National Heritage Area designation for Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area became official with  the President’s signing on March 12 of S.47, the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and  Recreation Act, the also known as the Natural Resources Management Act.  

The Bill also included a wide variety of designations and land management bills from across the country,  including the Sportsman Act and permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.  The bipartisan bill passed in the Senate on February 12, and in the House on February 26, by  overwhelming majorities.  

Sen. Joe Manchin, sponsor of the original Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area Act, and a co‐ sponsor of the Senate Natural Resources Management Act, said “The Appalachian Forest Heritage Area  is a treasure that has done a great deal for West Virginia. This national designation is long overdue.”  The Appalachian Forest designation bill was also co‐sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Shelley Moore  Capito, Sen. Ben Cardin, and Sen. Chris Van Hollen.  

The companion House bill is sponsored by Rep. David McKinley, with co‐sponsors in the previous session  from Rep. Evan Jenkins, Rep. John Delaney, and Rep. Alex Mooney, and in the current session adding co‐ sponsors Rep. Carol Miller and Rep. David Trone.  

“Creating an Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area will allow us to continue to celebrate and  promote the beauty of our state, preserve our heritage and plan for the future,” Rep. McKinley said of  the legislation. “National Heritage Areas deliver a significant economic return and helps us showcase the  sometimes‐hidden gems of our cultural heritage.” 

“We are incredibly excited to be finally receiving National Heritage Area designation for the Appalachian  Forest,” said Phyllis Baxter, Executive Director of Appalachian Forest Heritage Area, Inc, the coordinating  entity for the newly designated area. “We have been working on this for fifteen years, and are so  pleased to now be nationally recognized. This designation will increase our visibility to attract tourism,  and increase our capacity to help local communities.” 

National Heritage Areas are designated by Congress as places where natural, cultural, and historic  resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape. With the official national  heritage area designation the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area can earn recognition as being  nationally significant, and will have access to National Park Service technical assistance and funding to  provide more services to the region.   

The Appalachian Forest Heritage Area works in 16 counties of West Virginia and 2 counties of western  Maryland on conservation, forestry, cultural heritage, tourism and community development. With the  overall theme of forest heritage, the initiative works with willing partners to explore and enhance the  relationship between the forested mountains and the people who live here.  

For more information see www.appalachianforest.us, email afha@appalachianforest.us, or call 304‐636‐ 6182. 

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is praising federal legislative action this week for protecting the Appalachian Forest Heritage Area, which is part of 18 counties including Randolph County.

Manchin, a ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, secured the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the national designation of the Appalachian Forest Heritage Area and an increase in the funding cap for the Wheeling National Heritage Area as part of the Natural Resources Management Act.

“I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to finally permanently reauthorize LWCF so our land management agencies can operate fully and without the fear of losing access to the funding they rely on. The Appalachian Forest Heritage Area is a treasure in Randolph County and this national designation is long overdue,” Manchin added.

“By reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund, this bill supports West Virginia’s heritage and outdoor recreation economy and keeps faith with the important idea that America’s outdoors and public lands are part of who we are as a nation,” said Angie Rosser, executive director of West Virginia Rivers.
LWCF is a conservation tool that ensures states and federal public land management agencies are able to protect and conserve our natural resources without relying on taxpayer dollars. In West Virginia, LWCF funded the acquisitions of the Gauley River National Recreation Area, New River Gorge National River and Dolly Sods. Since 1965, more than $243 million in LWCF funds have been spent in West Virginia on more than 500 projects, both on state and federal lands.
​
This includes improvements to local parks and public spaces in 54 of West Virginia’s 55 counties.

To read the full article, visit the Intermountain's website at www.theintermountain.com/news/local-news/2019/02/forest-heritage-area-receives-designation/?fbclid=IwAR1sTMTTTLEegcPCRiZrjqIitSA2InvF1267CLT4wF1MFTAPznAV8dW4BKA

Urgent Action Requested!

The federal historic tax credit reduced in Senate Tax Reform Bill Release, House Committee Passes Tax Bill with HTC Eliminated
 
Today the Senate Finance Committee released their version of a tax reform bill that reduces the Historic Tax Credit in half, from 20% to 10% for historic buildings. Additionally, the 10% pre-1936 non-historic “old” building credit is eliminated.
 
Also today, the House Ways and Means Committee passed The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) or H.R. 1, with the HTC entirely eliminated, on a party line vote 24-16, setting up full-House floor consideration next week.
 
