Bill vital to future of Yuma Crossing advances in Senate
National Heritage area act would provide longterm funding
A U.S. Senate Committee approved legislation that is key to the future of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area. It would provide long-term funding, and the executive director of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area applauds the action.
The Yuma Crossing NHA encompasses seven square miles along the Colorado River in Yuma and Winterhaven, California. It includes the Yuma Crossing National Historic Landmark, Yuma Territorial Prison and Colorado River state historic parks, Fort Yuma and more than three miles of contiguous riverfront parks, trails and 400 acres of restored wetlands.
The YCNHA mission is “conserve, enhance and interpret the natural and cultural resources of the community through collaboration and partnerships.”
National Heritage Areas receive funding from the National Park Service, but this funding authority expired on Sept. 30. Since then, officials have been looking for ways to reauthorize funding from the federal agency.
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources advanced an amended version of the National Heritage Area Act, or S. 1942, that would provide long-term authorization for America’s National Heritage Areas and a steady stream of federal funding for these designations.
The committee approved the legislation on Tuesday, without opposition through a bipartisan voice vote. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) and 15 bipartisan
co-sponsors introduced the original bill. Representatives Paul Tonko (D-NY) and David McKinley (RWV) are sponsoring similar legislation in the House.
Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, both Democrats, are strong supporters of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area. They introduced an individual reauthorization bill, S 1318, in the Senate. Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, a Republican, introduced companion individual legislation, H.R. 7157, in the House.
The National Heritage Area Act establishes standard criteria for the funding, management and designation of National Heritage Areas across the country and sets an annual authorization of up to $1 million for all National Heritage Areas. S. 1942 takes aim at a challenge that as many as 45 existing NHAs will experience in the next two years, when their authorization sunsets and must be approved by Congress, typically through an individual bill. If enacted, the National Heritage Area Act would prevent future funding cliffs.
“The successful passage of this legislation is important for Yuma and the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area, which has been restoring, preserving, maintaining and promoting Yuma’s history for nearly 20 years. It is important for our young people to be able to experience their history firsthand,” said Lowell Perry, YCNHA executive director.
“Anyone who has enjoyed the Yuma East and West Wetlands, the Colorado River State Historic Park and Yuma Territorial Prison understands the importance of the Heritage Area program being adequately funded for generations to come,” he added.
According to NPS studies, Yuma Crossing contributes about $22.7 million to the Arizona economy through tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities.
Yuma’s NHA is funded primarily through donations from local and tribal governments and private individuals. And, according to a 2015 NPS review of the Yuma NHA, only onefifth of its budget is funded by the Park Service.
In fact, Kelly previously stated, Yuma Crossing only receives one-third of the full $1 million that is authorized from the Park Service each year. “Even with so few resources, the return on investment for the federal government is quite remarkable,” he said.
Yuma Crossing, in a press release, outlined how it plays a crucial role in the preservation and improvement of natural, cultural and historic resources of Yuma including:
• Leading commercial revitalization efforts along the downtown riverfront since 2004. Yuma relies on partnerships to get things done.
• Managing and operating the two state historic parks located in Yuma, the Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park and the Colorado River State Historic Park. The Territorial Prison is one of the most visited historic attractions in the entire state of Arizona.
• Helping to drive tourism to Yuma, as a source of “popular and inexpensive, safe activities for families.” This includes indoor and outdoor museums, as well as recreation along the Lower Colorado River. “All of these important activities could go away if the sun setting of Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area were to happen,” Yuma Crossing stated.
• YCNHA engages hundreds of local volunteers annually in community projects. A recent event involved Gowan Company, a Yuma-based international agricultural firm. More than 500 Gowan employees from around the world volunteered to plant over 700 trees and shrubs in a 7-acre section of the West Wetlands Park.
President Ronald Reagan established National Heritage Areas in 1984 when he signed a bill that created the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Area. Since then, 54 additional NHAs have come online across the United States, all through community-led efforts.
Rather than an enclosed park as is typical of other programs administered by the National Park Service, NHAs are lived-in spaces that often span large geographic areas that cross multiple jurisdictions, including 591 counties in 34 states.
NHAs are run by a local coordinating entity, such as Yuma Crossing, and receive matching funds through the National Park Service but are not National Park units. Also, they do not affect the private property rights of existing landowners within or adjacent to an NHA designation.
Over the last several years, the Alliance of National Heritage Areas, which includes Yuma Crossing as a member, has worked to pass legislation that would secure the future for all of America’s National Heritage Areas and has strongly supported the National Heritage Area Act. The organization developed a short video to explain the importance of NHAs and the need for a uniform system of funding and reauthorization.
“The Alliance of National Heritage Areas applauds the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and in particular Chairman Manchin and Ranking Member Barrasso, for giving a stamp of approval to the National Heritage Area Act,” said Sara Capen, chair of ANHA. “This legislation will ensure that our members can continue to do what they do best: explore and celebrate the people and places that made America what it is today. We are also deeply indebted to Senators Stabenow and Blunt, whose tireless efforts are why the National Heritage Area Act is one step closer to crossing the finish line.”