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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Congress has approved creation of two national heritage areas within Utah.
The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area and Great Basin National Heritage Route were among 10 heritage areas approved in a bill that passed the House on Monday and was sent to the president.
The designation qualifies the areas for up to $10 million in National Park Service grants over 30 years to help develop tourism around a local theme of national interest.
The money may be used to help restore or conserve property of historical, cultural or natural significance.
The pioneer heritage area would stretch more than 250 miles along U.S. 89 from Fairview to the Arizona border. It will be managed by the Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance, a group of local representatives.
The Great Basin heritage route would run between Delta and Ely, Nev.
National heritage areas have been controversial. The National Park Service objected to all such new areas, saying they take away money from more important national-park units.
Some critics have argued that guidelines for heritage areas are so broad that almost anything may qualify. The entire state of Tennessee has been declared the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area.
Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, who pushed for the two heritage areas, said the creation of the Pioneer area will mean "increased economic opportunities for many Utah communities along Highway 89, as well as heightened recognition of the remarkable and inspiring stories of the Mormon pioneers."
Gary Anderson, former mayor of Ephraim and director of Utah State University's extension in Sanpete County, lobbied for the bill for two years.
"This will be a real boost to the heritage tourism to this part of the state," he said Tuesday. "We can now use national parks insignia for our signage, which will help authenticate in a tourist's mind the place they are visiting."
The Great Basin National Heritage Route was primarily the effort of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., but was also co-sponsored by Bennett and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
The legislation creating it said it was worthy of designation in part to help tell the story of Mormon settlements in the area, as well as mining, the Pony Express Route, the Overland Stage Route and the Topaz internment camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II near Delta.
Congress has established 27 national heritage areas.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
