Review: Federal legislation in the form of the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) legally acknowledged the significant socioeconomic value of cultural resources by maintaining that "the preservation of this irreplaceable heritage is in the public interest so that its vital legacy of cultural educational, aesthetic, inspirational, economic, and energy benefits will be maintained and enriched for future generations of Americans" (U.S. Congress, PL 89-665). Terminology Benefits: Economic