PIKEVILLE, KY – U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers and U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell introduced mirroring legislation to designate the Kentucky Wildlands as Kentucky’s first National Heritage Area. Congressman Rogers announced the news on Friday during the annual SOAR Summit in Pikeville. “Our beautiful Appalachian Mountains in southern and eastern Kentucky are full of outdoor adventures, incredible wildlife, and communities filled with a rich heritage of talented musicians and artisans. The National Heritage System links our region to tourism benefits that will boost our economy, adding a national spotlight here at home,” said Congressman Rogers, Dean of the House. “This legislation will be the final step in getting the designation to highlight our rich Appalachian culture in Kentucky, and I’m proud to partner with Senator McConnell to get it over the finish line.” “Securing Kentucky's first National Heritage Area has been a project years in the making, and I'm grateful to see our state move one step closer to securing this designation. I've been proud to partner with Congressman Hal Rogers over the years to help advance this effort and tap into Eastern Kentucky’s great potential. Our state’s Appalachian region deserves to be preserved for families to enjoy, and this project will help do just that while driving more visitors and economic activity into Eastern Kentucky communities,” said Senator Mitch McConnell. Last month, the National Park Service (NPS) determined that 35 counties in southern and eastern Kentucky are eligible to become part of the National Heritage System. It was the result of a feasibility study that Rogers and McConnell secured federal funding for in 2019. Eastern Kentucky PRIDE received a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in 2019 to brand the region as the Kentucky Wildlands. As a National Heritage Area, the region would receive technical assistance and federal funding through a partnership with the National Park Service. The NPS study concluded that the region embodies the concepts of self-reliance, sustainability and community recognized as the foundation of central Appalachian identity. Through the area’s rich natural resources that fueled the rise of late 19th and 20th century industry, local musicians’ enduring influence on popular American music, the accomplishments of community-driven civic leaders, and the resilience of groups calling Eastern Kentucky home, the reach of the people and products of Kentucky Wildlands extends far beyond the mountainous terrain where they originate. The NPS determined the 35 counties directly supporting the themes for a potential NHA boundary include: Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe. Within these counties, natural, cultural, historic and recreational resources support the overall landscape, cultural tradition of the area, and the nationally important heritage of the Kentucky Wildlands.? For more information about Congressman Rogers’ work in Washington and at home in Kentucky, visit halrogers.house.gov and follow him on social media. ###