The first NHA created, the
Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, located in
Illinois, was signed into law by President
Ronald Reagan on August 21, 1984. The National Heritage Areas Act of 2006 designated ten new NHAs and authorized three studies of potential NHAs. It was signed into law by President
George W. Bush on October 12, 2006. The
Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 designated ten new NHAs. The bill was signed into law by President
Barack Obama on March 30, 2009. The
John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019 laid out procedures for planning and management of NHAs and designated six new NHAs. It was signed into law by President
Donald Trump on March 12, 2019. The National Heritage Area Act of 2022 established a
National Heritage Area System and created a standardized process for the
Department of the Interior to provide financial and technical assistance to NHAs. The law also provides a process for the study and designation of new NHAs and evaluation for existing NHAs. It authorized three studies of potential NHAs and established seven new NHAs. The bill was passed by the Senate on December 20, 2022 by unanimous consent and the House on December 22 (on a vote of 326-95), and was signed into law by President
Joe Biden on January 5, 2023. == List of National Heritage Areas ==