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| 1/15/2009 5:52:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | U.S. Senate passes bill that establishes South Park National Heritage Area
Up to $10 million in federal matching funds over 15 years possible
Tom Locke
Flume Editor
The United States Senate passed a bill Thursday that would establish the South Park National Heritage Area in Park County, and the bill, or some form of it, is expected to pass the U.S. House of Representatives and be signed by the president.
The Senate passed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Senate Bill 22) by a vote of 73-21. The act is actually a package of 160 lands bills that includes one bill targeting the South Park designation. It had broad bipartisan support in the Senate and is expected to have broad bipartisan support in the House.
The legislation authorizes the federal government to provide up to $10 million in matching funds over 15 years, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.). The funds would be used to rehabilitate historic structures, protect cultural and natural resources, develop tours, establish exhibits or programs, and increase public awareness of the South Park National Heritage Area.
"This is probably the single most important thing for Park County for helping protect historic properties," said Linda Balough, director of the Park County Office of Historic Preservation. She noted that natural resources as well as cultural resources will also be protected.
She said she expects passage by the House of Representatives and a signature from President-elect Obama, who is eyeing a Jan. 20 inauguration.
The $10 million in matching funds is "tremendously" important, she said. "We finally can start to make things happen that we've been planning for the last 20 years."
In order to trigger the matching funds, Park County doesn't necessarily have to use its own funds, she said. It might be able to use funds from the State Historical Fund or from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), for instance.
Gary Nichols, director of Park County tourism and community development, has been skilled in getting funds from various sources and has spearheaded the efforts for the county to get national heritage area designation, she said.
Nichols could not be reached immediately for comment.
Salazar also deserves credit, said Balough. "He's been a champion for the county."
Indeed, Salazar spokesman Michael Amodeo told The Flume that Salazar has been working on getting national heritage designation for South Park for four years.
"This was high on the priority list for Senator Salazar," he said.
South Park offers one of the beautiful open areas of Colorado and can be a driver of economic growth by drawing people to view that beauty, said Amodeo.
Balough also stressed the importance of the designation to Park County's economy. "The mom and pop businesses can do nothing but prosper [from the designation]," she said, because of the upswing in tourism that is expected to follow.
She noted that she expects the prestige of the designation to open doors for funding from a variety of sources - including private foundations.
Once the bill is signed, Park County will be ready to act, said Balough. Nichols is "pretty much poised and ready to go."
Salazar views South Park as a treasure that Americans across the country should know about.
"The working ranches, clear streams, and frontier stories of South Park are a national treasure that more Americans should have the opportunity to experience," said Salazar in the press release. "This national heritage area designation will help local communities build on already-successful efforts to protect South Park's open spaces and rich cultural traditions, while spurring economic development at an important moment. I am proud that South Park has met the National Park Service's criteria for becoming an NHA and hope that this bill will land on the President's desk in the coming weeks."
Salazar first introduced the South Park National Heritage Area Act in the 109th Congress and worked to move it through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with unanimous support in 2008, said the press release.
A lands bill package that included it passed committee last year, but the full Senate never got around to considering it because other issues, such as the economy, became more pressing.
The bill ensures that private property rights and water rights are in no way affected by the creation of the National Heritage Area. The National Heritage Area would be managed by local citizens and organizations, said the press release, but the National Park Service will provide administrative and technical support.
Amodeo said he thought the process of getting the bill, or one similar to it, passed by the House and onto the president's desk for signature would be a "pretty straight-line process."
And it's expected to be signed. "We don't expect any opposition from the White House," said Amodeo.
Once the bill goes to the House of Representatives, it could be altered, although Amodeo doesn't expect that to happen. If it is altered, then it would go to conference committee for ironing out a compromise bill.
The heritage designation will be important in providing credibility for Park County, according to Balough, because entities thinking of providing funding will think "these must be people who know what they're doing and can follow through."
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