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Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Four Cabinet Departments Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Better Protect Indian Sacred Sites
Four cabinet-level departments joined the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) today in signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to improve the protection of Indian sacred sites. Read more.

Important New Tribal Consultation Tool Launched by HUD
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently launched its Tribal Directory Assessment Tool, an online resource for identifying which Indian tribes have an interest in each state or county in the United States. The tool, originally developed for HUD’s grant recipients, is available for all Section 106 practitioners to use at http://egis.hud.gov/tdat/Tribal.aspx. Read more.

Program Comment Expedites Review Process for Nearly 200,000 Bridges Nationally, Saving $78 Million
A process that will streamline historic review requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act for almost 200,000 bridges nationwide saving approximately $78 million has been put in place by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in concert with the Federal Highway Administration and other agencies. Read more about how the ACHP is working to speed federal actions.

ACHP Chairman Participating in White House Conference
ACHP Chairman Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA is honored to be participating in the White House Tribal Nations Conference Dec. 5. He is serving on one of the panels in the breakout sessions, Securing Our Future: Cultural Protection, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

For information about the conference, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/11/29/2012-white-house-tribal-nations-conference

National History Teacher of the Year 2012 Named
Joshua Bill, a history teacher from Waukegan, Illinois was named the National History Teacher of the Year Dec. 4 at a ceremony in New York City. Preserve America is a long-time partner of Gilder Lehrman in administering this prestigious award. Read more.

Preservation as a Movement is Key to National Trust Strategy
Stephanie Meeks, president of the ACHP's long-time partner the National Trust for Historic Preservation, gave a moving plenary speech at the National Preservation Conference in Spokane, Washington, recently. Please click here to read her speech and think about the difference you can make as a historic preservationist.

Chairman’s Award Presented Nov. 15
The Heritage Stewardship Enhancement Program of the Northern Region, U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, received the Chairman’s Award for Achievement in Historic Preservation at the fall business meeting of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation today. Read more about this innovative program.

ACHP Vice Chairman Clement Price Named Trustee to National Trust
At the National Preservation Conference in Spokane, Washington, last week, Clement Price was named a trustee to the National Trust for Historic Preservation for a three-year term. Read more.

The ACHP 2013 Section 106 Training Schedule
From Washington, DC to Honolulu, ACHP staff instructors will visit 10 cities nationwide next year to offer Section 106 training. Join us for interactive courses that feature practical guidance and opportunities to apply what you learn to case-based exercises. The Section 106 Essentials covers the regulatory fundamentals needed to carry out or participate in a federal historic preservation review, while the Advanced Seminar will help experienced practitioners improve consultation and agreement development skills. Register by December 14 and take advantage of the $450 early bird rate for Essentials.

Visit http://www.achp.gov/106select.html for course objectives, logistics, registration and pricing. We invite you to pass this information on to colleagues and associates who would benefit from attending the course. You may contact Cindy Bienvenue at cbienvenue@achp.gov if you have any questions.

General Services Administration, Alabama Historical Commission Among Partners Received Joint ACHP/National Trust Federal Honor Award
The National Trust/Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Award for Federal Partnerships in Historic Preservation was presented Nov. 2, at the National Preservation Conference in Spokane, Washington.

This year’s award honors the partnership that preserved and interpreted the saga of two adjacent buildings iconic to the Civil Rights movement in Montgomery, Alabama. One is a federal courthouse where important civil rights cases were decided, and the other is a Greyhound bus station where in 1961 young Freedom Riders used nonviolent methods to protest segregation.

“The General Services Administration, the Alabama Historical Commission, their partners and concerned citizens did a magnificent job of recognizing the importance of historic properties and their potential to present underappreciated American history to the public in a compelling manner,” said ACHP Chairman Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA. “Their success resulted in making an important chapter of our nation’s history more accessible to current and future generations.”
Learn more about the award.

ACHP Publishes Five New Success Stories
The Section 106 process can breed much success with projects large and small. Consultation is a hallmark of the process. Read the newest Section 106 Success Stories and learn how to nominate a worthy case for a spotlight story.

The success of the Section 106 process depends on the actions and involvement of many, and that is why we need to hear from you. Please send your nominations to 106stories@achp.gov telling us a good outcome of a case in your state and information about the players and the process.

National History Teacher of the Year Finalists Announced
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History has announced its five finalists for the National History Teacher of the Year award, partnering with Preserve America and HISTORY. Read more

Presenters and Attendees Wanted for National Preservation Conference, Spokane, Washington
An affiliate session for Preserve America Communities as well as other historic communities and their partners will be held in Spokane, Washington on October 31, 2012 at the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Annual National Preservation Conference. The conference theme this year is “Beyond Boundaries,” and the emphasis is on preservation’s role in cities, towns, and rural communities. Read More.

ACHP Chairman’s Award Presented
Today at the ACHP’s summer business meeting Chairman Wayne Donaldson awarded the Great Urban Park initiative of New York Harbor the chairman’s award. Read more.

First Lady Designates New Communities and Steward
First Lady Michelle Obama sent letters of recognition to three Newark, New Jersey, entities this week giving them Preserve America honors. Read about the new Communities: James Street Commons Historic District, and the Ironbound community. Read about Branch Brook Park Alliance as the newest Steward.

World Heritage Sites Report Released
The ACHP and partners convened a symposium on U.S. World Heritage Sites at the University of Virginia, itself a World Heritage Site. The unique gathering of public and private sector representatives of the preservation and conservation communities and the tourism industry launched an important and ongoing effort to promote U.S. World Heritage Sites as a component of Administration efforts designed to stimulate international travel to the U.S. Read more, including the illustrated report on the findings.

Department of the Interior Announces Plan for Solar Energy Development in Six Western States
Read more about developments with the Department of the Interior and solar energy.

