President Signs Bill Authorizing ACHP Full-Time Chairman and Reauthorizes Historic Preservation Fund
On Dec. 16, President Barack Obama signed the National Park Service Centennial Act into law. It is Public Law 114-289 https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4680/text
The bill contained amendments to the National Historic Preservation Act that the ACHP had been pursuing for several years. These include the conversion of the ACHP chairman to a full-time position, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and the addition of the General Chairman of National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO) as a voting member of the ACHP. The ACHP chairman provisions would take effect on Jan. 20, 2017, commencing a four-year term for that position. The current chairman will serve until the full-time chairman is appointed and confirmed. The NATHPO provision takes effect now. Read more here. Read FAQs about the legislation here.

TrustLive Sessions Online
The ACHP participated in the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s PastForward conference in November. Watch former Vice Chairman Teresa Leger de Fernandez and others in an exciting panel discussion of Preservation Voices. To watch more of the conference videos, simply click on the second link below and choose the session you would like to view.

Preserve America Designation for Orange Mound Celebrated in Memphis
Hundreds of advocates, community leaders, schoolchildren, and other members of the public gathered at Mount Pisgah Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in southeast Memphis Dec. 16 to celebrate the designation of Orange Mound as the 905th Preserve America Community.

Orange Mound holds the distinction of being the first subdivision in the U.S. designed specifically for African Americans. Attendees of the designation ceremony were treated to a reenactment of the story of Orange Mound's origins, as well as stirring music and dance performances by local ensembles from the Blues City Cultural Center and Melrose High School. U.S. Representative Steve Cohen and ACHP Member Jordan Tannenbaum also addressed the audience, with the crowd applauding Tannenbaum's acknowledgment of the community's success in 2015 in celebrating its 125th anniversary.

The ceremony closed with Tannenbaum reading the official Preserve America designation letter from First Lady Michelle Obama, and the presentation of a replica of the official designation sign for the community.

Orange Mound was named after the Osage orange shrubs that lined the grounds of the Deadrick Plantation, from which the lands that formed the community were deeded in 1870. The land was purchased by Izey Eugene Meacham, who in turn sold plots to local African Americans.

Chairman’s Award Goes to Painted Bluff Project
ACHP Chairman Milford Wayne Donaldson presented the Chairman’s Award for Achievement in Historic Preservation at an evening reception Nov. 30 to partners who worked on the graffiti removal and camouflage project at Painted Bluff in Alabama. A historic site with pictographs dating back 600 years, Painted Bluff had become a graffiti magnet, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, University of Tennessee, Stratum Unlimited, University of Alabama, Southeastern Climbers Coalition, and 15 federally recognized Indian tribes worked together to restore the character of the bluff. Read more about the award here. View a slide presentation here.

ACHP Meets in DC for Fall Business
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation met Dec. 1 in Washington, D.C. for its fall business meeting. New member Luis Hoyos was sworn in, and member Leonard Forsman was sworn in as the new vice chairman of the ACHP. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell of Forsman’s home state of Washington administered the oath to him and talked about the importance of historic preservation.

Council members passed several action items including a report and recommendations regarding the ACHP’s public policy initiative for the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act and the future of the federal preservation program. They also endorsed a diversity statement regarding internal ACHP business including staff and council member diversity and inclusiveness. Additionally, they supported sections of House and Senate bills regarding the Water Resources Development Act pertaining to historic properties and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Council members discussed the upcoming transition of presidential administrations and how priorities need to be set for preservation initiatives that will be of interest to the new Administration. The next business meeting will be March 22-23 in Washington, D.C.

ACHP Announces Community Revitalization Policy Statement
After years of research and study into the needs of communities across the U.S. who are struggling to revive their economies and historic assets, the ACHP has issued a policy statement aimed at helping to provide ideas and principles for successful community revitalization. Read more about how to help your community.

First Lady Designates New Preserve America Community
First Lady Michelle Obama sent a letter to the community leaders of Orange Mound, a neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee, announcing it is the newest Preserve America Community. The total now is 905 designated communities. Read the press release here.

President Announces Intent to Appoint New Vice Chairman
President Barack Obama announced his intention to appoint current ACHP Native American Member Leonard Forsman as vice chairman of the ACHP. Forsman serves as chairman of the Suquamish Tribe in Washington. Read more here.

