Last week the anti-RLPA coalition held a briefing for Senate staff that was very well attended. In response, a pro-RLPA briefing was held the next day to rebut the opponents of RLPA, but this briefing was attended by only a handful of staffers. Rumors state that if RLPA fails in 1999, it will be rewritten solely as a land-use bill. RLPA would have an unintended harmful impact on the ability of communites to equally and fairly enforce historic preservation and zoning laws. Also, RLPA is being fast tracked and has been insufficiently reviewed by committee.
Preservationists have much to cheer in the final numbers.
While, the preservation community welcomes any additional dollars that can be used to preserve and protect historic resources, it has become clear that the HPF, like many programs, is being used as a source of pork barrel dollars. This undermines the ability of the States and Tribes to foster and fund preservation activities called for under the National Historic Preservation Act. The use of HPF monies for the NPS' National Heritage Areas is another first, and has been vigorously opposed by preservationists who fear that it will lead to further drain on resources available to the core programs. The President has threatened to veto the Interior bill because of objections to a number of environmental riders. Their testimony included support for a provision contained in H.R. 834 and S. 1434 that would codify Executive Order 13006 which requires federal agencies, where operationally appropriate and economically prudent, to give first consideration to historic properties in historic districts.