Keeping you updated on federal, state, and local advocacy issues important to our mission
Read the Preservation League’s comment letter.
We encourage advocates of historic preservation to submit your comments by March 10th, voicing your opposition to the proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Comments can be submitted using this link. View the proposed regulations here.
You can also help the cause by contacting your New York Congressional Representatives and telling them your opposition to this proposal.
On February 26, 2020 Preservation advocates traveled to Albany from near and far to advocate for historic preservation in New York State.
A big thank you to our New York State legislators and to our participants for supporting historic preservation!
NYS Historic Tax Credit Small Project Increase. Read the Support Memo.
Will increase the credit from 20-30% for projects under $5 million.
Assembly Bill A5760C | Woerner; Co-sponsors: Lupardo, Fahy, Otis, Englebright, D'Urso, Arroyo, Smullen, Brabenec, McDonald, Hunter, Magnarelli, Schimminger, Walsh
Senate Bill S3645B | Kennedy; Co-sponsors: Kaplan, Metzger, Serrano
NYS Historic Tax Credit Transferability. Read the Support Memo
Allows for a one time transfer of the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit.
Assembly Bill A8491 | Woerner; Co-sponsors: Hunter, Fahy, McDonald, Magnarelli
Senate Bill S6711 | Kennedy
Assemblymember Daniel O’Donnell and Senator Jose Serrano have introduced legislation to create a Historic Business Preservation Registry in New York State. This initiative will serve as an educational and promotional tool to recognize historic community-serving businesses as valuable cultural assets.
Assembly Bill A.8873A | O’Donnell; Co-sponsors: Otis
Senate Bill S.7274B | Serrano;
Thanks to the organizations below for joining the Preservation League in support of this legislation:
On January 26th, 2020, the New York Times published an opinion piece accusing historic preservation of being “elite” and harming the fight against global warming, among other improper characterizations of the field. Rather than disparaging the work of the preservation community, we suggest that preservationists should be celebrated for their commitment to economic development, community revitalization, and smart, sustainable growth.
Read the Preservation League’s full response comment letter & Letter to the Editor.
Erin Tobin, Vice President for Policy and Preservation, had the pleasure of testifying at the 2020 Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Environmental Conservation on January 27, 2020.
Issues important to the League were highlighted including: the Reimagine the Canals Initiative, the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority’s Clean Energy Fund, the Governor-proposed prevailing wage requirement, the NYS Historic Tax Credit. The League also outlined the importance of funding for the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, the Environmental Protection Fund, and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA)
Read the Preservation League’s full written testimony.
A4403/S1864 will help small and mid-sized cities in New York State mitigate the blight caused by vacant and abandoned buildings, while providing them with a more expedient mechanism to place the buildings with owners who can rehabilitate them. Thank you to Assemblymember John T. McDonald III for introducing this legislation in the Assembly and to James Gaughran for introducing in the Senate.
In October 2019, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy [R-LA] introduced S. 2615, the Senate version of H.R. 2825, the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO), introduced by the House earlier this year.
This legislation will bring more value to historic tax credits and improve access to the credit and investment for smaller rehabilitation projects across New York State.
Contact New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and ask them to support this legislation!
In June 2019, Governor Cuomo announced the Reimagine the Canals initiative of the New York Power Authority and New York State Canal Corporation, with the goal “to boost local economies, inspire new opportunities for tourism and recreation, and strengthen environmental resiliency along the historic waterway.” The Preservation League believes that the power of our New York State Canal System, a National Historic Landmark, is rooted in its history, authenticity as a continuously operating end-to-end canal system, vibrancy, and ability to leverage tourism now and in the future.
In the midst of the Erie Canal’s bicentennial celebration (built 1817-1825) and on the heels of the centennial of the National Historic Landmark Barge Canal System, the League has released a public statement on the Reimagine initiative. “The Preservation League believes that the best future for our NYS Canal System lies in capitalizing on its past, marketing itself as a historic transportation corridor, improving amenities for canal users, and strengthening local, regional, and international partnerships to promote tourism, as well as recreational and commercial use.”
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor also released a statement in response to this initiative. You can read it here.
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This issue was covered in the Friday, October 18 edition of the Buffalo News. Our Vice President for Policy & Preservation Erin Tobin was quoted: "The canal is such a vibrant, rich part of our state. Anybody who spends time in upstate New York, including our governor, knows and loves and understands that the canal is a huge part of the communities all along its corridor."
The creation of Community Preservation Funds can provide for the safeguarding of historic buildings and landscapes. This modest real estate tax (paid by buyers), helps to further preservation goals and protect important sites that communities treasure.
The Preservation League prepared a letter to Governor Cuomo expressing support for this legislation (The Ulster County Community Preservation Act A0129/S6235 & Town of Chester Community Preservation Act A7592/S5640) and requesting it be signed into law.
