WHEREAS, the National Historic Preservation Act was signed into law on October 15, 1966, to establish a national policy for the protection and preservation of historic buildings, structures, landscapes, and archaeological sites; and

WHEREAS, over the past 50 years, the National Historic Preservation Act has had a profound and positive impact on communities throughout the State of Delaware and the United States, identifying and protecting historic properties, revitalizing historic downtowns, and encouraging the preservation of significant elements of our heritage; and

WHEREAS, the United States and thousands of public, private, and nonprofit sector partners are commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act throughout 2016 under the banner of “Preservation50;” and

WHEREAS, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is an active partner in Preservation50, joining citizens from across the State in celebrating the first five decades of the National Historic Preservation Act and working to ensure a strong future for historic preservation efforts; and

WHEREAS, the National Historic Preservation Act authorized the creation of State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO) to administer a state preservation program, and the Division serves as this State’s SHPO, assisting and encouraging Delawareans to value, preserve, and protect the historic resources that reflect our history and heritage; and

WHEREAS, the National Historic Preservation Act directed states to conduct comprehensive statewide surveys and maintain an inventory of historic properties, to identify properties eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, and to provide historic preservation information and technical assistance to the public; and

WHEREAS, the National Register of Historic Places contains more than 90,000 historic properties, with at least one place listed in almost every county in the United States, and nearly 700 places listed in the State of Delaware; and

WHEREAS, the National Historic Preservation Act also provided for the review of federal projects to minimize their impacts on historic properties, and established the Certified Local Government program to assist preservation efforts on the local level; and

WHEREAS, the National Historic Preservation Act led to the creation of incentives such as the Federal Preservation Tax Incentives Program, which along with similar incentives at the state level, including Delaware’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program, have helped create millions of jobs, attracted billions of dollars in investment, and saved tens of thousands of historic buildings; and

WHEREAS, historic preservation efforts fostered by the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act helps to sustain heritage tourism, a critical component of the State’s economy;

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 148^th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, with the approval of the Governor, that the General Assembly hereby commemorates the National Historic Preservation Act on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its passage, affirming that, as stated in the Act, “The historical and cultural foundations of the Nation should be preserved as a living part of our community life and. . . the preservation of this irreplaceable heritage is in the public interest so that its vital legacy of cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, economic, and energy benefits will be maintained and enriched for future generations of Americans.”

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to “Delaware Historic Preservation Celebration 2016,” the grassroots group formed to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act, and to the United States Secretary of the Interior, the Director of the National Park Service, the Preservation50 Advisory Committee, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the Governor of the State of Delaware and the Director of the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, as an expression of the General Assembly’s appreciation for the significance of the Act and its many benefits to the State and the United States.