Home News

Washington, D.C.—The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has developed new archaeology guidance to assist federal agencies in meeting their responsibilities under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The guidance is available at: www.achp.gov/archguide.

While the focus of the guidance is on the special responsibilities of federal agencies, it is also intended to help other stakeholders, such as State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, private sector consultants, and the interested public, navigate issues posed by archaeological properties in the Section 106 process.

The ACHP’s new archaeology guidance is presented as questions and answers in an interactive, Web-based format. Its initial focus is on initiation of the Section 106 consultation process, identification and evaluation of historic properties, and determining appropriate mitigation. Additional questions and answers dealing with federal agency responsibilities for archaeology on private lands, quality control and reporting, and artifact curation will be addressed in the near future. Answers have links to pertinent federal laws, regulations, standards and other agency guidance, as well as related questions. 

Users can provide comments and feedback to the ACHP and can even rate the usefulness of answers. The ACHP will also be soliciting user recommendations on new questions to be addressed, as well as examples of successful Section 106 outcomes. The site also will identify topics of particular interest and invite stakeholders to engage in an interactive conversation with user comments and ACHP responses posted.

The ACHP’s Archaeology Task Force, chaired by ACHP expert member Julia King, oversaw development of this guidance by helping to identify pertinent questions about Section 106 archaeology that the ACHP should address. This guidance, while focused on archaeological properties, contains much that will be of interest to all users of the Section 106 process, regardless of the type of historic property with which they are working.

All users of this guidance are encouraged to share their ideas, suggestions, and recommendations on the utility of the guidance and ways it might be improved.

About the ACHP: The ACHP is an independent federal agency that promotes the preservation, enhancement, and productive use of our nation’s historic and cultural resources and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy. It also provides a forum for influencing federal activities, programs, and policies that affect historic properties. In addition, the ACHP has a key role in carrying out the administration’s Preserve America initiative.

Return to Top