NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR JANUARY 2021 LOWER MISSISSIPPI DELTA INITIATIVE ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY 1 LOWER MISSISSIPPI DELTA INITIATIVE Administrative History JANUARY 2021 Eppley Institute for Parks & Public Lands 501 N. Morton Street, Suite 100 Bloomington, IN 47404 812.855.3095 Under Contract to the National Park Service, South Atlantic-Gulf Region (Interior Region 2) Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative Administrative History LOWER MISSISSIPPI DELTA INITIATIVE Administrative History Barbara Judy LMDI Staff Liaison, Contracting Officer’s Representative for the Administrative History Project Park Planning and Stewardship Branch, Cultural Resources Division Interior Region 2 (IR2) National Park Service JANUARY 2021 Stephen A. Wolter Gina Depper Executive Director Project Manager Eppley Institute Eppley Institute Christy McCormick Nona Henderson Project Team Project Team Eppley Institute Eppley Institute Eppley Institute for Parks & Public Lands Indiana University Research Park 501 N. Morton Street, Suite 100 Bloomington, IN 47404 812.855.3095 2 Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative Administrative History 3 Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative Administrative History Acknowledgements Authors Gina Depper Nona Henderson Christy McCormick Contributing Eppley Institute Staff Maggie O’Heran Shelbie Francescon Stephen Wolter Contributing National Park Service Staff Barbara Judy, LMDI Staff Liaison, Contracting Officer’s Representative for the Administrative History Project Tarona Armstrong, LMDI Board Chair 2018-2020 Bekki Lasell, LMDI Board Chair 2020-2022 4 Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative Administrative History TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... 11 Chapter One ............................................................................................................... 13 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 14 Emergence of Public Law 103-433 ................................................................................................... 14 Early Program Years ........................................................................................................................ 17 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 21 Study Purpose .................................................................................................................................. 31 Report Structure ............................................................................................................................... 31 YEAR 1: 1995 ........................................................................................................................... 32 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 32 Program Activities ............................................................................................................................ 32 Program Deliverables ....................................................................................................................... 37 Annual Meeting ................................................................................................................................ 37 YEAR 2: 1996 ........................................................................................................................... 40 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 40 Program Activities ............................................................................................................................ 40 Program Deliverables ....................................................................................................................... 52 Annual Meeting ................................................................................................................................ 55 YEAR 3: 1997 ........................................................................................................................... 56 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 56 Program Activities ............................................................................................................................ 56 Program Deliverables ....................................................................................................................... 63 Annual Meeting ................................................................................................................................ 63 YEAR 4: 1998 ........................................................................................................................... 64 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 64 Program Activities ............................................................................................................................ 64 Program Deliverables ....................................................................................................................... 64 Annual Meeting ................................................................................................................................ 65 YEAR 5: 1999 ........................................................................................................................... 66 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 66 Program Activities ............................................................................................................................ 66 Program Deliverables ....................................................................................................................... 66 Annual Meeting ................................................................................................................................ 66 YEAR 6: 2000 ........................................................................................................................... 67 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 67 Program Activities ............................................................................................................................ 67 Program Deliverables ....................................................................................................................... 67 Annual Meeting ................................................................................................................................ 68 YEAR 7: 2001 ........................................................................................................................... 69 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 69 Program Activities ............................................................................................................................ 69 Program Deliverables ....................................................................................................................... 69 Annual Meeting ................................................................................................................................ 69 YEAR 8: 2002 ........................................................................................................................... 70 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 70 Program Activities ............................................................................................................................ 70 Program Deliverables ....................................................................................................................... 70 5 Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative Administrative History Annual Meeting ................................................................................................................................ 70 YEAR 9: 2003 ........................................................................................................................... 71 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 71 Program Activities ............................................................................................................................ 71 Program Deliverables ....................................................................................................................... 74 Annual Meeting ................................................................................................................................ 74 YEAR 10: 2004 ......................................................................................................................... 77 Program Management ...................................................................................................................... 77 Program Activities