Gillibrand seeks to make 14-county Finger Lakes Region a National Heritage Area

Orleans just outside designated area that includes neighboring Monroe

ROMULUS – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was in Seneca County on Monday to announce her Finger Lakes National Heritage Area Act, legislation that would designate the Finger Lakes region as a National Heritage Area.

National Heritage Areas (NHA) are established by Congress to recognize a region’s natural, cultural, or historic significance. Securing this designation for the Finger Lakes would promote tourism and help ensure that the area is preserved for generations to come.

“The Finger Lakes are a national treasure,” said Senator Gillibrand. “They are home to a beautiful landscape, rich history, and thriving small businesses. In recognition of all this area has to offer, I’m leading the push to designate the region as an NHA. This designation will promote tourism, create jobs, and make sure local communities have what they need to thrive for years to come. I am committed to getting this bill signed into law.”

The following 14 New York counties would comprise the Finger Lakes NHA: Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Livingston, Monroe, Onondaga, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne, and Yates.

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, which determines whether the area is suitable for being designated as an NHA. If the results of the feasibility study are positive, Congress then must pass a second bill to formally designate the region.

Gillibrand has been leading the push to designate the Finger Lakes as an NHA in line with this two-step process. In 2015, she first announced the Finger Lakes National Heritage Area Study Act to direct NPS to conduct a feasibility study, and in 2019, it was signed into law. The National Park Service completed its feasibility study and confirmed the Finger Lakes’ eligibility earlier this year. Now, the Finger Lakes National Heritage Area Act would complete the second step in the process and formally create the Finger Lakes NHA.

“The core motivation to seek a National Heritage Area designation for the Finger Lakes was a simple one: to do tourism more responsibly and to honor the reasons our region is a landmark worthy of sharing with the world. Our industry stands on the shoulders of the Haudenosaunee, the suffragists, the abolitionists and innovators that uniquely make up the story of America,” said Meghan Lawton, President & CEO of the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance. “Introduction of this legislation is an important milestone, but our work continues hand-in-hand with Senator Gillibrand’s office, the NY Congressional Delegation and the support of our county-level and industry partners. We thank Senator Gillibrand and all our partners across the region for their support and assistance in getting the Finger Lakes region one step closer to this designation.”