The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation will conduct a special training course to familiarize those working on Recovery Act projects with the historic preservation review requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The course also will feature compliance strategies that can streamline the review process. The one-day course will be held at locations in five states from Nov. 3 through Dec. 10, 2009. For more information, link to the Recovery Act Section 106 Training on ACHP’s website. (10-28-09)

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A recent study conducted for the U.S. Cultural and Heritage Tourism Marketing Council and sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation found that 78 percent of domestic leisure travelers participate in cultural and/or heritage activities while travelling, contributing over $192 billion annually to the U.S. economy. The study, which was the first to segment the cultural and heritage traveler market, also found that these travelers prefer their leisure travel to be educational; seek destinations that have retained their historic character; are likely to travel farther in search of such destinations; and frequently spend more on cultural and heritage activities. For more information, link to the NTHP news release. (10-23-09)

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A compilation of new technologies, practices, and other tools for environmental field data collection during the analysis of existing conditions, impacts, and potential mitigation required under the National Environmental Policy Act are provided in a new report produced under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 48). The research sought to develop and maintain an ongoing compendium of environmental fieldwork technologies through an online survey of all state departments of transportation. Detailed follow-up interviews also were conducted with state DOTs that identified themselves as leaders in environmental fieldwork technologies and practices in four disciplines: cultural resources, ecology, water permitting, and noise analysis. Additional surveys of selected consultants of some of the state DOTs were also performed. The report documents results of the surveys for each of the discipline areas and presents conclusions. For more information, link to the Compendium of Environmental Fieldwork Technologies (NCHRP 25-25, Task 48). (10-16-09)

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The National Trust for Historic Preservation will hold the 2009 National Preservation Conference on Oct. 13-17, 2009, in Nashville, Tenn. The conference theme is “Sustaining the Future in Harmony with our Pasts,” highlighting the role of preservation in addressing climate change and fostering sustainable development. The conference will include over 100 education and field sessions, special lectures and events, and visits to local historic sites. Also, new for 2009 the Trust is a provider of U.S. Green Building Council continuing education credits, and the conference will include LEED certification sessions. For more information, link to the 2009 National Preservation Conference website. (9-24-09)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has launched a new section on its website that features information on the Federal Highway Administration’s programs on historic preservation. The webpage includes information on FHWA’s Historic Preservation and Archeology Program, the historical review process for federal-aid highway projects under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, FHWA’s Recovery Act programs, and the ACHP Liaison that serves as the principle point of contact for FHWA program and project review. The webpage also includes links to additional resources on FHWA programs and ACHP preservation partners. For more information, link to the Federal Highway Administration and Historic Preservation. (9-23-09)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has announced the 2010 schedule for its training courses on requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Sessions of the Section 106 Essentials Training Course and the Advanced Section 106 Seminar will be held throughout the year at various locations across the country. For more information, link to the announcement and the Section 106 Training Courses on ACHP’s website. (9-18-09)

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A State-of-the-Practice report addressing issues related to historic bridges has been posted on the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO website. The report was compiled the Historic Bridges Community of Practice (CoP) – one of three CoPs launched by the Center. The Historic Bridges CoP includes bridge engineers and historic preservation professionals from public and private sectors and academia.  The Historic Bridge CoP also has been beta testing an online forum since April 2009. The State-of-the-Practice report provides an overview of issues of concern identified by CoP members participating in the online forum.  A key theme was the value of replacing case-by-case and project-by-project decision-making with a statewide comprehensive historic bridge management program. For more information, link to the Communities of Practice page on the Center website, the Historic Bridges CoP State-of-the Practice Report, and the online forum.  (8-28-09)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has published the August 2009 issue of its Preserve America e-newsletter; featuring updates on First Lady Michelle Obama’s recent designation of 2009 Preserve America Communities and Stewards; an announcement of the upcoming Preserve America Forum scheduled for October 14, 2009, in Nashville; a community spotlight on Santa Paula, Calif.; and other developments. For more information, link to the Preserve America E-Newsletter August 2009. (9-1-09)

