FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

SEC. 602. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) Findings.—Congress finds that— (1) the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, more than 250 miles in length, possesses a wide diversity of significant rare plants, animals, and ecosystems, agricultural and timber lands, shell-fish harvesting areas, historic sites and structures, and cultural and multicultural landscapes related to the past and current commerce, transportation, maritime, textile, agricultural, mining, cattle, pottery, and national defense industries of the region, which provide significant ecological, natural, tourism, recreational, timber management, educational, and economic benefits; (2) there is a national interest in protecting, conserving, restoring, promoting, and interpreting the benefits of the Corridor for the residents of, and visitors to, the Corridor area; 110 STAT. 4261 (3) a primary responsibility for conserving, preserving, protecting, and promoting the benefits resides with the State of South Carolina and the units of local government having jurisdiction over the Corridor area; and (4) in view of the longstanding Federal practice of assisting States in creating, protecting, conserving, preserving, and interpreting areas of significant natural and cultural importance, and in view of the national significance of the Corridor, the Federal Government has an interest in assisting the State of South Carolina, the units of local government of the State, and the private sector in fulfilling the responsibilities described in paragraph (3). (b) Purposes.—The purposes of this title are— (1) to protect, preserve, conserve, restore, promote, and interpret the significant land and water resource values and functions of the Corridor; (2) to encourage and support, through financial and technical assistance, the State of South Carolina, the units of local government of the State, and the private sector in the development of a heritage plan for the Corridor to ensure coordinated public and private action in the Corridor area in a manner consistent with subsection (a); (3) to provide, during the development of an integrated heritage plan, Federal financial and technical assistance for the protection, preservation, and conservation of land and water areas in the Corridor that are in danger of being adversely affected or destroyed; (4) to encourage and assist the State of South Carolina and the units of local government of the State to identify the full range of public and private technical and financial assistance programs and services available to implement the heritage plan; (5) to encourage adequate coordination of all government programs affecting the land and water resources of the Corridor; and (6) to develop a management framework with the State of South Carolina and the units of local government of the State for— (A) planning and implementing the heritage plan; and (B) developing policies and programs that will preserve, conserve, protect, restore, enhance, and interpret the cultural, historical, natural, economic, recreational, and scenic resources of the Corridor.