Agreement Reached for Four-State, 728-Mile Transmission Line
The proposed TransWest Express Transmission Line would move energy from Wyoming through Colorado and Utah, ending in southern Nevada, and provide power for up to 1.8 million homes in the Southwest each year. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been consulting with more than 80 parties since 2012 in order to take effects on historic properties from this lengthy transmission line into account. On October 18, 2016, the ACHP signed the Programmatic Agreement (PA) that resulted from the consultation, completing the execution of the agreement.
The PA effectively addresses direct, indirect, and cumulative effects on historic properties. Building on the methodologies for assessing indirect effects done on previous transmission projects, this agreement reflects the most up-to-date thinking about addressing visual effects in landscape-scale projects (see Appendix C).
The BLM's outreach to the many interested parties in the four-state area is also of note. The agency invited 53 Indian tribes to participate in consultation, including two tribes whose reservation boundaries were crossed by the preferred alignment. Sidebar discussions between the project proponent, TransWest Express LLC, and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation led to a joint press release about the proactive hiring of qualified tribal members for construction jobs, a job fair prior to the start of construction, and a career fair for high school students highlighting energy-related jobs. Prior to the ACHP's signature, 34 parties signed the PA, including four Indian tribes, indicating unusually broad consensus about the agreement. View the full Programmatic Agreement here.

New Report on Climate Change Highlights Efforts in Historic Preservation
A new White House report highlights the damage that climate change can cause to historic properties and neighborhoods, cultural institutions, tribal sites, and other heritage assets. The impacts from climate change “can irrevocably change a community’s sense of place and erode community identity and stability,” according to Opportunities to Enhance the Nation’s Resilience to Climate Change. The report goes on to note the federal government is exploring ways to support communities seeking to relocate in the face of rising sea levels, and that the National Park Service and Federal Emergency Management Agency have published guidance regarding cultural resources and climate change. The report was prepared by the interagency Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, of which the ACHP is a member.

President Obama joins preservationists across the country today in celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Read more here.

ACHP Celebrates 50th Anniversary at Events
Read about how ACHP members and staff have celebrated the 50th anniversary of the NHPA and the founding of the ACHP!

Section 106 and the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: General Information and Guidance
The ACHP adopted a plan to support the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Declaration) on March 1, 2013. In the plan, the ACHP commits to raising awareness about the Declaration in the historic preservation community and incorporating the principles and aspirations of the Declaration into ACHP initiatives and programs. As part of the effort to raise awareness, the ACHP also committed to developing guidance on the intersection of the process under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106) and the Declaration. Read more.

Expand Your Preservation Leadership Skills!
Preservation50 and American Express are excited to announce the launch of ARCUS: a community of support for emerging leaders of the historic preservation movement’s next 50 years. ARCUS is a leadership development program offering easy access, low cost, cutting edge courses, materials, and networking opportunities to individuals who seek to become effective leaders in the cultural heritage and historic preservation movement. This opportunity is for both ambitious individuals at the early stages of their preservation leadership AND current mid- to upper-level leaders who recognize they need to improve certain aspects of their leadership talents to continue to be successful. Read more on how to apply here. 

ACHP Issues Guidance On Using Section 304 of the NHPA to Protect Sensitive Information About Historic Properties
The ACHP has issued a “Frequently Asked Questions” guidance document on protecting sensitive information about historic properties under Section 304 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Federal agency officials, SHPOs, THPOs, Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, and other stakeholders in the Section 106 process often ask ACHP staff how sensitive information about historic properties can be protected from public disclosure. This new guidance, available online here: builds upon the successful Section 304 Webinar the ACHP offers about how Section 304 works to protect such information and thereby prevent harm to historic properties. In developing this guidance, the ACHP coordinated closely with the NPS’ Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places program to ensure these FAQs identify the most commonly asked questions and provide helpful guidance to Section 106 practitioners as well as members of the public regarding what information may be withheld from disclosure, under what circumstances, and for what reasons.

