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Washington, DC - In the final hours of the 1st Session of the 109th Congress Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) saw to it that the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area Act passed the United States House of Representatives. This effort began in 2001 when Representative McKinney first introduced the bill; after a two year hiatus from Congress, and upon her return, Congresswoman McKinney is pleased to announce the House action today.
Working with Georgia's Senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, and Georgia's Department of Natural Resources, Representative Cynthia McKinney has delivered to residents already knowledgeable of the "hidden treasure" that Arabia Mountain is and the recognition that it has long deserved. The legislation has now passed a major hurdle before it can become law. The designation as a National Heritage Area qualifies Arabia Mountain for up to $10 million in federal funding at not more than $1 million in any fiscal year.
Arabia Mountain and other nearby granite outcrops are part of an area in eastern Metropolitan Atlanta that has been linked to human settlement and activity for thousands of years. This area not only includes the mountain, but lakes, rivers and farmland in the surrounding area. The history of human settlement in this region is intimately connected to its geological resources, starting over 7,000 years ago with the quarrying and trading of soapstone.
Congresswoman McKinney thanks Congressmen David Scott and Jim Marshall, cosponsors of the measure.
"Arabia Mountain is about family. It is a place where families can come together to take a hike, be a part of a class, and even enjoy a cookout. It is a place where you can watch the sunset with someone you love, take the training wheels off your child's bike, or blow out the candles at a birthday party. I am glad that I can bring home something that has been many years in the making," McKinney said today.
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