AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF MANAGEMENT ENTITIES.

SEC. 907. AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES OF MANAGEMENT ENTITIES. (a) Authorities of the Management Entities.—The management entities may, for purposes of preparing and implementing the management plan under section 906, use Federal funds made available through this title— (1) to make loans and grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements with, States and their political subdivisions, private organizations, or any person; and (2) to hire and compensate staff. 110 STAT. 4278 (b) Duties of the Management Entities.—The management entities shall— (1) develop and submit to the Secretary for approval a management plan as described in section 906 within 5 years after the date of the enactment of this title. (2) give priority to implementing actions as set forth in the compact and the management plan, including taking steps to— (A) assist units of government, regional planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations in preserving the Heritage Area; (B) assist units of government, regional planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations in establishing, and maintaining interpretive exhibits in the Heritage Area; (C) assist units of government, regional planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations in developing recreational resources in the Heritage Area; (D) assist units of government, regional planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations in increasing public awareness of an appreciation for the natural, historical and architectural resources and sites in the Heritage Area; (E) assist units of government, regional planning organizations and nonprofit organizations in the restoration of any historic building relating to the themes of the Heritage Area; (F) encourage by appropriate means economic viability in the corridor consistent with the goals of the plan; (G) encourage local governments to adopt land use policies consistent with the management of the Heritage Area and the goals of the plan; and (H) assist units of government, regional planning organizations and nonprofit organizations to ensure that clear, consistent, and environmentally appropriate signs identifying access points and sites of interest are put in place throughout the Heritage Area; (3) consider the interests of diverse governmental, business, and nonprofit groups within the Heritage Area; (4) conduct public meetings at least quarterly regarding the implementation of the management plan; (5) submit substantial changes (including any increase of more than 20 percent in the cost estimates for implementation) to the management plan to the Secretary for the Secretary’s approval; (6) for any year in which Federal funds have been received under this title, submit an annual report to the Secretary setting forth its accomplishments, its expenses and income, and the entities to which any loans and grants were made during the year for which the report is made; and (7) for any year in which Federal funds have been received under this title, make available for audit all records pertaining to the expenditure of such funds and any matching funds, and require, for all agreements authorizing expenditure of Federal funds by other organizations, that the receiving organizations make available for audit all records pertaining to the expenditure of such funds. 110 STAT. 4279 If a management plan is not submitted to the Secretary as required under paragraph (1) within the specified time, the Heritage Area shall no longer qualify for Federal funding. (c) Prohibition on the Acquisition of Real Property.—The management entities may not use Federal funds received under this title to acquire real property or an interest in real property. Nothing in this title shall preclude any management entity from using Federal funds from other sources for their permitted purposes. (d) Eligibility for Receiving Financial Assistance.— (1) Eligibility.—The management entities shall be eligible to receive funds appropriated through this title for a period of 10 years after the day on which the compact under section 905 is signed by the Secretary and the management entities, except as provided in paragraph (2). (2) Exception.—The management entities’ eligibility for funding under this title may be extended for a period of not more than 5 additional years if— (A) the management entities determine such extension is necessary in order to carry out the purposes of this title and notify the Secretary not later than 180 days prior to the termination date; (B) the management entities, not later than 180 days prior to the termination date, present to the Secretary a plan of their activities for the period of the extension, including provisions for becoming independent of the funds made available through this title; and (C) the Secretary, with the advice of the Governor of New York, approves such extension of funding.