Making Archaeology Public Project offers free videos to students, educators, and more
As part of an effort to increase public awareness of knowledge gained through archaeology carried out as a requirement of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the Making Archaeology Public Project is releasing a series of videos throughout 2016. The videos are free to students, educators, or anyone interested in archaeology to use for non-commercial purposes. The passage of the NHPA in 1966 fundamentally changed American archaeology. The NHPA requires that federal agencies be good stewards of historic places-including archaeological sites-that are under an agency's control. The Act also requires agencies to consider the possible effects of all projects they carry out, fund, or approve on archaeological sites and other historic places. Thus, over the past 50 years, hundreds of thousands of archaeological sites have been found, recorded, and, in many cases, preserved in place. Where sites could not be left in place because of the need for highways, energy, housing, or other modern development, many sites were scientifically excavated and analyzed. The results of these analyses preserve the information and knowledge we have gained for future generations. Archaeology carried out to meet the requirements of the NHPA has created a vast collection of information about life in the past and yields amazing stories about our American experience. The videos on the Making Archaeology Public website were created by volunteer groups of archaeologists across the country in order to share some of these stories. Enjoy!

 

ACHP Member and Staff Contribute to New Volume Honoring 50th Anniversary of NHPA
ACHP Expert Member Lynne Sebastian and Office of Federal Agency Programs Director Reid Nelson have contributed chapters to the recently published volume The National Historic Preservation Act: Past, Present, and Future. As Sebastian writes in her chapter, "How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going?," "it is healthy for participants in any discipline or movement to pause periodically and take stock of where they've been, where they are, and where they ought to go from here." The essay collection indeed provides a retrospective look at the Great Society legislation and offers a look at a way forward for the act. Read more here.

Section 106 E-Newsletters
The ACHP is sending out news related to Section 106 best practices, trends, ACHP staff, courses, and other items of interest. Read the latest edition of Section 106 News here.

Sign up to receive the e-newsletter in your own inbox by emailing your request to owilliams@achp.gov.

PA for Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan Now In Effect
ACHP Chairman Milford Wayne Donaldson, along with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) State Director Jerome E. Perez, and California State Historic Preservation Officer Julianne Polanco signed a Programmatic Agreement for the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan in early February. This agreement marks a significant step forward in the BLM's efforts to incorporate historic preservation values in its planning efforts. Read more.

New Spanish Version Available for Citizen’s Guide
The ACHP is pleased to offer one of our most popular publications—the Citizen’s Guide to Section 106 Review—now in Spanish.  We hope it will be useful for people who are more comfortable reading in Spanish.  Feel free to contact the ACHP via our Spanish email address if you have inquiries: conservacion@achp.gov.

El ACHP se complace en ofrecer una de nuestras publicaciones más populares – la Guía del Ciudadano Sobre la Revisión de Proyectos Conforme a la Sección 106 – ahora en español. Esperamos que sea útil para las personas que les resulta más cómodo leer en español. Si tiene preguntas, no dude en contactar al ACHP, en español, a través de esta dirección de correo electrónico: conservacion@achp.gov.

 

 

The ACHP’s Recommendations on Tribal-Federal Relationships
The ACHP announces its new Recommendations for Improving Tribal-Federal Relationships.

These recommendations were developed in response to issues raised by both Indian tribes and federal agency officials in Section 106 reviews and in two regional summits co-hosted by the ACHP. The purpose is to encourage Section 106 participants to work together outside of individual project reviews to develop meaningful partnerships. The recommendations should be helpful for federal agencies, Indian tribes, State Historic Preservation Officers, and applicants.

The ACHP's Guidance on Preservation Conditions is Now Available!
The ACHP announces its new "Guidance on the Use of Real Property Restrictions or Conditions in the Section 106 Process to Avoid Adverse Effects," now on our Web site. It is best viewed from Google Chrome or Firefox.

Federal agencies transfer real property out of federal ownership in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons. When transferring historic properties out of federal control, they often use preservation conditions to accompany these transfers. Sometimes referred to as covenants or easements, preservation conditions are restrictions and conditions on transfers of federal real property, put in place prior to transfer and written in such a way that they are adequate and legally enforceable to ensure the long-term preservation of a historic property's significance. The guidance seeks to help property managing agencies develop sound conditions to support a no adverse effect finding for Section 106 property transfer undertakings. It should also educate historic preservation stakeholders and the public who are often engaged in the development of such conditions and amendments to them. The concepts in the guidance should be useful for permitting and assistance agencies as well. (Read more.)

