Washington, D.C.  -  Today, U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.) announced his bill (H.R. 1083) to add Butler County to the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area has been sent to the president’s desk to be signed into law. English’s legislation was folded into a broader bill (S. 2739) to extend and reauthorize the nation’s national heritage areas, which passed that House last night by a vote of 291 to 117.  In response, English released the following statement:

“As the Steel Making Capital of the World, the dynamic and powerful story of Big Steel is preeminent in western Pennsylvania’s artifacts, buildings, historic communities, industrial sites and the living cultural traditions of its people.

“Butler County has a long, rich history of steel that has allowed our region to flourish and help build the community we live in today. By including Butler County in the Rivers of Steel Heritage Area, we will not only further highlight our region’s industrial roots but open a new door for local economic development and job creation.

“I am delighted Congress recognized the importance of this project to the Butler community and I look forward to continuing to work with local officials and community members to and the preserve our region’s history of steel.”

Background:
Over the past 20 years, Congress has established 37 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) to commemorate, conserve, and promote areas that include important natural, scenic, historic, and recreational resources.  NHAs are partnerships between the National Park Service (NPS), states and local communities and receive funding from a wide variety of sources including the federal government, which appropriates money for the program in its annual interior appropriations bill.  Communities that are recognized as part of a NHA are eligible to receive this funding to improve planning and projects in the designated heritage area.

The goal of the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is to encourage community revitalization through cultural tourism, historic preservation, conservation, educational programs and related development.  The English bill, which has attracted bipartisan support, including every member of the Pennsylvania delegation, would enrich the program’s mission and include Butler, Pennsylvania in the National Heritage Area to help encourage and interpret the historical resources associated with steel and steel related industries. 

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