Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Heath Shuler today applauded the signing of
legislation to allow the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site to expand its
boundaries to protect the integrity of the park and build a visitors center as legislation
boundary revision. The Consolidated Natural Resources Act that the President signed into
law contained the Sandburg Home boundary revision, which Rep. Shuler helped pass the
House in May 2007.
The Consolidated Natural Resources Act contained more than 60 public lands bills that
had previously passed the House individually. Rep. Shuler had originally introduced the
legislation to allow for the boundary revision of the Sandburg home, H.R. 1100, in
February 2007. H.R. 1100 passed the House in May of 2007.
“I am extremely pleased that our efforts to protect the Sandburg Home have been
successful,” said Rep. Shuler. “The Sandburg home is an important part of both our
heritage and our economy in Western North Carolina. By expanding the site and allowing
the building of a new visitor’s center we will ensure that the Sandburg Home continues to
help drive our economy.”
In 2003 the National Park Service recommended the expansion of the historic site’s
boundary by up to 115 acres to allow construction of a visitor center and parking lot as
well as to protect the pastoral views from Sandburg’s estate. This recommendation was
developed through a 4-year planning process that involved extensive community input.
Senators Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr cosponsored companion legislation to Rep.
Shuler’s bill in the Senate.
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Download: Rep. Shuler Hails Signing of Sandburg Home Boundary Revision into Law
