Historic Preservation

Congress has passed a sweeping group of protection and preservation laws that represent the importance the American people attach to safeguarding and maintaining the places that reflect our Nation's rich heritage.

More than any other law, the National Historic Preservation Act captures the American people's expectations of Federal agencies when it comes to preserving significant historic places. Among its provisions--

The Act instructs Federal agencies to join in partnership with the States, local governments, Indian tribes, and private organizations and individuals--

. to find ways for modern society and prehistoric and historic resources to exist in harmony;

. to act as steward for Federal prehistoric and historic resources, so they will inspire present and future generations;

. to contribute to preserving non-Federal prehistoric and historic resources; and

. to assist State and local governments, Indian tribes and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to expand their own historic preservation programs and activities.

PRESERVATION PARTNERSHIPS

The BLM's State Offices and Field Offices throughout the West have entered into many such partnerships. Nationally, the BLM's main partnerships are with--

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (Council) and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO)

In 1997, the BLM's Director, the Council's Chairman, and the NCSHPO's President signed a national Programmatic Agreement (PA) explicitly framed "to emphasize the common goal of planning for and managing historic properties under the BLM's jurisdiction or control in the public interest." The national Programmatic Agreement (Section 5. b.) calls for cooperation and enhanced communication among SHPOs and BLM States as well as "a protocol specifying how they will operate and interact under this agreement." In the spirit of such cooperation and communication each BLM State's protocol may be found here. BLM States Alaska Arizona California Colorado Eastern SO Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico Oregon Utah Wyoming

To implement the PA, BLM's Director established a Preservation Board to advise the Director, Assistant Directors, State Directors, and field-office managers in developing and executing BLM's policies and procedures for historic properties. Authority, responsibilities, and operating procedures for the Preservation Board are specified in the BLM Manual, the PA, and the Board's Charter.

The Preservation Board is chaired by the BLM's Preservation Officer and includes Deputy Preservation Officers from each State Office. The field organization is represented by four line managers (i.e., officials authorized to make land-use decisions), and two field office specialists fill out the Board, bringing the day-to-day, operational staff perspective.

The Preservation Board reviews issues and recommends to the Director and State Directors about policies and procedures, bureauwide program consistency, training, certification of field offices, monitoring of field offices' historic preservation programs, and responses to public inquiries. The Board holds meetings in June and December each year.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has entered into an agreement with BLM to share their expertise in carrying the preservation message to the public. In the current fiscal year, we will work together to prepare a preservation guide to help answer such basic questions as--

. Why is this place considered a cultural resource?

. What makes it important?

. Who cares about its protection?

. What threatens its long-term preservation?

. What can I do about it?

OTHER COOPERATIVE RELATIONS

The BLM's newest colleagues in preservation are the individual Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and their national organization, the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers.

In addition, the BLM cooperates with national associations whose members care about cultural resource management and historic preservation, such as the Society for American Archaeology, the Society for Historical Archaeology, the Federal Preservation Forum, the American Cultural Resources Association; and especially with other Federal agencies such as the USDA Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Federal Highways Administration, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.