Tribes receive historic preservation funding

As part of national funding from the National Park Service, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs were awarded $127,740 to support historic preservation efforts on the reservation. $1.7 million in funds was distributed across the state, including to state and local historic preservation offices and to seven Tribes in Oregon.

“A core pillar of ensuring Oregon’s future success is preserving its rich past, places, and culturally significant sites, including for Tribes who have been here since time immemorial,” said Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), who oversees the budget for the National Park Service and annual funding for the Historic Preservation Fund as chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. “These investments are key to helping our communities and Tribes take the reins of local preservation and protect our beloved resources for generations to come.”

Since launching in 1977, the HPF has provided more than $2.7 billion in historic preservation grants to states, Tribes, local governments, and nonprofit organizations. These investments support a variety of historic preservation programs and projects to help preserve the nation’s cultural resources and history. Further, the HPF is supported by Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease revenues, not tax dollars, with the intent to mitigate the loss of a non-renewable resource to benefit the preservation of other irreplaceable resources.

“Ensuring that local and tribal communities have the resources they need to protect important historical sites is essential to creating a brighter future and a well-informed public,” Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) said. “Oregon has a long and complex history. I applaud this federal investment to communities across Oregon and will continue to advocate for resources to help safeguard our state’s historical sites.”