Preserve America Steering Committee Co-Chairs Available for Summit Questions/Interviews

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 17, 2006	Contacts: in New Orleans: Aimee Mikolajek (DOI), 202-436-5337 Bruce Milhans, 202-550-7165 (ACHP) in D.C.: Joan Moody 202-208-6416 (DOI)
Preserve America Steering Committee Co-Chairs Available for Summit Questions/Interviews
New Orleans - Following the opening plenary session of the Preserve America Summit on Oct. 19, 2006, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John L. Nau, III, will be available to answer questions relating to the Summit, Preserve America, and the National Historic Preservation Act. Nau and Scarlett are the co-chairs of the Preserve America Steering Committee. The session will begin at 11:45 a.m. in Room 101 of the U.S. Customs House, 423 Canal Street. The White House is working with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) and other federal agencies to implement the Preserve America initiative. The ACHP and DOI co-chair the steering committee that directs federal agency implementation of Preserve America. Other members of the steering committee are the U.S. Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities; and the President's Council on Environmental Quality. Preserve America encourages communities to preserve, use, and help tell America's story with their cultural and natural heritage. It also helps boost local economies by promoting new ways to attract visitors to our historic places, and support business investment in historic districts, buildings, and sites. During the Preserve America Summit, participants will not only hear interesting discussions about the state of historic preservation but also will play a key role in developing ideas on the future of preservation in America. These ideas will be reviewed by the ACHP and will be shared with the President, the Congress, and other decision makers, as well as with the public. The goals of the initiative include a greater shared knowledge about the nation's past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities. Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States, is the Honorary Chair of Preserve America. Detailed information on all aspects of this initiative can be found at www.PreserveAmerica.gov.

New Orleans - Following the opening plenary session of the Preserve America Summit on Oct. 19, 2006, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John L. Nau, III, will be available to answer questions relating to the Summit, Preserve America, and the National Historic Preservation Act. Nau and Scarlett are the co-chairs of the Preserve America Steering Committee.

The session will begin at 11:45 a.m. in Room 101 of the U.S. Customs House, 423 Canal Street.

The White House is working with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) and other federal agencies to implement the Preserve America initiative. The ACHP and DOI co-chair the steering committee that directs federal agency implementation of Preserve America.

Other members of the steering committee are the U.S. Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities; and the President's Council on Environmental Quality. Preserve America encourages communities to preserve, use, and help tell America's story with their cultural and natural heritage. It also helps boost local economies by promoting new ways to attract visitors to our historic places, and support business investment in historic districts, buildings, and sites.

During the Preserve America Summit, participants will not only hear interesting discussions about the state of historic preservation but also will play a key role in developing ideas on the future of preservation in America. These ideas will be reviewed by the ACHP and will be shared with the President, the Congress, and other decision makers, as well as with the public.

The goals of the initiative include a greater shared knowledge about the nation's past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities. Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States, is the Honorary Chair of Preserve America.

Detailed information on all aspects of this initiative can be found at www.PreserveAmerica.gov.