CHAPTER 2 Identifying Historic Properties
2024 Report Themes In the Section 3 Report Advisory Guidelines distributed to federal agencies in preparation of their Progress Reports, the ACHP solicited responses to questions that linked to four major cross-cutting themes. The following themes, related to current ACHP initiatives and Administration priorities, will be highlighted across the next three chapters, following the “Preserve America” Executive Order’s requirement to consider identification (Chapter 2), protection (Chapter 3), and use (Chapter 4) of historic properties: CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change is one of the most pressing forces affecting the condition and long-term preservation of historic buildings and structures. Historic properties, too, have a role to play in addressing the climate crisis, in that their rehabilitation can help mitigate climate impacts, especially as compared to new construction. The ACHP and other federal agencies are working to help ensure the federal government addresses historic properties as they create and implement sustainability and climate resilience policies and programs. INFRASTRUCTURE Developing strategies to carry out efficient and predictable federal environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects assisted by federal agencies or requiring federal permits, licenses, or other approvals is crucial to advancing critical infrastructure projects. With the passage of several infrastructure bills over the last three years, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) (also referred to as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act [IIJA]); the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; and the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act of 2022, the ACHP and other federal agencies are prioritizing technical assistance to states and Tribes, efficiencies in permitting processes, and training. JOB CREATION There is a nationwide shortage of skilled candidates entering the fields of historic preservation and cultural resources management, particularly where needed to support the national historic preservation program. The ACHP and other federal agencies are working to address these challenges through partnerships and programming with institutions of higher learning, Tribes, universities, nonprofit organizations, and State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs). EQUITY Equity in historic preservation means acknowledging and valuing the historical experiences and cultural contributions of all communities, including those that have been historically underrepresented or marginalized. It involves recognizing that historic preservation is not just about preserving buildings or places but also about preserving the stories and experiences of the people who have lived in and interacted with those buildings and places. The ACHP and other federal agencies are working to enhance preservation outcomes in areas populated by disadvantaged and underserved communities, as well as communities with environmental justice concerns, and to improve outreach to and access by members of these communities.
THE FOUNDATION of federal historic property management depends on accurate, up-to-date inventories of historic properties in federal ownership. While the passage of time and transfers of property into and out of federal hands means that identification is never truly complete, federal agencies continue to prioritize their efforts to attain a complete picture of the historic properties they own or manage. The identification of historic properties poses challenges to federal agencies, but it also presents opportunities to identify properties that may be at greater risk to the effects of climate change, including places that are inclusive of the diversity of the American experience, and to form partnerships to provide educational and avocational experience to students and volunteers. Increased federal investment in digital infrastructure is an important aspect of meeting this challenge. For this report, the ACHP asked agencies to share their progress in the identification of historic properties in their inventories, to discuss any changes to their identification methods, and describe new policies or programs that promoted awareness and identification of historic properties over the reporting period. Additional questions prompted agencies to describe how they have considered equity, access, and the involvement of underserved communities in their federal stewardship activities; whether they have implemented any policies that promote equity and diversity in the identification process; and how agency policies, procedures, and capabilities have increased opportunities for partnership initiatives involving collaboration with nonfederal entities and marginalized communities.
A diver explores the wreck of the Gallinipper within the newly designated Wisconsin’s Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. The schooner, built in 1833, is the oldest known shipreck in Wisconsin’s waters. (Becky Schott, Liquid Productions)
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IN A SPIRIT OF STEWARDSHIP: A Report on Federal Historic Properties • 2024 | 19
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