The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has published its latest digest of court cases relevant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Fall 2007 Case Digest: Section 106 in Action. (4-30-07)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has submitted to the White House a report detailing the council’s findings and recommendations for the future of federal historic preservation efforts based on the Preserve America Summit held in October 2006. The 11 recommendations endorsed by the council include creating a comprehensive inventory of historic properties, promoting cultural diversity in identifying historic properties, addressing disaster response and security needs, conserving cultural collections, promoting innovative technologies, and developing consistent methods for measuring impacts. The recommendations also include providing additional technical assistance to local communities, enhancing heritage education, engaging youth in historic preservation, improving U.S. participation in international preservation efforts, and exploring improvements in the structure of the federal preservation program. For more information, link to Preserve America Summit Executive Summary and the Full Report. (9-18-07)

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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. Summer 2007 Case Digest: Section 106 in Action. (8-14-07)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has launched a new website designed to help the tribal community and the public locate tribal environmental information through a single, web-based source. The new website consolidates tribal environmental information from EPA programs such as enforcement, waste, underground storage tanks, and water. For more information, link to EPA’s American Indian Tribal Portal website. (7-26-07)

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The first round of 2007 Preserve America Grants were announced at a July 12 ceremony on Capitol Hill. First Lady Mrs. Laura Bush announced 43 grants totaling almost $2.6 million for projects in 25 states; a second round of 2007 grants totaling $2.4 million will be announced in early fall. The first lady also recognized 20 new Preserve America Communities, bringing the national total to 501, and announced the proposed “Preserve America and Save America’s Treasures Act.” For more information, link to the Preserve America website. (7-12-07)

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A new checklist to assist in development of programmatic agreements for highway project impacts under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act has been developed by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the Federal Highway Administration. The checklist includes information on laying the groundwork for a programmatic agreement, preparation of the preamble and the stipulations, and other considerations. For more information, link to the ACHP Checklist for FHWA Statewide Programmatic Agreements. (6/22/07)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has developed an Internet-based archeology guidance to assist federal agencies and stakeholders with the review process under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The guidance is presented in an interactive, “question and answer” format that addresses issues encountered during Section 106 review, including initiation of the consultation process, identification and evaluation of historic properties, and determining appropriate mitigation. For more information, link to Section 106 Archeology Guidance. (6-22-07)

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The Federal Highway Administration and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation will hold an advanced training seminar on June 29, 2007, in Asheville, N.C., on effective management of the review process under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The course is intended for FHWA and state DOT environmental and cultural personnel who are experienced practitioners of the Section 106 review process. For more information, link to the Advanced Section 106 Seminar. (6-14-07)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has posted its latest digest of court cases relevant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Spring 2007: Protecting Historic Properties: Section 106 in Action. (4-30-07)

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NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 19 (March 2007) presents findings on a survey of current historic bridge rehabilitation or replacement decisions by state and local transportation agencies, and provides nationally applicable guidelines for managing historic bridges. The guidelines are intended to be used in making determinations on rehabilitation of historic bridges versus replacement based on engineering judgments and consideration of environmental issues. To access the report, link to Guidelines for Historic Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement.

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation approved a revised policy statement Feb. 23, 2007, on treatment of burial sites, human remains, and related objects. The policy statement, which replaces the agency’s 1988 Policy Statement Regarding the Treatment of Human Remains and Grave Goods, “offers leadership in resolving how to treat burial sites, human remains, and funerary objects in a respectful and sensitive manner,” the agency said in a release.  The new policy is designed to guide federal agencies in making decisions about these sites and objects encountered during reviews under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, “in those instances where federal or state law does not prescribe a course of action.” For more information, access the Policy Statement Regarding Treatment of Burial Sites, Human Remains, and Funerary Objects.

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Advice on conducting historic preservation reviews for transportation projects is provided in a new Practitioner's Handbook issued by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. The handbook provides recommendations to help state DOTs comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. For more information, link to  Practitioner's Handbook No. 6, Consulting Under Section 106 the National Historic Preservation Act. 

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