistance will terminate fifteen years after the enactment, unless renewed or extended.

Significant Issues

Several notable issues arise in this bill:

  1. Favoritism and Selection Transparency: The bill designates the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance as the local coordinating entity without specifying criteria for their selection. This could raise concerns about favoritism and exclusion of other potentially qualified organizations.

  2. Financial Vagueness: There is no specific budget outlined for the management of the heritage area, which poses risks related to potential uncontrolled spending or financial accountability.

  3. Management Plan Delay: The three-year period allowed for submitting a management plan may delay initiatives, potentially limiting the heritage area's timely development and effectiveness.

  4. Assistance Termination: The bill does not include a mechanism for evaluating the heritage area’s success or future sustainability strategies after the 15-year assistance period ends.

  5. Ambiguity in Roles and Responsibilities: It lacks specific guidelines on the responsibilities and decision-making processes of involved entities, which could lead to confusion or inefficiencies.

  6. Lack of Oversight Measures: The absence of clear oversight mechanisms and accountability raises concerns regarding the management and appropriate allocation of resources.

Public Impact

If enacted, the legislation may widely influence the Finger Lakes region by promoting tourism, enhancing conservation efforts, and preserving cultural and historic resources within the designated heritage area. However, the absence of defined spending limits and oversight could lead to taxpayers’ concerns about resource misuse and inefficiencies. The public could benefit from the initiative in terms of community revitalization and economic growth, although delayed development due to the extended planning timeline might affect immediate benefits.

Stakeholder Impact

For local communities and businesses within the designated counties, the bill could yield positive opportunities in terms of economic development and increased tourism. The Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance stands to gain substantial influence and responsibility as the designated coordinating entity, but this exclusivity may disillusion other local organizations that could have contributed beneficially. The absence of a specified budget poses a challenge for local and federal stakeholders concerning financial planning and commitment to sustaining the heritage area.

Local governments will need to collaborate effectively with federal agencies and the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance to ensure the successful implementation and long-term sustainability of the heritage area. Failure to establish clear criteria and guidelines might yield legal challenges or inter-organizational conflicts. Hence, the bill bears consequences both advantageous and adverse, necessitating careful consideration and amendments to address its outlined issues.

Issues

  • The designation of the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance as the local coordinating entity for the Finger Lakes National Heritage Area could be perceived as favoritism, potentially excluding other qualified organizations, which is an important issue related to fairness and transparency. [Section 2]

  • The lack of criteria for selecting the local coordinating entity raises concerns about the transparency and fairness of the selection process. This could lead to legal or ethical challenges. [Section 2]

  • The bill does not outline a specific budget for establishing or managing the Finger Lakes National Heritage Area, which poses potential risks of uncontrolled spending and financial accountability. [Section 2]

  • The 3-year deadline for submitting a management plan may delay the implementation of significant initiatives and activities in the heritage area, affecting its timely development and impact. [Section 2]

  • The authority of the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance will terminate 15 years after enactment, without any planned evaluation of the heritage area's success or impact during this period or plans for sustainability thereafter, impacting long-term planning. [Section 2]

  • Vague language regarding the roles and responsibilities of the local coordinating entity and the Secretary of the Interior could lead to confusion or inefficiencies in management and decision-making, causing potential operational challenges. [Section 2]

  • The absence of oversight mechanisms or accountability measures in the bill may hinder proper management and spending controls, leading to potential misuse or inefficient allocation of resources. [Section 2]

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The first section of the Act states that it may be called the "Finger Lakes National Heritage Area Act".

2. Designation of Finger Lakes National Heritage Area Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section establishes the Finger Lakes National Heritage Area in New York as part of the National Heritage Area System and designates the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance as the coordinating entity. It also requires a management plan to be submitted within three years and limits the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance to 15 years after the enactment of the bill.