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A report published by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) analyzes practices and methods used by state departments of transportation to track and enforce the implementation of community and cultural resource commitments under NEPA, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, or other authorities. The report, dated May 2009 and produced under NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 41, summarizes a survey of cultural resources personnel that found three primary systems for tracking and managing commitments: the Green Sheet process; use of Excel spreadsheets, and electronic database systems. The report also examines three examples of electronic database tracking systems employed by the Kentucky, Virginia, and Washington State transportation agencies and discusses best practices, focusing on the advantages of electronic database systems for DOT project management activities. For more information, link to the Implementation of Community and Cultural Resource Commitments (NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 41) (8-29-09)

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Best practices for considering historic preservation factors during transportation systems planning and early project development are provided in a research report produced by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program. The report, Effective Practices for Considering Historic Preservation in Transportation Planning and Early Project Development (NCHRP 25-25, Task 49), also examines how state departments of transportation effectively engage historic preservation agencies and organizations, and federally recognized tribes, during planning and the initial stages of project development. For more information, link to NCHRP 25-25, Task 49. (8-10-09)

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First Lady Michelle Obama has designated 26 Preserve America Communities, the first under the new administration, bringing to 762 the total number of communities designated under the program since it began in 2003. The program seeks to recognize and designate communities that protect and celebrate their heritage. The first lady also designated two Preserve America Stewards, bringing the total designated to 13. The program honors stewardship programs for exemplary volunteer efforts at historic resources around the country. For more information, link to the news release. (8-4-09)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has published its latest digest of court cases relevant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The digest features cases from several states and the District of Columbia, including a case update on the I-65 to U.S. Highway 31 West Connector Highway in Kentucky and a closed case regarding funding of light rail in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information, link to Summer 2009 Case Digest: Section 106 in Action. (7-28-09)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has issued a report evaluating the effectiveness of the Preserve America Grants program, which provides federal matching grants to states, tribes, and local governments to support preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education, and historic preservation planning. According to ACHP, Congress has appropriated between $5 million and $7.3 million annually since 2006 to fund the grant program; however, in the fiscal year 2009 omnibus appropriations the U.S. House and Senate Committees on Appropriations declined to fund the program pending an evaluation of its effectiveness. In response, ACHP and the National Park Service produced a report offering a preliminary assessment of the Preserve America Grants. The report concludes that the program has been effective in supporting heritage tourism efforts, despite its short history and relatively small federal investment. For more information, link to Preserve America Grants: Assessment of Effectiveness and the NPS Preserve America grants website. (6-24-09)

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The National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Friends of the National Center for Historic Preservation have published a set of principles on sustainability and historic preservation developed by participants at a November 2008 conference in Tarrytown, N.Y. The ‘Pocantico Symposium: Sustainability and Historic Preservation – Making Policy, Nov. 5-7, 2008,’ assembled an interdisciplinary group of preservationists, architects, green building designers, and energy experts to consider the implications of climate change on the future of historic preservation. The resulting Pocantico Proclamation on Sustainability and Historic Preservation underscores the central role that historic preservation must play in efforts to make the built environment more sustainable. It also offers as set of principles for policymakers: foster a culture of reuse; reinvest at a community scale; value heritage; capitalize on the potential of the green economy; and realign historic preservation policies with sustainability. In addition, the proclamation urges specific actions by preservation practitioners to implement sustainable solutions, addressing the roles of advocacy and education, public policy, and technical expertise. For more information, link to Pocantico Proclamation on Sustainability and Historic Preservation. (6-10-09)

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The National Trust for Historic Preservation has released its 2009 list of America’s Most Endangered Historic Places. This year’s list of 11 historic places includes the cast-iron architecture of Galveston, Texas; Memorial Bridge from Portsmouth, N.H. to Kittery, Maine; and Mt. Taylor, near Grants, N.M. For more information, link to the 2009 List. (4-28-09)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has published its latest digest of court cases relevant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The digest describes cases including an ongoing case related to preservation of Indiana's historic bridges. For more information, link to Spring 2009 Case Digest: Section 106 in Action. (4-14-09)

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