Rep. John Garamendi and Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer introduced legislation on Tuesday that would designate the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta status as a national heritage area.  This legislation (H.R. 1208 and S. 630) would designate the state’s main water delivery hub as the first national heritage site in California.  

Under the heritage designation legislation, the Bay Delta, which encompasses 700 square miles, 60 islands and 400,000 residents, would receive up to $10 million over the next 15 years for historic site preservation and exhibits. This designation would not impose any restrictions on property owners, tribes, or water users.  Identical legislation was introduced in the last Congress but was not passed.