FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tatum Wallace or Hannah McCarthy
September 17, 2026
Cotton Introduces Bill to Designate Arkansas Delta a National Heritage Area
WASHINGTON—Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced legislation to designate the Arkansas Delta a National Heritage Area, which would recognize and preserve the economic, historic, and cultural importance of the Arkansas Delta and also increase federal investment and economic development in the region.
“From Jonesboro to McGehee, the Arkansas Delta is a vital part of our state’s identity. By designating the Delta a National Heritage Area, my bill would recognize the region’s rich history and important agricultural contributions while also delivering additional federal resources to grow the local economy and create more jobs for Arkansans,” said Senator Cotton.
Text of the bill can be found here.
The Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area Act would:
- Designate 17 Arkansas counties as a National Heritage Area (NHA), a place designated by Congress where natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources combine into a nationally significant landscape.
- NHA designation includes eligibility for National Park Service technical and financial assistance, which local coordinating entities use for projects like tourism infrastructure.
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