Heritage Area Bill

Let our Arizona Senators know that the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area is a positive thing for our community.

Click here for the latest news on the NHA bill. Last Session: 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, where it will die if our Senators do not take action to support it before the end of the Congressional session in December.  Senator McCain is on the Subcommittee on National Parks, where the legislation will be reviewed.  Senator McCain has publicly expressed support for the concept of the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area, but has not actively supported the bill in the Senate.  Senator Kyl has said that he is philosophically opposed to Heritage Areas.  Please let him know you disagree and that southern Arizona needs this heritage-based economic boost.

Please take a stand for this legislation that spurs regional, heritage-based economic development by making a brief phone call today.

• I encourage Senator McCain/Kyl to support the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act (HR 2037) by sponsoring a Senate version of the legislation this session.
• The Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area is a bi-partisan effort that will stimulate local heritage-based economic development by marketing regional heritage tourism, and promoting place-based foods, arts, crafts, and other traditional products.
• 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 boundaries of a National Heritage Area are not regulatory, and designation will have no effects on private property rights, land use zoning, property taxes, or the right to renovate or remove existing buildings on private property. (As per Section 9 of the legislation.)
• 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.
• The size of the area (3,325 square miles) falls in the mid-range of the sizes of the existing National Heritage Areas and includes portions of only two counties.  The average size of existing National Heritage Areas is nearly twice as large, at about 6,000 square miles.  
• The bi-partisan list of supporters and endorsers includes every local government (two counties, seven municipalities, and two tribes),  the Arizona Office of Tourism, the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau, Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, numerous local businesses, federal and state land and park managers, museums and historical societies, agencies and organizations promoting tourism and regional economic growth, nonprofits involved in historic preservation, ranchers, farmers, and agricultural businesses, civic and business organizations, Chambers of Commerce, and more!

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.