September 17, 2026
Mr. Cotton introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
To amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to designate as a component of the National Heritage Area System the Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area in the State of Arkansas, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area Act
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Sec. 2. Designation of Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area
(a) Designation
Section 6001(a) of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116–9; 133 Stat. 768; 136 Stat. 6163) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(14) Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area
(A) In general
There is established as a component of the National Heritage Area System the Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area in the State of Arkansas, to consist of Clay, Greene, Craighead, Poinsett, Mississippi, Cross, Crittenden, St. Francis, Lee, Phillips, Monroe, Arkansas, Lincoln, Jefferson, Desha, Drew, and Chicot Counties, Arkansas.
(B) Local coordinating entity
Arkansas State University Heritage Sites shall be the local coordinating entity for the National Heritage Area designated by subparagraph (A).
(b) Management plan
For the purposes of section 6001(c) of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116–9; 133 Stat. 772; 136 Stat. 6173), the local coordinating entity for the Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area designated under the amendment made by subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary of the Interior for approval a proposed management plan for the Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
(c) Termination of authority
For the purposes of subsection (g)(4) of section 6001 of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116–9; 133 Stat. 776), the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance under that section for the Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area designated under the amendment made by subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 15 years after the date of enactment of this Act.