S. 3501 — Calumet National Heritage Area Act

This section states congressional findings regarding the cultural, natural, historical, and economic significance of the Calumet region—composed of three counties in Indiana and portions of two counties in Illinois—including its industrial heritage as the world's largest industrial district in the early 20th century and the leading U.S. steel-producing region; nationally significant sites such as Indiana Dunes National Park, Pullman National Historical Park, five national natural landmarks, and 48,000 acres of protected lands; and local partnerships supporting its designation as the Calumet National Heritage Area per a National Park Service-approved feasibility study.

This section designates the Calumet National Heritage Area in the States of Indiana and Illinois—located along the southern shore of Lake Michigan from Chicago's 71st Street to the Indiana state line, including Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties, as depicted on the map on page 25 of the Calumet National Heritage Area Feasibility Study dated April 14, 2018, as subsequently modified—as a component of the National Heritage Area System. The Calumet Heritage Partnership serves as the local coordinating entity for the area. It requires the entity to submit a proposed management plan to the Secretary of the Interior for approval within three years of enactment. The Secretary's authority to provide assistance terminates 15 years after enactment. (As background, National Heritage Areas are managed through public-private partnerships that receive federal technical and financial assistance from the National Park Service to preserve cultural, historic, and natural resources without federal land acquisition.)