Legislation designed to generate economic activity in the Northern Neck has been approved by Congress and now heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature, according to an announcement made on Dec. 22 by the office of Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Montross) and U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.

By officially designating the region as a National Heritage Area (NHA), the Northern Neck National Heritage Area Act will deliver critical federal dollars, encourage public-private partnerships, and assign a specific entity—the Northern Neck Tourism Commission—to help protect the Northern Neck’s natural, cultural, scenic and recreational resources, the release stated. After unanimously passing the Senate, the House voted on Dec. 22 to approve the bill.

The National Park Service defines National Heritage Areas as congressionally designated places where “natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape.”

Through their resources, NHAs com...