Ohio’s U.S. Senators are introducing legislation to extend the authorization for the state’s National Aviation Heritage Area. The current authorization, which allow the NAHA to receive federal funding, is set to expire in September 2022.
On average, the heritage area receives between $300,000 and $400,000 per year in federal funding. The legislation proposed by Senators Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown would extend the authorization through Sept. 30, 2036.
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The NAHA is one of 55 National Heritage Areas across the country. It spans eight counties and has a large presence in Dayton. The Dayton Aviation Heritage National Park, Armstrong Air and Space Museum, Huffman Prairie Flying Field, the Paul Laurence Dunbar House and Grimes Flying Field are all within the NAHA.
“The National Aviation Heritage Area is home to our nation’s aviation history, telling the story of the Wright Brothers’ development of the first airplane. It has proven to be a successful public-private partnership, generating more than $200 million in economic impact from the millions of visitors it receives each year,” Portman said in a statement.
The NAHA is currently valued at $226 million and sees 1.4 million visitors on average each year.
Cox Media Group
