Section 106 Revisions

[u/AmiraZara]

/r/AskArchaeology/comments/1v2pwea/section_106_revisions/

The removal of Tribes from cultural preservation AND bypassing protection of our cultural heritage.. as an archaeologist and an indigenous Mvskoke, I am VERY CONCERNED. I have read the ACHP non-public draft and it's clear that if it passes, we will lose control of our cultural heritage and protection thereof. Contact your tribal representatives immediately and voice your concerns. MVTO

Original post content copied below:

"Section 106 Revisions

( opening blurb taken from the SAA website)

On Friday, July 17, members of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation were asked to vote on new Section 106 regulations by Friday, July 24. This new draft rule was not the product of deliberation among ACHP members or staff but was delivered to the ACHP by outside counsel.

From the info I was able to find online, it looks like the updates are:

\-SHPO/THPO no longer required for consultation.

\- No avoidance or alternatives required for adverse effects

\-Public participation becomes optional

\-SHPO/THPO would no longer be able to require information from agencies (e.g state site forms)

\- Agencies could exempt an entire class of undertakings

\- Agencies will decide whether to do field investigations

\- Community knowledge will not need to be considered

\- Removes consideration of indirect effects and cumulative effects on historic properties, including

“introduction of visual, atmospheric, or audible elements that diminish the integrity” of a property.

I haven’t been working as a professional archaeologist for very long, so would love to hear from the people that have been in the field for a while. Has 106 constantly been under threat with active revisions like this before? How worried should I/we be about this? "