Implementing Subpart B of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act 43 CFR § 7.33 Determination of Loss or Absence of Archaeological Interest
BLM California
2800 Cottage Way Suite W1623
Sacramento, CA 95825
United States
This Instruction Memorandum (IM) establishes direction for implementing 43 CFR § 7.33 under Subpart B (Section 7.33) of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) and HQ-IM 2022-034 in coordination with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). The intent of this policy is to facilitate and streamline processes for making determinations of archaeological interest and, where requested, to allow relocation of material remains that have been discharged from management as a result of those determinations.
The ARPA regulations at 43 CFR 7.33 establish a multi-step evaluation and public notification process for an agency’s determination that archaeological resources lack or have lost archaeological interest and are therefore no longer “archaeological resources’ under ARPA. HQ-IM 2022-034 clarifies roles for BLM managers and staff implementing those regulations. To address requests to relocate material remains during post-review project activities, BLM CA managers will ensure that archaeological investigations carried out in accordance with Section 106 of NHPA also incorporate the requirements and/or criteria outlined in ARPA Section 7.33. When applicable, implementation of this policy should also coincide with environmental planning carried out under NEPA, which will document all Section 7.33 coordination, determinations, and public notices for discharging material remains from management. The intent of this policy is to ensure that any archaeological investigations made to address NHPA and NEPA requirements are designed to address the requirements of Section 7.33 as well. Early consultation with Tribes, consulting parties, and stakeholders prior to undertaking archaeological investigations will help field offices determine whether there is an interest in the relocation of material remains. Where there is an interest in relocation, this policy directs that archaeological evaluations conducted on BLM-managed lands under Section 106 of NHPA will incorporate the requirements identified in Section 7.33(c)(1), which states:
A professional archaeological evaluation of material remains and similar materials within the area under consideration shall be completed, consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation (48 FR 44716, Sept. 29, 1983) and with 36 CFR parts 60, 63, and 65.
Material remains that have been determined not eligible under NHPA and no longer of archaeological interest under ARPA may be discharged from management, per MS 8110.42F – Identifying and Evaluating Cultural Resources (Attachment 1) and will not be collected for long-term curation without the approval of the Deputy Preservation Officer. Additionally, discharged material remains may, at the discretion of the District or Field Manager, be removed and relocated out of the area of direct project effects following the process outlined in the applicable planning document. Relocation processes will include specific measures to ensure that the removal and relocation of discharged material remains will avoid impacts to other natural, cultural, and environmental resources.
Decisions on or options for relocation of material remains should be considered during Section 106 consultation and NEPA processes for both review and post-review periods associated with these mandates. Discharged material remains will remain federal property and are not subject to casual collection or collection without authorization of the BLM jurisdictional authority. Detailed information regarding National Register eligibility determinations is considered confidential and will only be shared with consulting parties or through data sharing agreements or other data access methods for Tribes. Relocation or removal of discharged material remains without formal approval of BLM California is strictly forbidden and those found in violation of this requirement may be prosecuted under federal law. Material remains that have not undergone formal evaluation for inclusion in the National Register shall remain protected under ARPA.
This policy excludes human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony subject to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
General Actions and Guidelines
Where an interest to relocate non-eligible material remains has been expressed and agreed to by BLM, BLM managers will adhere to the following general policy actions and guidelines:
I. Coordination and Planning During the NEPA and Section 106 Review Process – District and Field Managers will coordinate with Tribes, consulting parties, and stakeholders during the initial NEPA and Section 106 review to determine whether there is interest in relocating non-eligible discharged material remains. Where there is interest, BLM will work with interested parties to develop project-specific treatment procedures for the removal and relocation of discharged material remains. Such treatment procedures will be detailed in the applicable Historic Properties Management-Treatment Plans (HPMPs-HPTPs), and Monitoring Discovery Plans (MDPs), and may also be included in related National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) actions and mitigations.
II. Determining Loss or Absence of Archaeological Interest Under Subpart B – In accordance with IM 2022-034 Federal Land Manager and Staff Roles in Determining Loss or Absence of Archaeological Interest Under Subpart B of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act Regulations (Attachment 2), the Deputy Preservation Officer will review the archaeological evaluations under Section 7.33 in consultation with the BLM Federal Preservation Officer and prepare recommendations to the State Director or Deputy State Director for determinations of loss or absence of archaeological interest. BLM California cultural resource managers will ensure that archeological investigations completed as part of compliance activities will be designed to meet the requirements of ARPA Section 7.33 as well as other applicable laws and regulations. Archaeological reports making or recommending National Register eligibility determinations including HPMPs-HPTPs, MDPs, and associated compliance documents will include specific language referencing archaeological determinations per 43 CFR 7.33.
III. Public Notice of Determination of Loss or Absence of Archaeological Interest – As per IM 2022-034, the BLM California State Director will make public notice of determinations of loss or absence of archaeological interest, “including any permitting requirements of activities associated with the materials determined not to be archaeological resources,” (43 CFR 7.33) for determinations that have been made under Section 7.33.
