
What does the NHPA do for You?
The NHPA also created the ACHP, the first and only federal agency created solely to address historic preservation issues. The NHPA established a framework to foster a new ethic through all levels and agencies of the federal government.
What is the National Historic Preservation Act of 1965?
There had been earlier measures to foster preservation—the Antiquities Act of 1906 and the Historic Sites Act of 1935—but none were as sweeping or as influential as the National Historic Preservation Act. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson convened a special committee on historic preservation.
How has the NHPA changed over time?
The NHPA has been amended and expanded a number of times since its original passage. In 2014, Public Law 13-287 moved the Act’s provisions from title 16 of the United States Code to title 54, with minimal and non-substantive changes to the text of the Act and a re-ordering of some of its provisions.
What is Section 110 of the New Hampshire historical preservation act?
Section 110 calls on all federal agencies to establish preservation programs and designate Federal Preservation Officers to coordinate their historic preservation activities. The NHPA has been amended and expanded a number of times since its original passage.

What does NHPA stand for?
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966Acronyms (colloquial)NHPAEnacted bythe 89th United States CongressEffectiveOctober 15, 1966CitationsPublic law89-6658 more rows
Why was the NHPA created?
The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, which has been amended several times, was passed to acknowledge the importance of protecting our nation's heritage from federal development.
When did NHPA enter law?
October 15, 1966The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on October 15, 1966. The slip law was PL 89-665 and the session law was 80 Stat. 915.
What is an undertaking NHPA?
Definition of an “undertaking”: “…a project, activity, or program funded in whole or in part under the direct or indirect jurisdiction of a federal agency, including those… carried out with federal financial assistance…” BROWNFIELD ACTIVITY = UNDERTAKING. Note: No federal dollars, no NHPA.
What triggers a Section 106 review?
Section 106 is triggered when a federal agency determines that it has a type of undertaking that has the potential to affect historic properties.
What is a section 106 review?
What is Section 106 Review? Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) requires Federal agencies to take into account the effects of their undertakings on historic properties, and give the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) a reasonable opportunity to comment.
How do I cite the National Historic Preservation Act?
However, rather than citing to the U.S. Code, when referring to the findings one may cite to: “Section 1 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Pub. L. No. 89-665, as amended by Pub.
What is the first step in the Section 106 process?
Four Steps in the Regular Section 106 Review ProcessStep 1: Establish the Undertaking and Initiate Section 106 Process: Applicant's Role. ... Step 2: Identify Historic Properties: Applicant's Role. ... Step 3: Assess Effects: Applicant's Role. ... Step 4: Resolve Adverse Effects: Applicant's Role.
What is the area of potential effect?
As per 36 CFR 800.16(d), the area of potential effects (APE) is defined as “. . .the geographic area or areas within which an undertaking may directly or indirectly cause alterations in the character or use of historic properties, if any such properties exist.
What did the Historic Sites Act of 1935 do?
The Historic Sites Act declared "a national policy to preserve for public use historic sites, buildings, and objects of national significance for the inspiration and benefit of the people of the United States." It authorized the Secretary of the Interior to obtain information, survey, conduct research, maintain, and ...
In what ways was the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 a key legislative action for the United States?
The act established permanent institutions and created a clearly defined process for historic preservation in the United States. Historic structures that would be affected by federal projects—or by work that was federally funded—now had to be documented to standards issued by the Secretary of the Interior.
How do I cite the National Historic Preservation Act?
However, rather than citing to the U.S. Code, when referring to the findings one may cite to: “Section 1 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Pub. L. No. 89-665, as amended by Pub.
What is the NHPA?
An Act to establish a program for the preservation of additional historic properties throughout the Nation, and for other purposes. Acronyms (colloquial) NHPA. Enacted by. the 89th United States Congress. Effective. October 15, 1966. Citations. Public law.
What is the National Historic Preservation Act?
300101 et seq.) is legislation intended to preserve historic and archaeological sites in the United States of America. The act created the National Register of Historic Places, the list of National Historic Landmarks, and the State Historic Preservation Offices .
What is the most important preservation act in the United States?
Senate Bill 3035, the National Historic Preservation Act, was signed into law on October 15, 1966, and is the most far-reaching preservation legislation ever enacted in the United States. Several amendments have been made since.
What was the first agency to regulate and manage public space, including the National Monuments?
In 1916, the Department of the Interior established a new entity known as the National Park Service , the nation's first agency to regulate and manage public space, including the national monuments. "Over the past fifty years the NPS has acquired more than 26,000,000 acres (110,000 km 2) of land, including not only the great chain of parks preserved for their natural beauty and value, but an extraordinary variety of historic buildings, monuments, and sites."
What act was passed in 1906 to protect the nation's history and land?
President Teddy Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act that "prohibited the excavation of antiquities from public lands without a permit from the Secretary of Interior." It also gave the president authority to declare a specific piece of land a national monument, therefore protecting it from scavengers and proclaiming national identity.
Where did archaeologists work before the National Historic Preservation Act?
Prior to the passage and subsequent enforcement (through litigation) of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and other laws, most archaeologists, historians, and other historic preservation specialists were employed primarily in the field of academia, working at universities or other places of higher learning.
