Preservation Action Legislative Update
Legislative Update
Volume 25. Number 17
June 03, 2022
1. 25 SENATORS SIGN HPF LETTER
2. NPS ANNOUNCES PAUL BRUHN GRANTS
3. OHIO HTC BILL PASSES LEGISLATURE
4. STORIES FROM AROUND THE STATES
25 Senators Sign on in Support of Record Funding for the Historic Preservation Fund
As lawmakers are determining funding levels for preservation priorities in FY23, 25 Senators signed on to the FY23 Historic Preservation Fund Senate Dear Colleague Letter. The letter, led by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), requests $200 million in funding for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). This is the same level Preservation Action advocated for during Historic Preservation Advocacy Week and would be a record level of funding for the program. The letter was sent to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. 109 Representatives signed on to the House HPF Dear Colleague Letter.

The request includes much-needed increases for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, which are expected to face increased workloads from federally mandated project reviews associated with the recently passed infrastructure bill, and increases to critically important competitive grant programs. The letter requested:

  • $65 million for State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs)
  • $34 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs)
  • $35 million for the Save America’s Treasures Grant Program
  • $24 million for African American Civil Rights Initiative Competitive Grants
  • $12 million for competitive grants for Historically Black Colleges and Universities
  • $12 million for the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants
  • $10 million for the Semiquincentennial Grant Program
  • $5 million for the History of Equal Rights Competitive Grant Program
  • $3 million for Underrepresented Communities Grants

Total: $200 million.

Thank you to everyone that reached out to their Senators over the last few weeks and urged them to sign-on in support of a record funding for the Historic Preservation Fund. Preservation Action would especially like to thank Sens. Gillibrand and Cassidy for their efforts on these letters and continued leadership on historic preservation! 

Thank Your Members of Congress!

Along with the House letter, 134 bipartisan members of Congress, representing 33 different states, signed on to the FY23 HPF Dear Colleague Letter. Did your Senators or Representative sign-on? Be sure to thank them for their vocal support of historic preservation funding!
National Park Services Announces $7.27 Million in Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants
The National Park Service announced $7.27 million in Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants. This important grant program, named after longtime Vermont preservationist Paul Bruhn, supports the preservation of historic sites and helps to foster economic development in rural communities by supporting sub-grant programs. This round of grants will go to 11 recipients in 10 states, benefitting historic preservation projects in rural communities across the country. This year's grants will support the rehabilitation of historic theaters in rural communities across Idaho and historic revitalization projects in Alabama's black belt, just to name a few. The program was established in 2018 and is funded through the Historic Preservation Fund.

Preservation Action continues to advocate for increased funding for the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization program. The program is open to State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, Certified Local Governments, and non-profits to support preservation projects in their rural jurisdictions. The National Park Service recently posted successful sample grant applications for Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants and other competitive grant programs, to assist applicants for future rounds of funding. Learn more about this year's grant recipients!
Legislation to Temporarily Expand Ohio's Historic Tax Credit Heads to Governor's Desk
Legislation to temporarily expand Ohio's state historic tax credit program is heading to Gov. Mike Dewine for his signature. S.B. 225, unanimously passed the state Senate in February and passed the House this week. This bill would temporarily increase the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit's annual cap from $60 million to $120 million for fiscal year 2022 and 2023, and boost the per project cap of $5 million to $10 million in fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023. Additionally, the bill would increase the credit from 25% of eligible rehabilitation expenses to 35% for smaller municipalities (under 71,000 people).

Since it's inception in 2006, Ohio's historic tax credit has rehabilitated over 766 historic buildings in 77 different Ohio communities and leveraged an estimated $7.3 billion in federal tax credits and private development.
National News
Stories From Around the States
Preservation Action is the only national non-profit dedicated exclusively to lobbying for the best preservation policies at the federal level. We seek to make historic preservation a national priority by advocating to all branches of government through a grassroots constituency empowered with information and training.