Salazar: “[Coltsville] A Great Candidate for Inclusion Into National Park System..."

For more photos from Saturday's event, click here. All photos courtesy of Tami Heileman, Department of Interior.

This past Saturday, Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) welcomed Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to Hartford to take a tour of Coltsville in his latest push to obtain National Historical Park designation for the facility.

Joined by Governor Dannel Malloy, Mayor Pedro Segarra of Hartford and Senator Richard Blumenthal, the group impressed upon the Secretary the historical significance of Coltsville and the potential economic catalyst the project would be to the area.

To watch a video of the press conference, please click on the image below or go here: https://youtu.be/E8M9W4Kop_E

Over the past decade Congressman Larson has worked with elected officials past and present, as well as community activists to help Coltsville obtain a National Historical Park designation – the most recent action culminating in the Secretary's trip to Hartford this past weekend.

From the Q&A:

Q: Can you discuss the challenges you will face in obtaining funding, should you get the designation?

A: [Secretary Salazar] First of all there is no doubt that a fiscal cloud hangs over the nation in a very real way, this is a fiscal reality we must deal with. Second of all, with this particular site and all the work that has gone into it, including the study that has concluded that with $6.5 million in capital investment at $300,000 a year, we could operate this as a National Park. So, from my point of view, this is a great candidate for inclusion into the National Park System and we will work hard to make it happen even in these fiscal times[…]

Below is a brief timeline of the Coltsville project:

COLTSVILLE TIMELINE

· September 24, 2011 – At Congressman Larson's invitation, Secretary Salazar visits Coltsville Historic District and pledges support for Larson's legislation to designate Coltsville as a National Historical Park.

· July 12, 2011 – Congressman Larson and Senator Lieberman introduce Coltsville National Historical Park Act.

· September 16, 2010 – House Natural Resources Committee passes Coltsville National Historical Park Act.

· April 22, 2010 - Congressman Larson introduce initial legislation into the House to designate Coltsville as a National Historical Park.

· October 14, 2008- Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, announces that Coltsville has been officially named a National Historic Landmark.

· July 21, 2008- The National Park Service Advisory Board votes to approve Coltsville's bid to become a national Historic Landmark.

· December 5, 2007- Congressman Larson testifies in front of the National Park Service Commission in support of Coltsville's designation as a National Historic Landmark.

· October 20, 2004 – Congressman Larson, Senators Dodd and Lieberman send a letter in advance of the Public Scoping Meeting as part of the Coltsville Special Resource Study led by the National Park Service in support of Coltsville's inclusion in the National Park System.

· October 7, 2003 – President George W. Bush signs the Coltsville Study Act into law.

· September 23, 2003 – The Coltsville Study Act, sponsored by Congressman Larson, passes the House of Representatives.

· July 9, 2003- The Coltsville Study Act sponsored by Congressman Larson, passes the House Resources Committee.

· April 8, 2003- National Park Service testifies in support of the Coltsville Study Act, sponsored by Congressman Larson.

· January 30, 2003- Congressman Larson and Senators Dodd and Lieberman reintroduce the Coltsville Study Act which would study the possibility of including Hartford's historic Coltsville property in the National Park System.

· June 20, 2002 – Congressman Larson testifies in support of the Coltsville Study Act during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks.

· May 15, 2002 – Congressman Larson, Senators Dodd and Lieberman introduce legislation calling for a Coltsville Study.