Praises Dedication, Cooperation of Many During Groundbreaking Ceremony

SHANKSVILLE, Pa., Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Before helping to break ground for a national memorial honoring the 40 heroic passengers and crew members who died aboard United Flight 93 on 9/11, Governor Edward G. Rendell recognized the sacred ground on which he stood and reiterated a commitment made earlier this year.

"This memorial will be a lasting tribute to the brave heroes of Flight 93 who fought back against the terrorists, courageously sacrificing their lives to keep their plane from being used as another weapon. Future generations of Americans will come here to be reminded of the terrible price that has been paid by so many to defend our continued freedom," Governor Rendell said.

"In February, many of us gathered to commit to completing the first phase of this memorial in time for the 10th anniversary of the 2001 attacks. It's been a long road to this point, but thanks to the hard work and dedication of those gathered here today, as well as countless others, we are now on the path to meeting that deadline," he added.

The Governor joined for today's groundbreaking by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, other state and federal officials, local leaders, as well as family and friends of those who gave their lives.

Governor Rendell and U.S. Senator Arlen Specter signed a letter of commitment in February that will ensure the Flight 93 National Memorial is completed and dedicated by the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

The commitment letter also outlines target dates for design processes, bid awards and other steps necessary to complete the memorial by 2011. To date, each target has been met.

Also signing the commitment letter were representatives of the National Park Service, the Families of Flight 93 organization, the Flight 93 Advisory Commission, and the Flight 93 Memorial Task Force.

Governor Rendell has been a strong advocate for building a permanent memorial to the heroes of Flight 93. To date, state assistance for the project has totaled more than $10 million. The Governor also signed legislation officially naming Route 219 in Somerset County as "Flight 93 Memorial Highway." In 2007, the Governor announced a $120,000 state grant to pay for security at the crash site.

The memorial park sits on more than 2,200 acres in Somerset County, approximately 80 miles outside of Pittsburgh. It will encompass the crash site and include visitor facilities, infrastructure and access roadways.

More than one million people from 120 countries and all 50 states have visited the site, which currently features a temporary memorial.

For more information on the memorial, visit www.nps.gov/flni.

    Media contacts:
    Gary Tuma, Governor's Office; 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor