A bill to authorize funding to protect and conserve lands contiguous with the Blue Ridge Parkway to serve the public, and for other purposes.
Blue Ridge Parkway Protection Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire lands and interests in land from willing sellers in order to protect up to 50,000 acres identified in the Blue Ridge Parkway Land Protection Plan.
Requires the lands and interests authorized to be acquired to be contiguous with the Blue Ridge Parkway and identified by the Superintendent of the Parkway as a priority for acquisition by the federal government.
Authorizes the Secretary to award grants from funds under this Act to: (1) acquire lands and interests; and (2) provide technical expense assistance for costs associated with land acquisition by entering into cooperative agreements with qualified non-profit conservation organizations to acquire lands and interests.
Bars the Secretary from spending more than 10% of the funds made available under this Act in any fiscal year for site restoration and resource surveys.
Permits, from funds under this Act, the use of not more than $250,000 in FY2011-FY2015 to reimburse administrative expenses for qualified non-profit conservation organizations involved directly in land acquisition projects in which lands and interests are conveyed to the Parkway.
Requires the Secretary to submit a report to Congress which: (1) describes the condition of the Parkway, including threats and land preservation needs; (2) lists the land acquisitions that have been completed or are underway; and (3) lists priority land acquisitions that should be made.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-476.
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