IV. Coordination and Planning During the Post-Review Process – Where coordination procedures have not been identified in early project planning and, or the Section106 review process and NEPA analyses and mitigations, Field Offices will coordinate with Tribes and stakeholders to develop treatment procedures for removal and relocation of discharged material remains to be included in MDPs or equivalent planning documents.
V. Documentation and Disposition of relocated Discharged Material Remains – Removal and relocation of discharged material remains also need to be fully documented, and the location of relocated material remains will be updated within the GIS database. Field Offices should consider redundant storage of records to ensure long-term records management of relocated items. Decisions regarding the relocation and disposition of discharged material remains are made solely at the discretion of the BLM.
VI. Establish Implementation Guidance – The Deputy Preservation Officer will continue to work with State, District, and Field Office Managers to develop appropriate methods to implement this policy and may further develop additional guidance documents, templates, or FAQs. District and Field Managers will coordinate with the Deputy Preservation Officer when implementing this policy. The Deputy Preservation Officer will advise the State Director and coordinate with the BLM Federal Preservation Officer on initiating the formal procedures for public notification in accordance with 43 CFR § 7.33.
This policy is effective immediately.
The budget impact is minimal. This work is supported by funding distributed through the sub-activities implementing the Section 106 process.
Both NHPA and ARPA aim to protect and preserve cultural resources in the United States. The two laws intersect in several ways but have different purposes and scopes.
Section 106 of NHPA specifically requires federal agencies to consider the effects of their actions (undertakings) on historic properties, which include archaeological resources. On the other hand, ARPA aims to protect archaeological resources on federal and Indian lands from unauthorized collection. The Department of the Interior Supplemental Regulations – 43 CFR Part 7 Subpart B §7.33 of ARPA – specifically addresses the procedures for determining that material remains are not or no longer of archaeological interest and the process for discharging them from management. As identified in MS 8110.42F and IM 2022-034, such determinations under 43 CFR 7.33 should be consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Archaeology and Historic Preservation and 36 CFR Part 60, 63, and 65, which are the implementing regulations for the NHPA, covering the National Register of Historic Places, Determinations of Eligibility for Inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, and the National Historic Landmarks Program, respectively (see reference in Attachment 3). However, there is no clear statutory process for coordinating determinations, which has resulted in contradictory interpretations of how each statute is applied together. To partially resolve this, BLM HQ released IM 2022-034 to clarify the BLM staff roles for implementing Section 7.33 and establish the State Directors’ responsibility for making determinations of loss or absence of archaeological interest for material remains under their jurisdiction.
This policy conforms with IM 2022-034 and further clarifies BLM California’s process for implementing Section 7.33 in cases where consulting parties and, or NEPA stakeholders express interest in relocating material remains that BLM has determined are not eligible for listing in the National Register under the Section 106 of the NHPA. The BLM California State Office (CASO) developed this IM in response to requests for the BLM to approve the relocation of non-NAGPRA and non-eligible archaeological remains on BLM lands for the purpose of avoiding destruction of those remains from BLM-authorized construction activities without having to curate those items in museum collections. Requests were based on the applicability of provisions under ARPA Subpart B: Department of the Interior Supplemental Regulations (43 C.F.R. §7.31-37), with specific reference to §7.33: Determination of loss or absence of archaeological interest. This subsection of ARPA outlines the process and authority for the BLM to determine that certain material remains are not or are no longer of archaeological interest, and therefore are not considered archaeological resources requiring further treatment or collection in accordance with federal curation requirements under 36 CFR 79.
These requests prompted extensive discussion within the CASO to determine how to comply with this request under ARPA Subpart B §7.33. The initial review of the ARPA Subpart B process raised challenging questions about the interpretation and implementation of §7.33. Given the rarity with which this provision had been invoked, BLM performed an additional examination of ARPA requirements under 43 CFR Part §7.33 to outline an appropriate process for the treatment of non-NAGPRA/non-ARPA-eligible material remains that would meet the intent of the stakeholders’ request while minimizing any undue management burden on the applicants and the BLM.
Based on extensive discussions, this policy was developed to coordinate required reviews under NHPA and NEPA with the review that would be required to release material remains from management under ARPA where appropriate.
More detailed background and answers to frequently asked questions will be contained within the ARPA Subpart B Guidance Document referenced in Section II.
None
For additional information, please contact George Herbst, State Archaeologist-Deputy Preservation Officer, at (808) 282-2563, or via E-mail at gherbst@blm.gov.
With BLM Headquarters 420; the DOI Department Consulting Archaeologist, with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Pacific Southwest Region; Office of Law Enforcement and Security, Bureau of Land Management Region 1; with BLM California District and Field Offices; BLM Arizona Deputy Preservation Officer; and within CA-930 and State Archaeology Staff.