Native American Traditional Cultural Landscapes and the Section 106 Review Process: Questions and Answers
The ACHP has issued its Q&A for dealing with Traditional Cultural Landscapes and Section 106. Read more. 

ACHP Chairman Contributes to White House Blog
ACHP Chairman Wayne Donaldson wrote an informative piece on the
Traditional Cultural Landscapes Plan and how the President's initiatives
to engage Native Americans are an integral part of historic preservation
decisions.

Read the blog entitled: Native American Traditional Cultural Landscapes Action Plan - Better Decisions for Historic Properties here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/nativeamericans

Historic Preservation Webinars are Back!
The ACHP's series of one-hour, interactive learning experiences about hot topics in Section 106 review resumes on June 28 with a beginner-level course on Defining the Area of Potential Effects. More programs will be added over the summer. For registration details, click here.

National Trust Most Endangered List Highlights Importance of Section 106
Every year the National Trust for Historic Preservation highlights the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, historic properties that the organization wants to bring to public attention out of concern that their existence or historic integrity are threatened. At least five of the places on the 2012 list involve sites where Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act is a key factor in the property’s fate. This is an indication of how important Section 106 is to preservation of the nation’s important historic places. Read more.

Case Digest Now Available
The latest edition of the ACHP's quarterly Case Digest is available now. Read stories about current historic preservation activities across the United States.

Report on Right Sizing Informs ACHP Decision Making
The ACHP's task force to examine and address the issue of "rightsizing" in communities includes various steps cities are taking to respond to shrinking populations in these older urban communities. Historic preservation is not typically included in the analysis of alternatives to stabilize and revitalize these communities and neighborhoods. The task force solicited assistance from PlaceEconomics to prepare a survey and analysis of a representative sample of rightsizing communities. A report, "Historic Preservation and Rightsizing—Current Practices and Resources Survey," was submitted to the ACHP in May 2012. Its findings inform the ACHP' review and potential proposal of policies. Read the report here.

ACHP Submits Status Report
The ACHP recently submitted a status report to the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs regarding its efforts to implement the requirements of Executive Order 13563, “Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review.” Read the report here.

ACHP Business Meeting Offers Awards and Recognition
The ACHP met May 10 for its spring business meeting. Read more about the meeting and the awards presented.

First Lady Designates Five New Communities
First Lady Michelle Obama sent letters of designation to five new Preserve America Communities this week. Read more.  

Register Now for Historic Preservation Training
Join us for interactive courses that feature practical guidance and opportunities to apply what you learn to case-based exercises. The Section 106 Essentials covers the regulatory fundamentals needed to carry out or participate in a federal historic preservation review, while the Advanced Seminar will help experienced practitioners improve consultation and agreement development skills. Our classes usually reach capacity, so get your registrations in for the remaining courses. Click here.

Prototype PA approved for Privatization of Army Lodging
The ACHP has just approved a prototype Programmatic Agreement (PA) for the Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program. The United States Army is currently undergoing a significant privatization effort of lodging facilities throughout the continental United States. This privatization effort has already occurred at 21 installations in two previous phases. The third phase consists of 21 additional installations in 13 states and is the subject of this new prototype PA. Read more.

Potential of Great Lakes Wind Farms Gets Federal Nod
The ACHP has entered into Memorandum of Understanding with nine other Federal Agencies and five Great Lakes states to streamline environmental review of proposed new offshore wind resources. Read more.

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

Section 106 Success Stories
The Section 106 process can breed much success with projects large and small. Consultation is a hallmark of the process. Read about three Section 106 success stories here.

Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation Study Released
A 2011 study commissioned by the ACHP, with funding assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, identifies and analyzes methods for measuring the economic impacts of historic preservation. The report focuses on such economic indicators as jobs and household income, property values, heritage tourism, sustainable development, and downtown revitalization, and recommends ways to improve our understanding of how preservation activity supports economic vitality.
Read the full report here.
Read a brief compilation of related facts and figures here.

Section 3 Report to the President Now Available
The 2012 Report to the President on the federal government's stewardship of its historic properties is now available.Download the report.

NASA's High-Tech Shuttles Get High-Tech Recordation
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is using high technology to make engineering records of the space shuttles. A recent article on the CollectSpace Web site discusses how NASA is documenting the space shuttles to preserve their legacy for future generations as the shuttles are now retired from space flight.

The recordation of the shuttles Discovery, Endeavour, and Atlantis, retired in 2011, was part of the mitigation package set out in a Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement among NASA, the ACHP, and the State Historic Preservation Officers of Alabama, California, Florida, and Texas, where NASA's primary space shuttle facilities are located. You can follow the recordation at NASA's Web site http://www.nasa.gov/agency/crm/shuttle/

Preserve America E-Newsletter Available
Read the latest e-newsletter with stories of new designations and activities Preserve America Communities can host for heritage tourism, and much more.

New AIA/CES and AICP/CM continuing education opportunity
Planners and architects can now fulfill their continuing education requirements in part by attending ACHP Section 106 training. The ACHP’s Section 106 Essentials course has been approved to offer 12 CM credits to American Institute of Certified Planners members and 12 LUs for members of the American Institute of Architects. For more information or to register, visit the Section 106 Essentials page.

ACHP Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan Now Available
In accordance with Executive Order 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance,” the ACHP has developed a Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. It addresses how the ACHP will enhance its energy efficiency and help promote historic preservation as a sustainability tool.     

Citizen’s Guide to Section 106 New Edition Now Available
The ACHP is proud to announce it has updated and reissued Protecting Historic Properties: A Citizen’s Guide to Section 106. The Citizen’s Guide is a useful tool for learning how to protect historic places in your community.

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