New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program to Request $12 million for Grants to Safeguard State's Symbols, Economic Values

Concord, NH (PRWEB) November 20, 2004

The New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program is an independent state authority that makes grants to New Hampshire communities and non-profits to conserve and preserve New Hampshire's most important natural, cultural and historic resources. Through this grant program every dollar invested brings significant local, private, federal funds, and helped New Hampshire businesses and traditional business districts.

In June of 2000, the New Hampshire Legislature created the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program. Since then, the program has funded 112 projects in 89 communities across the State. The supplied funds return new revenues, new jobs and help build local businesses. Through investment programs such as the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program property taxes can be lowered, while property values are raised.

The $12 million request is half of what the program needs according to Rachel Rouillard, the program's executive director. "It only restores our grant-making abilities to what it was in the FY 03-04 biennium," she said. In 2002, the program's grant making budget was reduced by 87% - the only program in the state's budget to be cut so deeply. According to Rouillard, that budget also restricted the program from funding any historic preservation projects. In 2004 The New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program has no state funds for grant making.

Historically, state funding to natural resource projects help to build the New Hampshire tourism economy, and also benefits hunters, loggers, farmers, fisherman, snowmobilers and ATV users. The first 45 natural resource projects supported by the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program helped permanently set aside more than 200,000 acres of New Hampshire's land for recreation. The first 67 historic and cultural resource projects supported by the program have revitalized structures such as opera houses, town halls, community centers, village stores and libraries throughout New Hampshire, and protect key scenic vistas and expanding recreational opportunities for the State?s citizens.

This request comes at a time when New Hampshire faces challenges of increased development and population growth. The Land and Community Heritage Investment Program addresses these distinct issues in the right way for New Hampshire according to its bipartisan supporters. "By making investments that generate revenue for the State and keep New Hampshire special, the Land and Community Heritage Program offers huge return on a small investment when we need revenue," says Rouillard.    

The $16.5 million granted has leveraged over $103 million in additional private and public funding (including the $40 million raised through the Connecticut Lakes project that safeguarded 171,500 acres of land and historic sites). And, the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program has granted $16.5 million over the past four years to projects valued at $103 million. That means that for every $1 of public money allocated, an additional $5.95 is raised from other sources. In this way the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program has boosted local and state revenues, while creating new jobs, and helped to build local businesses.

"While several options for funding have been proposed over the past four years, none have been successful," says Brad Wyman, the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program Board Chairman. The question of how to fund The New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program remains. Both Governor Craig Benson and Governor-Elect John Lynch have supported funding for the Program, yet the level of funding and source for those funds remains unanswered. Two bills have been filed for the upcoming session - one by Rep. David Hess and one by Rep. Neal Kurk to fund the Program.

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