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Heritage Area Bill in Senate – Your Help Needed

The Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act (H.R. 324), was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Raúl Grijalva and Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and was approved by the House on September 23, 2009. The legislation is awaiting action in the Senate. Senator McCain is on the Subcommittee on National Parks, where the legislation will be reviewed. 
 
Senator McCain recently expressed support for the concept of the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area. He needs to hear from the public to make sure he takes action to get it approved by the Senate in 2010.  
 
Please call Senator McCain’s Tucson office (520) 670-6334 and ask him to support the legislation. His staff will take a message, so all you need to do is express your support, or state the following talking points.  If you don't mind making a long distance call, you can also call the Washington, D.C. office (202) 224-2235 (speak with Nick Matiella) and make the same statements:
  • I encourage Senator McCain to continue his support for the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act (HR 324) by moving this legislation through the Senate this year, 2010.

  • The Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area legislation contains the strongest private property rights protections of all existing and proposed National Heritage Areas and has been endorsed by numerous private property owners and land development businesses, including the Southern Arizona Homebuilders Association.

  • The matching grants that are available to National Heritage Areas help to leverage other private and local funding sources. The Wheeling National Heritage Area used a $54,000 Heritage Area grant to leverage $17.2 million in private investments.
  • Growing interest in heritage areas is due to their proven success as an economic development strategy through increased heritage tourism, and related increases in jobs, business incomes, and tax revenues.

See the full list of local endorsements for the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area. 

For more information, download a flyer with background information and economic benefits of the Heritage Area.  

For more information please email Vanessa Bechtol, Executive Director or call (520) 429-1394.