skip
general nav links About ACHP ACHP News National Historic Preservation Program Working with Section 106 Federal, State, & Tribal Programs Training & Education Publications Search |
skip specific nav links Home News ACHP Streamlines Preservation Review for Historic Natural Gas Pipelines ACHP Streamlines Preservation Review for Historic Natural Gas Pipelines FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1, 2002, Washington, DCIn an effort to balance historic preservation concerns with energy needs, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has collaborated with the natural gas industry and Federal agencies to remove the obligation to consider effects on historic natural gas pipelines during the formal Federal preservation review process. This streamlining initiative furthers the National Energy Policy and Executive Order 13212, which requires Federal agencies to accelerate projects that will increase energy production while maintaining safety, public health, and environmental protections. Text of the exemption and subsequent clarification are available in PDF format at www.achp.gov/pipelineexemption.pdf and www.achp.gov/pipelineclarification.pdf. "We are proud of this cooperative effort with industry and believe it serves both preservation and energy goals," ACHP chairman John L. Nau, III, said. Normally, Federal agencies must consider the effects of their actions
on properties that meet the criteria for listing on the National Register
of Historic Places. Certain pipelines can fall under this category due
to their significant engineering features or their association with important
historic events, such as the famous Big Inch pipeline of World War II.
However, most often the historic value of these engineering landmarks
lies in their construction and features, which is best preserved and interpreted
by documenting the pipeline. With Hoecker are, left to right, Rich Hoffman,
Office of Pipeline Regulation, FERC; Nils Nichols, Office of General Counsel,
FERC; Laura Henley Dean, Office of Planning and Review, Advisory Council
on Historic Preservation; and Jon Benjamin, Texas Eastern Transmission
Corporation. (Photograph courtesy of FERC) ACHP, an independent Federal agency, serves as primary policy advisor to the President and Congress on historic preservation matters and oversees an administrative review process that requires Federal agencies to consider historic properties when planning projects. ACHP is headquartered in Washington, DC, with an office in Denver, Colorado.
|