Date published: 4/15/2007

National Heritage Area will benefit all of us

As locally elected officials along one of the most historic corridors in the U.S., we applaud and support the national effort to establish the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area ["Hallowed ground," March 21].

The bill currently making its way through Congress is good for our region. We applaud this effort, which would officially establish America's "newest" oldest national treasure.

This bill provides the framework for communities within the four-state region following U.S. 15 from Gettysburg to Monticello to work together to promote heritage tourism and educational initiatives that would benefit all citizens.

The JTHG Partnership--a coalition of educators, businesses, heritage organizations, tourism professionals, conservationists, and private citizens--has already demonstrated success through its educational and heritage tourism programs.

Having read and studied the introduced and amended legislation, we know that this bill protects all property rights of citizens and clearly states that zoning authority and public land-use decisions will remain the responsibility of our local governments.

According to the General Accounting Office, in the 12-year history of the National Heritage Area program not one example of an NHA affecting land value, either positively or negatively, can be found. Equally reassuring is the fact that the entire state of Tennessee is a National Heritage Area.

It is the JTHG Partnership's inclusive structure that led to our endorsement of this initiative, and the invitation is open to all citizens to become involved.

We look forward to working collaboratively to ensure the Journey Through Hallowed Ground NHA will be one of the most successful in the history of the U.S.

Date published: 4/15/2007