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WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko cheered the advance of his bipartisan National Heritage Area Act in the House today following a vote by the Committee on Natural Resources to approve the legislation and send it before the House for final passage. Tonko’s legislation, which he introduced last year with Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) and recently added its 200^th cosponsor in the House, tackles the current patchwork system for maintaining U.S. Heritage Areas and replaces it with clear, transparent standards that make it easier for local partnerships to develop and maintain the Heritage Areas they love. 

“America’s heritage areas embody our national spirit and carry the unique and diverse stories that make us who we are as a people,” Congressman Tonko said. “New York’s Erie Canalway and sites like it across America are a treasured source of connection to our past, as well as wonderful places for people young and old to visit and connect with others. While these sites are largely run and funded by local partnerships, not every community has the secure resources or technical ability to permanently maintain heritage sites on their own. My National Heritage Area Act secures a foundation of federal support for these partnerships, streamlines the bureaucracy involved and puts the sites themselves on the strongest possible footing to preserve our heritage and provide economic vitality. My thanks to my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee for recognizing the importance of our heritage areas and working with me to ensure Americans in communities across our nation can enjoy these treasured sites for many years to come.” 

Heritage areas are also a major contributor to U.S. cultural tourism, which the U.S. Department of Commerce estimates contributes more than $192 billion to the nation’s economy every year. There are currently 55 National Heritage Areas across the country including the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Corridor in the Capital Region. Each depends on the leadership and care of their local community. 

“From battlefields to historic buildings to canals, National Heritage Areas protect the stories that define and unite us as a nation,” said Alan Spears, Senior Director of Cultural Resources for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). “These regionally distinct but nationally significant sites are also financial engines, generating billions of dollars for our economy and supporting thousands of jobs every year. The National Heritage Area Act would establish a system of National Heritage Areas and create uniformed standards by which these areas are designated, managed and assessed, helping to empower communities across the country to continue telling their part of the American story.”

H.R.1049: the National Heritage Area Act

• Establishes a streamlined process for new National Heritage Areas
• Sets evaluation criteria for existing National Heritage Areas that ensure transparency and accountability
• Modernizes the National Heritage Areas system to make it more efficient and sustainable

Tonko has been a longtime champion for National Heritage Areas. He co-chairs the Heritage Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives along with Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) and serves on the Committee on Natural Resources and its Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. 

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ADDITONAL CONTENT

Heritage Areas Act Fact Sheet: https://tonko.house.gov/uploadedfiles/heritage_action_fact_sheet.pdf 

Video & transcript of Tonko testimony: https://www.facebook.com/164036221404/videos/120283632634744

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Natural Resources Hearing page: https://naturalresources.house.gov/hearings/full-committee-markup_january-29-2020 

YouTube video of hearing: https://youtu.be/ajhO_KDV4fw