MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2006 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Zuber, Bentz, Broomfield, Guice, Janus, Patterson, Peranich, Read, Simpson
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE MISSISSIPPI CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND THE STAFF OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANNING PROGRAM FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN SECURING THE DESIGNATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.
WHEREAS, National Heritage Areas are places where natural, cultural, historic and scenic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally distinctive landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi Gulf Coast has been recognized as being a culturally, historically and environmentally distinctive region; and
WHEREAS, the heritage of areas such as the Mississippi Gulf Coast are threatened by high rates of development and natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina; and
WHEREAS, the designation as a National Heritage Area helps make communities more livable and economically viable by strengthening the sense of heritage identity, conserving the area's heritage resources, and developing, promoting and marketing the National Heritage Area; and
WHEREAS, the staff of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Comprehensive Resource Management Planning Program began efforts to have the southern six counties of the State of Mississippi designated as a national heritage area in 2001 to help improve the connectivity of the heritage of the area by providing proponents, essential data and information to secure the enabling legislation for the heritage area; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area Act passed in the 109th Congress in 2004 and was signed into law by President George Bush on December 8, 2004 (P.L.108-447), designating the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area because of the dedicated efforts of the Mississippi Congressional Delegation which includes: Senator Trent Lott, Senator Thad Cochran, Congressman Gene Taylor, Congressman Charles Pickering, Congressman Bennie Thompson and Congressman Roger Wicker; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area is the 24th of only 26 designated heritage areas in the country; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area consists of the southern six counties of the State of Mississippi, those being Pearl River County, Stone County, George County, Hancock County, Harrison County, and Jackson County, all of which share a rich history of related natural forest, waterway and marine resources, important and interesting archaeological sites and enjoyable scenic resources; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area Act designates the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources as the coordinating entity for the heritage area and the staff of the Comprehensive Resource Management Planning Program manages the area; and
WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi is rich with other areas worthy of the National Heritage Area designation and the areas are in need of the educational, conservation and promotional benefits of the heritage area program; and
WHEREAS, the staff of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Comprehensive Resource Management Planning Program has demonstrated outstanding success in developing the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area and has demonstrated the willingness and ability to help develop heritage areas in several other areas in the state; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend the great efforts of the staff of our agencies such as the staff of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Comprehensive Resource Management Planning Program for guiding the development of other heritage area initiatives in the state and to encourage the staff to continue these efforts:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize and commend the Mississippi Congressional Delegation and the staff of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Comprehensive Resource Management Planning Program for their efforts in securing the designation of the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the members of the Mississippi Congressional Delegation, members of the staff of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Comprehensive Resource Management Planning Program and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.