Interior chief awards $46M in historic preservation grants

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced yesterday $46.9 million in historic preservation grants to the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, and three affiliated Pacific island states.

Of the amount, the CNMI will get $410,831; Guam will receive $409,123; American Samoa, $396,261; U.S. Virgin Islands, $415,115; Puerto Rico, $645,071; Federated States of Micronesia, $412,161; Palau, $238,866; and Marshall Islands, $238,866.

The grants will enable the states to preserve and protect our nation’s historic sites without expending tax dollars.

“National Preservation Grants invest revenue from oil and gas development into telling the story of America by enabling the people of each state and territory the opportunity to preserve the places that are unique to their heritage,” Secretary Salazar said. “These grants leverage private investments in historic preservation activities and help spur tourism, create jobs, and build pride in communities across the nation.”

The Historic Preservation Fund is supported by revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf. The National Park Service administers the fund and uses the majority of appropriated funds to distribute matching grants to State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers.

“Throughout the country, historic preservation fund grants and other federal historic preservation programs help sustain and revitalize communities,” Director of the National Park Service Jonathan B. Jarvis said. “Historic preservation promotes heritage tourism and can transform under-utilized and often-vacant historic buildings into revenue-generators for local economies. The National Park Service is honored to be invited into so many communities and is proud to assist in saving and sharing history.”

States officials use the grants to fund preservation projects, such as survey and inventory, National Register nominations, preservation education, architectural planning, historic structure reports, community preservation plans, and bricks-and-mortar repair to buildings.

Grants and programs funded by the HPF encourage private and nonfederal investment in historic preservation efforts nationwide. For more information on the Historic Preservation Fund, visit: http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/index.htm.[I] (DOI)[/I]