New Applicant Guidance for Unified Federal Review for Disaster Recovery
The ACHP, in coordination with the inter-agency Steering Group comprised of the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Council on Environmental Quality, is pleased to announce the release of the Unified Federal Environmental and Historic Preservation Review Guide for Federal Disaster Recovery Assistance Applicants (Applicant Guide). The issuance of this Applicant Guide is an important step in the implementation of the Unified Federal Review (UFR) Process, established in July 2014 through an interagency Memorandum of Understanding. Read more.

ACHP Electronic Section 106 System Now Available to All Federal Agencies
The ACHP is pleased to announce the availability of its voluntary Electronic Section 106 Documentation Submittal System (e106) for use by any federal agency (or officially delegated non-federal entity) when notifying the ACHP of a finding of adverse effect, inviting the ACHP to be a consulting party to resolve adverse effects, or proposing to develop a Programmatic Agreement for complex or multiple undertakings.

The e106 system is designed to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of the Section 106 review process by providing federal agencies with an electronic submittal system that serves to expedite a critical step in Section 106 review and encourage complete and accurate submissions that can be shared with others. Read the announcement regarding the availability of this system; view the format form and instructions.

While federal agencies can continue to send hard copy documentation to the ACHP via regular mail, or electronically as a pdf, all agencies are encouraged to utilize e106 in their submissions to the ACHP.

National Historic Preservation Act Has Moved!
As you may have heard, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) has a new home in the United States Code (U.S. Code), the official compilation of federal statutes. While the NHPA was previously codified at title 16 of the U.S. Code, effective December 19, 2014, it was moved to title 54. Please find the law codifying the NHPA in title 54 here. The provisions of the newly codified NHPA may be found starting at section 300101. Read more.

The ACHP's Guidance on Agreement Documents is Now Available!
The ACHP is pleased to announce the availability of its new "Guidance on Agreement Documents" (GAD) now on our Web site at http://www.achp.gov/agreementdocguidance.html. It is best viewed from Google Chrome or Firefox.

Memoranda of Agreement and Programmatic Agreements play a critical role in documenting a federal agency's commitment to carry out and conclude its responsibilities under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). GAD will assist all consulting parties—federal agencies, states, Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, applicants, local governments, and other stakeholders–to draft clear, concise, and complete Section 106 MOAs and PAs. Use of this guidance can also help minimize disputes regarding agreed upon measures down the line and save time that is better spent seeking creative and innovative ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse effects to historic properties. Read more.

ACHP Showcases Agreement Documents
In hundreds of cases throughout the country, the ACHP participates in consultation on the development of Section 106 agreement documents that evidence federal agency commitments to resolving adverse effects on historic properties that might result from their actions. Read more about these documents and agency transparency.

ACHP Announces Release of Section 106 Applicant Toolkit
Read the ACHP’s press release about the Section 106 Applicant Toolkit. This Toolkit provides helpful tips and advice for applicants navigating the Section 106 process to make better informed decisions to improve outcomes in the review process and avoid unnecessary delays. It includes an overview of the Section 106 requirements and step by step guidance on consulting with states and Indian tribes, engaging stakeholders, and avoiding inadvertent activities that may adversely affect historic properties. Explore the toolkit here.                                                                      

ACHP and CEQ Release Handbook on Coordination of Important Federal Processes
Today, the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the ACHP released a handbook designed to help coordinate required review processes under the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. The handbook stands to significantly improve the coordination of environmental reviews across the government. This handbook provides practical advice to practitioners and stakeholders to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of federal agencies’ environmental review.
Read the press release. 
Read the handbook. 
Read more from CEQ and the ACHP about this important guidance.

ACHP Guidance on Reasonable and Good Faith Efforts
Read the policy issued by ACHP.

Web-based Archaeology Guidance Now Available
Washington, D.C.—The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 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. Read more.

ACHP News Archive

Section 106 Archaeology Guidance
ACHP Guidance on Program Comments as a Program Alternative
Register for the ACHP's Section 106 Course
Heritage Tourism
Economic Issues in Historic Preservation
Preserve America