WASHINGTON — The Alliance of National Heritage Areas says it strongly opposes the Obama administration’s budget proposal as it relates to National Heritage Areas, which include the Oil Region.
“The Feb. 1 announcement of the administration’s budget request and justification for a 50 percent cut in funding for National Heritage Areas (NHAs) are steps backward for America’s nationally significant heritage assets,” said Michelle McCollum, chair of the Alliance of National Heritage Areas.
Locally, the Oil Region National Heritage Area is one of 49 NHAs across the country.
Established in 2004 by congressional legislation, the Oil Region emphasizes the area’s legacy as the birthplace of the world’s petroleum industry.
Its boundaries encompass the 708 square miles of Venango County, as well as Titusville, Oil Creek Township and Hydetown in eastern Crawford County.
The president’s budget changes the distribution of overall program funds to 22 NHAs, eliminating funding to those established prior to 2001 and penalizing them for not meeting a yet-to-be-developed set of guidelines on sustainability, according to the Alliance.
It also required many NHAs to meet these same previously unstated mandates for self-sufficiency by Feb. 1, a deadline announced on the same day the budget was released, according to a press release from the Alliance of National Heritage Areas
NHAs provide effective, high-yield investment of federal funds; they match every federal dollar with an average of $5.50 in leveraged public and private funding, according to the Alliance.
Severely reducing funding for National Heritage Areas throws away opportunities for economic growth and new jobs, McCollum said.
A new U.S. Cultural and Heritage Tourism Marketing Council and the U.S. Department of Commerce study revealed that cultural heritage travelers contribute more than $192 billion annually to the U.S. economy.
The administration’s budget also proposes to completely eliminate funding for Save America’s Treasures and Preserve America grant programs, two complimentary and federally funded heritage development initiatives.
Randy Seitz, president of the Oil Region Alliance, which administers the Oil Region National Heritage Area, said, “In response to the latest federal budget proposal, we have asked the area’s legislators to delete the budget language and to instead increase to $25 million the NHA category within the National Park Service budget for fiscal year 2011.”
He added, “It’s also important that legislation be enacted to provide uniform standards and procedures for the overall NHA system.”
The Alliance of National Heritage Areas is a membership organization of the National Heritage Areas designated by the U.S. Congress, as well as organizations, partners and citizen volunteers that support and participate in heritage development initiatives.
The Oil Region Alliance is represented on the ANHA Board of Directors by Marilyn Black.
The ORA office is located at 217 Elm St. in Oil City.
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