Your immediate ACTION is needed!
Advocacy Resources
​

• Find contact information for your House Representative 
• Find contact information for your Senators 
• Talking points 
• State and congressional district maps with economic impact data 
• Interactive HTC mapping tool developed by Novogradac and Company 

How Can You Take Action?
Contact House and Senate Members - Call (during office hours) the offices of your Members of Congress. Ask to speak to tax staff, your staff contacts in offices or ask for email addresses of tax staff.
A suggested outline of your email message or phone call:

1. Introduce yourself as a constituent
2. House -Say “I heard the historic tax credit is eliminated in the House version of the tax reform bill. I am extremely concerned that this important community redevelopment incentive will no longer be available to revitalize our main streets, towns and cities and preserve our heritage.”
3. Senate -Say “I heard the historic tax credit is dramatically reduced in the Senate tax reform bill. I am extremely concerned that this important community redevelopment incentive being reduced will no longer have the catalytic impact to leverage investment, revitalize our main streets, towns and cities and preserve our heritage.”
4. Explain why you value Historic Tax Credits, and that the redevelopment of historic buildings will not get done without the HTC.
5. Let them know some previous and future HTC projects in your state/district (Link to State HTC Map and Project List below)
6. Touch on why these historic buildings are so challenging but important to our communities.
7. Ask…. “As tax reform moves forward, will Rep./Sen. XXX stand up for the Historic Tax Credit and use his/her voice to insist that the historic tax credit be retained in tax reform, undiminished?”
8. Share with the office the video of President Reagan supporting the HTC, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kJAIopuPyI&t=2s
9. If your member of congress has agreed to help, please remember to thank them and tell others about their support!

U.S. Representatives Evan Jenkins, R-W.Va., and David McKinley, R-W.Va., have been outspoken in their support for the credits, she said.

"We are grateful that McKinley and Jenkins requested the inclusion of this economic-development tool in the tax reform bill," LaPresta said.

"Both legislators represent districts in which historic tax credits are attracting private investment."

Historic tax credits helped finance 92 commercial-rehabilitation projects in West Virginia between 2002 and 2016, leveraging more than $175 million in development investment and supporting more than 3,500 construction jobs, she said.

"These credits are highly influential when it comes to attracting larger businesses into West Virginia downtowns," LaPresta said.

The tax credit was championed by President Ronald Reagan to encourage the rehabilitation of abandoned and underutilized properties. Since 1981, it has leveraged more than $131 billion in private investment and created more than 2.4 million, she said.

The state Legislature in October increased the State Historic Tax Credit from 10 to 25 percent, but weakening or eliminating the Federal Historic Tax Credit could endanger the feasibility of nearly all historic rehabilitation projects in West Virginia.

"We think the credit complements, rather than hinders, Congress's goal of pro-growth tax reform," LaPresta said.

“There are a dozen buildings that we predicted would be rehabilitated with the increase of the state historic tax credit. Now, with the proposed elimination of the federal credit, we fear progress will be jeopardized."

The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is a non-profit dedicated to historic preservation and a statewide partner in the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

LaPresta is urging business leaders who wish to advocate for the federal historic tax credit to contact the alliance at 304-345-6005 or visit its website at PAWV.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Danielle LaPresta
Executive Director
Preservation Alliance of West Virginia
www.pawv.org
dlapresta@pawv.org
304-345-6005

The West Virginia House of Delegates and State Senate, during this week’s special session of the Legislature, passed House Bill 203 to increase the State Historic Tax Credit from 10 percent to 25 percent.

Gov. Jim Justice placed the bill on the Special Session agenda after consultation with legislative leadership and interested parties.

The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, Abandoned Properties Coalition, US Green Building Council, W.Va. Chapter, W.Va. Community Development Hub, Wheeling Heritage, private developers, citizens, and municipalities joined together to create the Revitalize West Virginia Downtown Coalition.

That coalition developed a plan to increase the state historic tax credit to aid in economic development of the state and educate legislators on the importance of the historic rehabilitation tax credit.

Danielle LaPresta, executive director of the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, said, “I am pleased that the Governor and legislature saw the potential of the historic tax credit to serve as a catalyst to revitalize West Virginia. This program will spark economic development throughout the state regardless of the size of the community.”

The governor is a strong ally of historic preservation in West Virginia, LaPresta said.

The 25 percent credit brings West Virginia to parity with neighboring states. Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia have a 25 percent state historic tax credit; Maryland and Kentucky have a 20 percent tax credit. This increase will encourage the rehabilitation of historic buildings and spur private investment, create jobs, and help rid the state of vacant and underutilized buildings. Studies have shown that the estimated return on the state’s investment is approximately 2:1. This means for every dollar of tax credit provided by the state, two dollars of additional state taxes and revenue will be created through investments.

Renee Kuhlman, director of Policy Outreach, Government Relations and Policy from the National Trust for Historic Preservation said, “With these improvements, state legislators are putting West Virginia’s heritage to work and encouraging investors to bring their dollars to the Mountaineer State. States that have improved their historic tax credits have doubled the use of the federal historic tax credit and have seen construction jobs increase because renovation is labor intensive.”

