Urgent Action Needed! Call your senators and ask them to oppose HR 2112

Dear Preservation Partners:

UPDATE Oct 20, 2011 at 12:33 PM: The amendment was tabled by a healthy margin. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) was key to getting this done! Thanks to all who contacted Representatives!

I am writing to ask that you contact your Senators and ask them to oppose HR 2112 . This bill is being debated on the Senate floor TODAY!

HR 2112 is detrimental to historic preservation in two ways. First, it eliminates Historic Preservation from the list of activities funded by the Transportation Enhancement (TE) program. TE funding is the largest single source of federal funding for Historic Preservation programs. In Louisiana, $8 million in TE funds have been allocated since 1991. We cannot allow this great resource to be taken off the table!

In addition, the amendment to HR 2112 would exempt Federally funded disaster recovery projects from environmental or historical review. In New Orleans, the required review prevented the demolition of countless historically significant structures in the months following Hurricane Katrina. For example, had this amendment been in place in 2005, one of the landmark Steamboat Houses in Holy Cross would have been demolished immediately after it was red-tagged by FEMA. Thanks to the review process the house was spared, renovated, and still stands as one of New Orleans’ distinct landmarks.

Please contact your Senators immediately to ask them to oppose HR 2112.

Senator Mary Landrieu (202) 224-5824

Senator David Vitter (202) 224-4623

Email: http://www.senate.gov

Patricia H. Gay
Executive Director
Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans
923 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504.636.3050
www.prcno.org