The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has adopted a policy statement on Archaeology, Heritage Tourism, and Education. The policy statement and its accompanying guidance set out the benefits of using archaeological sites for educational purposes while considering their management and sustainability needs, including resource protection considerations, public access, current and long-term threats, and maintenance requirements. For more information, link to the press release and the policy statement/guidance. (8-15-08)

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The National Historic Trails program was presented with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s Chairman’s Award for Federal Achievement in Historic Preservation at a council meeting at Union Station, Missouri. The award recognized the program’s 40 years of achievements in heritage tourism and history education. The National Historic Trails are part of the National Trails System, created by Congress in 1968 as a national network of scenic, historic, and recreation trails. The award was presented jointly to the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, which administer the 18 National Historic Trails designated by Congress to date. For more information, link to the press release (8-15-08)

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The Advisory Council for Historic Preservation has announced that several of its 2008 Section 106 Essentials training courses remain available for registration. The two‑day course, which is designed for those who are new to Section 106 review or those who want a refresher on its basic operation, explains the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which applies any time a federal, federally assisted, or federally approved activity might affect a property listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Five dates are still open from June through October 2008 at various locations throughout the country. For more information, link to Section 106 Essentials Training Courses on the ACHP website. (6-2-08)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the Department of the Interior have selected 10 experts and stakeholders in the field of historic preservation to serve on an independent review panel that will evaluate the current program structure of the federal historic preservation program and make recommendations on improvements. The panelists met on May 8, 2008, in Washington, D.C., and will report their findings in the fall. For more information, link to the ACHP news release. (5-6-08)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s April 2008 Preserve America e-newsletter includes updates on an event honoring several Pennsylvania Preserve America communities, the 2008 Preserve America grant announcement, a new Section 106 course offering, and other developments. For more information, link to Preserve America E-Newsletter April 2008. (5-1-08)

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s March 2007 Preserve America e-newsletter provides updates, including highlights of the president’s fiscal 2008 budget proposal, new Preserve America communities designated in January by First Lady Laura Bush, and other developments. For more information, link to Preserve America E-Newsletter March 2007.

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Three new members of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation received the oath of office for four-year terms from U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters on Nov. 8, 2006. The new members are Missouri Gov. Matthew Blunt, who represents the nation’s governors on the ACHP, and citizen members Rhonda Bentz and D. Franklin Arey. For additional information, link to the ACHP announcement.

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation announced on May 31 that the Preserve America Summit will be held in Oct. 2006.  For more information, access the Preserve America Summit fact sheet.

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President Bush announced April 5 his intention to appoint five members to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The appointments include: Missouri Governor Matt Blunt; Fresno, California Mayor Alan Autry, and Mr. D. Franklin Arey, III, of Morrilton, Ark. The president also announced the reappointment of John L. Nau, III, of Houston, Texas, to serve a second term as chairman of the ACHP. In addition, Susan S. Barnes, of Aurora, Illinois, a historic preservation expert member of the ACHP, has been named vice chairman. Access the ACHP website.

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On March 14, 2006, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation published in the Federal Register a draft policy statement regarding the treatment of burial sites, human remains, and funerary objects and invited comment.  This policy statement represents a revamping of the ACHP’s 1988 “Policy Statement Regarding the Treatment of Human Remains and Grave Goods.”   The draft policy would establish several principles in dealing with burial sites: burials should not be knowingly disturbed unless absolutely necessary, and full consideration must be given to avoidance and preservation in place; human remains and funerary objects should be treated with dignity and respect; federal agencies are responsible for early and meaningful Section 106 consultation; federal agencies must consult on a government to government basis with Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations that ascribe religious and cultural significance to burial sites, human remains, and funerary objects; when burials must be disinterred, they should be removed in a respectful, careful manner, the details of which are established through consultation; federal agencies are responsible for making decisions about avoidance or treatment of burials, and must comply with applicable laws; after meaningful consultation, federal agencies should develop treatment plans for burials found in discovery; and in cases where no federal, state, tribal, or local law determines the disposition of burials, the federal agency should acknowledge first the rights of lineal descendants and then those of Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, and other descendant communities. Access the text of the Federal Register notice.

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s Archeology Task Force issued an update on its recent activities in a report posted on March 27. Activities include the recently proposed Policy Statement Regarding Treatment of Burial Sites, Human Remains and Funerary Objects; development of guidance on archeology in Section 106 review; promoting archeology in heritage tourism and public education; and outreach activities. For more information, link to ACHP’s Archeology Task Force.

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has posted on its Web site descriptions of the provisions of SAFETEA-LU that affect historic preservation issues. ACHP provides an overview of the following provisions: a de minimis exemption and requirements for a 'prudent and feasible' standard under Section 4(f); the Interstate Highway exemption; provisions regarding a nationwide programmatic agreement on intelligent transportation systems; provisions calling for more involvement of resource agencies in planning; and provisions on delegation of authority to states. Access the ACHP SAFETEA-LU run-down.

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation announces that the Bureau of Land Management is the winner of the ACHP award for federal achievement in historic preservation.  ACHP also announces Preserve America communities and the 2005 Preserve America Presidential Awards. Get more information on the announcements.

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News from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's Web site

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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation exempted the Interstate Highway System from Section 106 regulatory review for impacts to historic resources in a notice issued in the March 10 Federal Register. ACHP says the exemption “would release all Federal agencies from the Section 106 requirement of having to consider the effects of their undertakings on the Interstate System, except for a limited number of individual elements associated with the system.”  View the exemption notice.

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