The Legislature passed the legislation with overwhelming support in both houses.

Mike Gioulis, PAWV Advocacy chairperson, speaking for the coalition, said: “The coalition would like to thank all of the legislators that voted in favor of the bill, including the sponsors, Speaker Tim Armstead, R, Kanawha, and Tim Miley, D, Harrison. We appreciate that Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, R, Ohio, and Senator Glenn Jeffries, D, Putnam, spoke in favor of the bill. We also would like to thank Chairman Eric Nelson, Jr., R, Kanawha, for his leadership on this issue.”

The group also values the support and leadership of Justice as well as his staff. The West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office is developing standards and procedures to educate and promote the program to the public.

For more information relating to the historic tax credit program, contact Jennifer Brennan, State Historic Tax Credit Coordinator at 304-558-0240.

For additional information regarding this effort, contact the Preservation Alliance of WV Advocacy Chairman Mike Gioulis at 304-545-4881, or visit www.pawv.org and www.revitalizewvdowntowns.com.

This is not a drill!  Last week the Republican Congressional leadership and the Administration released the Tax Reform Framework, which did NOT include the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit. 

The tax reform outline does, however, explicitly preserve business credits in two areas where leaders believe tax incentives have proven effective:  research and development (R&D) and low-income housing. This suggests there is an opportunity for action.

It’s remarkable how the historic tax credit has positively impacted community economies across West Virginia. Between 2002 and 2016 the historic rehabilitation tax credit has leveraged nearly $175 million in development, created over 3,500 jobs and brought in over $35 million in local, state and federal taxes.

While the tax framework envisions repeal of all other business credits, including the historic rehabilitation tax credit, the outline gives discretion to the tax writing committees to decide to retain additional business credits to the extent budget limitations allow.

Support for the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit is already gaining momentum in the House thanks to Rep. David McKinley (R - WV, 1).  Rep. McKinley is circulating a Dear Colleague letter encouraging other Representatives to support the preservation of the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit.  Now is the time to thank Rep. McKinley and ask Representatives Mooney and Jenkins to sign on with their West Virginia Colleague. Learn how below...

​In Governor Justice’s FY 2018 Recommended Budget, all Division of Culture & History funding that comes from the state Lottery Education Fund (fund 3534 in the budget) was to be defunded.  However, during the spring special legislative session, the West Virginia Legislature negotiated to pass the FY 2018 budget and continue funding programs made possible through the state Lottery Education Fund.  Unfortunately, several historic preservation programs were funded at lower levels than in FY 2017, but there is good news for Fairs and Festivals, which received an increase in funding. Here are how things panned out (this is not a comprehensive list of line items):

​Congressman David McKinley (R-WV-1) has introduced House Bill 3142 in the U.S. House of Representatives. Co-sponsors are Representatives Jenkins (R-WV-3) and Delaney (D-MD-6). The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area Act of 2017 will bring national recognition for the organization.

Designation as a National Heritage Area will bring national recognition of the importance of the Appalachian Forest Heritage story, technical assistance through the National Park Service, and funding for local projects.

Appalachian Forest Heritage Area (AFHA) has been seeking National Heritage Area designation since 2006.

“This designation, should it go through Congress, would create us as a National Heritage Area. There are 49 other National Heritage Areas around the country, including two others in West Virginia. It would give national recognition of the national significance of our story,” said AFHA Executive Director Phyllis Baxter.

A companion bill, S. 401, was introduced earlier this year by lead sponsor Senator Manchin (D-WV) and co-sponsors Senators Capito (R-WV), Cardin (D-MD), and Van Hollen (D-MD)  .  It is currently referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Read the full story at 12 News – WBOY – http://www.wvalways.com/story/35818974/mckinley-supports-national-recognition-for-afha

Show your support for these bills by thanking your Senators and Representatives for their support, or ask them to co-sponsor the legislation if they have not already done so.  Find contact information at the following link: https://www.congress.gov/members?q={%22congress%22:%22115%22}

Although the main order of business is to pass a budget, Governor Jim Justice has made it a priority to also include increasing the state’s historic tax credit to the agenda, and we’re really excited about it.

Increasing the state’s historic tax credit to 25 percent will help spark new development in West Virginia’s historic downtowns. As the statewide organization dedicated to attracting and retaining young people in the Mountain State, we know that quality of place is a driving factor for young people in choosing where they want to live and work. Young people want to be where the action is and an increase in historic tax credit will help West Virginia build walkable, vibrant communities that are especially attractive to the next generation.

Check out the special session update from Generation West Virginia.

After receiving widespread bipartisan support during the regular session, historic tax credit legislation ultimately failed on the final day of regular session.

​But now we have another chance to increase the state’s historic tax credit, and we need your help to do it. If revitalizing your downtown is a priority to you, let your representatives know by clicking here. ​