When was the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act?
National Historic Preservation Act 50th Anniversary, C-SPAN, 53:41, November 6, 2015. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 into law which established the Interstate Highway System, providing an easy and efficient way for troops to depart if under attack. Due to this new construction, many historic ...
Who is responsible for complying with the NHPA?
In some cases, Federal agencies responsible for complying with the NHPA have hired archeologists, creating their own professional staffs to meet these requirements. In other cases, Federal agencies have contracted with consulting firms or with universities to undertake studies necessary to meet their requirements.
When was the National Historic Preservation Act passed?
The National Historic Preservation Act (Public Law 89-665 and amendments thereto; 16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.) was enacted in 1966. It has had major amendments, primarily additions to expand the effect of the law or to clarify its implementation, in 1980 and 1992. The law contains a strong policy statement supporting historic preservation activities ...
What is historic preservation?
First, historic preservation, including public archeology and archeological preservation, is an activity that occurs at all levels of government, Federal, State, and local, and that also involves private organizations and individuals. It is not the provence of a single national government agency or national museum.
How many members are on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation?
Title II of the statute establishes the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, an independent Federal agency composed of 20 members, including the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture and four other departments. Also on the Council are elected officials and citizens appointed by the President. The Council and its staff play an important role in the national historic preservation program, especially in the day-to-day implementation of Section 106, but also in providing programmatic advice to Federal agencies and training in historic preservation methods, techniques, and procedures.
What is the National Register of Historic Places?
Title I of the statute established the National Register of Historic Places as a national listing of "historic properties", that is, districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The statutory language and the regulations and procedures ...
What is the purpose of the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training?
In so doing, Congress recognized "...the complexity of technical problems encountered in preserving historic properties and the lack of adequate distribution of technical information to preserve such properties (Section 401)." The Center was established to "...coordinate and promote research [in historic preservation], distribute information, and provide training about preservation skills and technologies... (Section 401)."
What is the NHPA?
The NHPA established a partnership between the federal government and state, tribal, and local governments that is supported by federal funding for preservation activities.
When was the National Historic Preservation Act passed?
National Historic Preservation Act. October 15, 1966. With passage of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in 1966, the federal government embarked on a new era of leadership in the preservation of our nation’s historic properties.
What was the first federal agency to address historic preservation issues?
The NHPA also created the ACHP , the first and only federal agency created solely to address historic preservation issues. The NHPA established a framework to foster a new ethic through all levels and agencies of the federal government.
What is 106 NHPA?
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) requires federal agencies to consider the effects on historic properties of projects they carry out, assist, fund, permit, license, or approve throughout the country.
Does Section 106 apply to historic properties?
Yes. Section 106 applies. The process begins when a federal or federally-assisted project has the potential to affect historic properties, if any are present.

Overview
The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA; Public Law 89-665; 54 U.S.C. 300101 et seq.) is legislation intended to preserve historic and archaeological sites in the United States of America. The act created the National Register of Historic Places, the list of National Historic Landmarks, and the State Historic Preservation Offices.
Early development
Prior to the 1960s, "historic preservation was," according to a 2015 column in The Washington Post, "neither a public policy issue nor part of America's architectural, planning and real estate development culture. Historic-preservation laws didn't exist." Although there was no national policy regarding preservation until 1966, efforts in the 19th century initiated the journey towards legislation. One of the earliest efforts of the preservation movement occurred around the 1850s…
Post WWII and urban renewal
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 into law which established the Interstate Highway System, providing an easy and efficient way for troops to depart if under attack. Due to this new construction, many historic properties were destroyed. In the 1960s, President John F. Kennedy launched the Urban Renewal Program. Hoping the plan would rejuvenate the cities, it in fact increased the destruction in the downtown areas. The incre…
National Historic Preservation Act
The National Historic Preservation Act was signed into law by Lyndon B. Johnson on October 15, 1966. This act established several institutions: Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, State Historic Preservation Office, National Register of Historic Places, and the Section 106 review process. The Section 106 Process is further explained and defined in 36 CFR Part 800.
Meeting four times a year, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation consists of 23 member…
Section 106 review process
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act mandates federal agencies undergo a review process for all federally funded and permitted projects that will impact sites listed on, or eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places. Specifically it requires the federal agency to "take into account" the effect a project may have on historic properties. It allows interested parties an opportunity to comment on the potential impact projects may have on signi…
Motives
Early preservation efforts were driven by patriotism and a desire to protect the new establishment of the nation by wealthy, private individuals. Early efforts focused primarily on individual structures as opposed to areas such as a neighborhood in a city or a rural landscape. The preserved structures were often turned into museums to create a showcase and generate tourism. The focus of preservation eventually shifted from patriotism to the aesthetics of a struc…
Effects
The National Historic Preservation Act has led to major changes in the employment trends in historic preservation fields. Archaeologists, historians, historic architects, and others have been employed in vast numbers in the field of cultural resource management. Cultural resource management is an umbrella term which encompasses archaeology, historic preservation and other disciplines when employed for the purposes of compliance with NHPA and other federal a…
See also
• Tribal Historic Preservation Officer