Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area Study Authorization Act

Reported To SenatePublic Lands and Natural ResourcesNarrow

Sponsor: Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
Committees: Energy and Natural Resources Committee (primary)
Last action: Sep 17, 2026

Bottom line

This bill initiates a formal study to determine if the historically significant Canterbury Shaker Village qualifies for designation as a National Heritage Area, potentially leading to federal recognition and support for its preservation.

What it actually does

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the Canterbury Shaker Village National Historic Landmark in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, as a National Heritage Area. The study will involve consultation with various state and local entities and adhere to existing guidelines for such assessments.

Section 4

Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area Study Authorization

prominently featuredstraightforward

This section directs the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a study to evaluate whether the Canterbury Shaker Village National Historic Landmark in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, meets the criteria for designation as a National Heritage Area. The study must be conducted in collaboration with state and local historic preservation officers, historical societies, tourism offices, and other relevant governmental agencies, following the established procedures outlined in section 120103(a) of title 54, United States Code.

FOUND

The bill mandates that the study be conducted in accordance with section 120103(a) of title 54, United States Code. This existing statute outlines the general requirements for National Heritage Area studies, including specific content, public involvement, and reporting procedures that must be followed.

Section 4

Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice to ensure consistency with established legal frameworks for National Heritage Area designations, avoiding the need to reprint extensive procedural details within the bill itself.

Case for: Ensures that the study adheres to a comprehensive, transparent, and well-defined set of guidelines for assessing National Heritage Areas, promoting thoroughness and public engagement in the process.

Case against: Requires external legal research to fully grasp the procedural requirements, potentially making the bill's full implications less immediately obvious to a casual reader who does not consult the referenced statute.

Estimated impact: Ensures the study process is standardized and robust, contributing to a more credible and consistent assessment of the Canterbury Shaker Village's suitability for designation.

About this analysis. AI-Generated from the official bill text and available committee reports. Gaps in available data are noted explicitly. Verify important details with the official Congress.gov record.

S. 2801119th CongressIntroduced Sep 15, 2025

Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area Study Authorization Act

Reported To SenatePublic Lands and Natural ResourcesNarrow

View bill text

Sponsor: Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
Committees: Energy and Natural Resources Committee (primary)
Last action: Sep 17, 2026

Bottom line

What it actually does

Section 4

Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area Study Authorization

prominently featuredstraightforward

FOUND

Section 4

Estimated impact: Ensures the study process is standardized and robust, contributing to a more credible and consistent assessment of the Canterbury Shaker Village's suitability for designation.