Legislative History of the Heritage Corridor

Congress passed the Act to establish the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in Massachusetts and Rhode Island for the purpose of “preserving and interpreting for the educational and inspirational benefit of present and future generations the unique and significant contributions to our national heritage of certain historic and cultural lands, waterways and structures within the Blackstone Valley” in order to “provide a management framework to assist the states…and their units of local government in the development and implementation of integrated cultural, historical, and land resource management programs in order to retain, enhance, and interpret the significant values of the lands, waters and structures of the Corridor.” (Public Law 99-647, November 10, 1986)

This law passed in 1986, and subsequent laws passed by Congress since that time provide the purpose and mandate for the Corridor. Click on any of the following for the complete text of the laws that continue to shape the how the Corridor carries out its work.

November 10, 1986
Public Law 99-647
 (PDF: 15KB / 5 pages)
An Act to establish the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in Massachusetts and Rhode Island

October 18, 1990
Public Law 101-441
(PDF: 8KB / 2 pages)
An Act to Amend Public Law 99-647, establishing the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission, to authorize action in furtherance of its purposes and to increase the authorization of appropriations

November 12, 1996
Public Law 104-333
(PDF: 9KB / 2 pages)
Amending the boundaries of the Heritage Corridor, revising the Cultural Heritage and Land Management Plan, extending the Commission for ten years and authorizing appropriations

October 12, 2006
Public Law 109-338
  (PDF: 29 K/ 2 pages)
Reauthorizes the Heritage Corridor for five more years, calls for an update of the Cultural Heritage and Land Management plan and initiates a Special Resource Study to determine the suitability of designating one or more sites within the Blackstone Valley as a unit of the National Park System.