Schumer Announces Senate Committee Passes Bill To Designate It A National Heritage Area

Press Release

With Historic Niagara Falls Region In Dire Need Of Federal Funding For Revitalization, Schumer Announces Senate Committee Passes Bill To Designate It A National Heritage Area

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that his bill to designate Niagara Falls a National Heritage Area passed out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, taking a giant step towards receiving up to $10 million in funding and federal recognition. While Niagara Falls is one of America's natural wonders, it has recently suffered from declining tourism, deteriorating infrastructure and blighted land. The National Heritage Area designation would enable the National Park Service (NPS) to assist local efforts to protect the Niagara Reservation's natural resources, and open up new funding sources while promoting development and tourism in the region.

"Today Niagara Falls has taken a giant step closer towards receiving the resources and attention it needs to maintain its position as one of the natural wonders of the world. This will reenergize efforts to boost the Falls and let the region tap into the federal government's resources to aid their long-term Niagara Falls revitalization efforts. This beautiful sight deserves to be preserved for future generations of New Yorkers and tourists."

The Niagara River corridor has played an important role in our nation's history. Native American culture, early European exploration, the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Underground Railroad and the development of hydro-electric power all have strong connections to the region. Furthermore, the Niagara River corridor abounds with scenic beauty that offers something for recreational enthusiasts of all stripes. With numerous State parks in the vicinity, hikers, fisherman, birders and hunters flock to the region to enjoy its outdoor splendor.

Yet despite these strong assets for tourism, visits on the U.S. side of Niagara Falls have been on the decline for several years. And all too frequently, visitors spend far more time on the Canadian side of the falls, while barely visiting the New York side. We need to reverse this trend.

Schumer's legislation, the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area Act, would designate land and thematic sites surrounding the entire Niagara River corridor from Buffalo in the south, to Lake Ontario in the North, as a National Heritage Area. For the first five years of this heritage area, a federal commission would work to implement a management plan to capture the full benefits of the natural, historic, cultural and recreational resources of the entire Niagara Falls region. Establishing this heritage area will allow Western NY to protect the world class natural resources of Niagara Falls, while promoting tourism and economic development in the region.

National Heritage Areas are partnership efforts that tie together a mix of private and public lands linked by geography and a set of related themes. The National Park Service will assist local and state organizations in developing a plan to conserve and promote the region's natural, scenic, cultural and recreational tourist attractions.

In addition, as a National Heritage Area, Niagara Falls will be eligible for federal dollars each year. Senator Schumer legislation will authorize $10 million in federal funds for up to ten years. This type of federal funding has also proven effective in helping leverage matching funds and contributions from additional public and private entities.

On May 15, 2007, the Senator testified on behalf of the bill before the Subcommittee on National Parks stating that "the attractions and resources exist for the Niagara River corridor to become a world class destination. But the attractions it offers lack a comprehensive, unifying thread that ties the elements together in a meaningful way for the visitor. Designating the land a heritage area will help us link the existing sites of interest in a coordinated fashion, market the region effectively and attract more visitors. It will promote collaboration among federal, state and local resources and help spur investment and economic development in the region."

Schumer also wrote a personal letter on June 12, 2007, to Senator Jeff Bingaman -- Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman -- requesting that the legislation be considered at the committees next scheduled mark-up.

Schumer' legislation would implement the results of the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area Resource Study, released in November, which explored the feasibility of creating a National Heritage Area in Niagara Falls and proposed several options for its management. This was followed by a public comment period in which many Western New Yorkers spoke in support of both the Heritage Area and the establishment of a federal commission to manage it. In June, NPS released its report which supported a federal commission with local control to oversee the park.

In 2001, Schumer and U.S. Rep. John LaFalce secured $25,000 for National Park Service officials to put together a list of ways the federal government can assist local revitalization efforts. National Park Service officials presented their recommendations to Schumer's Niagara Falls Advisory Panel, a group of elected officials, community advocates and business leaders exploring what the scope of the federal role should be in the revitalization effort. In 2002, Schumer personally secured $300,000 in the Interior Appropriations bill that was used to implement some of those recommendations, which included pursuing a National Heritage Area designation.

In 2005, the National Parks Service completed the congressionally mandated study. They found strong local support for the heritage area as well as a need for the resources it would offer. The report wrote that "In order for Niagara Falls to fulfill its strategic role as a key regional attraction, it is necessary for it to upgrade the visitor experience to match the expectations of 21st-century travelers." The study concluded that based on Niagara Falls' natural and cultural resources, the evidence of a thematic framework, the potential for effective public and private partnerships, as well as strong public support, the region met the criteria for designation as a National Heritage Area.

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