Omnibus National Heritage Area Act of 2002

H.R. 695, the Omnibus National Heritage Area Act of 2002, establishes 11 new National Heritage Areas across several states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Vermont, New York, North Carolina, and Louisiana. These designations recognize regions where natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape.

For citizens in these regions, the bill provides federal financial and technical assistance to local entities to help preserve historical sites, support heritage tourism, and improve educational programming. The law specifically prohibits the use of federal funds to acquire private property and ensures that the designations do not infringe upon existing local land-use regulations or private property rights. Most of the funding is structured as a 50 percent federal cost-share, requiring local communities or organizations to match the federal investment to support their regional preservation goals.