Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has announced new legislation that would designate the Finger Lakes region as a National Heritage Area.
Dubbed the Finger Lakes Heritage Act, National Heritage Areas are established by Congress to recognize a region’s natural, cultural, or historical significance. The process for designating a region as a National Heritage Area usually involves two steps. First, Congress passes a bill directing the National Park Service to conduct a feasibility study to determine if the area is suitable. If the feasibility results are positive, Congress must pass a second bill to formally designate the region.
With the Finger Lakes confirmed as National Heritage eligible earlier this year, Gillibrand’s legislation would complete the second step in the process.
