Historic Preservation and Cultural Resources 


PROTECTING OUR HERITAGE 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
ensures compliance with applicable Federal historic 
preservation laws and regulations and integrates these 
compliance requirements into its mission of preparedness, 
response, recovery, and mitigation. Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act requires FEMA to 
adequately consider the effects of its funding on properties listed or eligible for listing on the National Register 
of Historic Places (historic properties). 

FEMA DISASTER ASSISTANCE AND HISTORIC 
PRESERVATION 

FEMA disaster assistance programs include grant funding 
for repair, restoration, or replacement of damaged eligible 
publicly owned and private non-profit facilities as well as 
mitigation funding to reduce damages to eligible facilities 
in future events. Some of these facilities may be historic 
properties. Historic properties are typically 50 years or 
older and include buildings, structures, sites, objects, and 
districts. 

FEMA works closely with State Historic Preservation 
Officers (SHPOs), Tribal Historic Preservation Officers 
(THPOs), State Emergency Management Agencies 
(SEMAs), and applicants for assistance to avoid or minimize adverse effects to historic properties whenever possible. When adverse effects are unavoidable, FEMA is 
required to mitigate the effects in consultation with the 
SHPO/THPO, SEMA, the applicant, and other consulting 
parties. In addition, FEMA provides assistance to stabilize 
eligible culturally significant collections damaged by 
disasters. 

HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE SMALL 
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

Following a disaster declaration, the Small Business 
Administration (SBA) provides low-interest loans to 

private non-profit organizations such as museums, 
libraries, and other cultural resources for building repairs. 

HERITAGE EMERGENCY NATIONAL TASK 
FORCE 

FEMA is a co-sponsor of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force and works with Task Force members to 
identify needs and provide available technical expertise 
and resources for salvaging and protecting historic properties and cultural collections. The Task Force was formed 
in 1995 to help libraries, archives, museums, historical 
societies, and historic sites protect their collections and 
buildings from natural disasters. It distributes materials on 
cultural resource preservation throughout the year. For 
more information, visit: http:// 
www.heritagepreservation.org/programs/taskfer.htm. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

For more information about funding assistance, see Before and After Disasters: Federal Funding for Cultural 
Institutions, available on the web at: http:// 
www.heritagepreservation.org/PDFS/Disaster.pdf. 

Additional resources are provided by the National Trust 
for Historic Preservation at http://www.nationaltrust.org. 

FEMA DEPLOYS SPECIALISTS TO 

AFFECTED AREAS 

FEMA deploys historic preservation specialists to 

affected areas following Presidentially declared disas

ters. These specialists identify historic preservation 

issues, assess damages, provide technical assistance, 

and fulfill FEMA’s legal responsibilities for Section 106 

compliance under various historic preservation laws, 

executive orders, and regulations. 


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