The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will meet this week for a hearing on the National Historic Preservation Act.
The law, which was enacted in 1966, aims to preserve historic and archaeological sites in the U.S.
Specifically, the committee will examine the review process provisions contained in Section 106 of the law. Those provisions require agencies to identify and assess impacts federally funded projects may have on historic properties. According to the General Services Administration, the statute requires that “each federal agency must consider public views and concerns about historic preservation issues when making final project decisions.”
It’s unclear why the committee is meeting on the preservation law at this moment. But the statute is part of the permitting process, including for energy projects, as both parties continue to discuss permitting overhaul. ENR Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) has been involved in those discussions.
