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A.  In furtherance of the legislature’s recognition, there is hereby created the Atchafalaya Trace Commission, referred to in this Chapter as the “commission”, which shall be an agency of state government within the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.  The legislature further establishes in the state of Louisiana the Atchafalaya Trace Heritage Area, referred to in this Chapter as “the trace area”.  The trace area shall consist of territory in the following parishes as generally depicted on the map entitled the Atchafalaya Trace Heritage Corridor Concept Plan copyrighted in 1996 by the Center for Landscape Interpretation:  St. Mary, Iberia, St. Martin, St. Landry, Avoyelles, Pointe Coupee, Iberville, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafayette, West Baton Rouge, Concordia, and East Baton Rouge.  In addition, the trace area shall include all of the territory in Ascension Parish.  However, no other parish may be added to the Atchafalaya Trace Heritage Area until such time as criteria for inclusion into the trace area have been identified and established by the commission.

B.  The purposes of the commission shall include the following:

(1)  To protect the wet and wild nature of the Atchafalaya Basin.

(2)  To promote nature-based, scenic, cultural, historic, and other forms of heritage tourism.

(3)  To identify, strengthen, and link “gateway communities” surrounding the Atchafalaya Basin.

(4)  To improve transportation and communication facilities and access within the trace area.

(5)  To further develop family-oriented recreational facilities.

(6)  To preserve, enhance, protect, and interpret archaeological and historical sites and structures, architectural heritage, and cultural events, traditions, and lifeways.

(7)  To communicate the unique maritime cultural history of the Atchafalaya Basin and Atchafalaya Bay.

(8)  To develop environmental awareness and educational programs for residents and visitors.

(9)  To seek recognition and federal funding for the trace area as a National Heritage Area.

(10)  To recognize and interpret the unique contributions to the regional landscape of the oil and gas, marine and maritime, fishing and aquaculture, sugarcane, and cypress timber industries.

(11)  To promote and market the region through a variety of communications media including maps, guides, tapes, videos, advertisement, signage, and electronic media.

(12)  To stimulate the development of necessary overnight accommodations and other conveniences.

(13)  To promote scientific research and scholarly activities pertaining to the region’s resources, economy, and lifeways.

(14)  To develop an integrated natural, scenic, cultural, and historic resource management plan for the trace area and assist appropriate federal, state, and local authorities in its implementation.

C.  Repealed by Acts 2006, No. 713, §4, eff. July 1, 2006.

Acts 1997, No. 1440, §1, eff. July 1, 1998; Acts 1999, No. 367, §1; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 112, §1, eff. January 1, 2003; Acts 2003, No. 439, §1, eff. June 20, 2003; Acts 2006, No. 713, §4, eff. July 1, 2006.

NOTE:  See Acts 1997, No. 1440, §3.

NOTE:  See Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 112, §3, relative to effect and reporting of abolition of advisory board.