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ACHP's Archeology Task Force

About the Archeology Task Force (ATF)
ATF Activities Update (December 23, 2005)
Schedule

The comment period for the document titled, Working Principles for revising the ACHP's "Policy Statement Regarding Treatment of Human Remains and Grave Good," closed on December 2, 2005.

About the Archeology Task Force

Among the many national historic preservation issues that fall within the purview of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) are those involving the extraordinary diversity of the nation’s archeological heritage.

The identification, analysis, preservation, and treatment of archeological resources has always been a mainstay of the review process established by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).  Indeed, some of the ACHP’s most noteworthy achievements over the years have been in dealing with archeological properties threatened by Federal undertakings.

Furthermore, under the requirements of NHPA and a host of other Federal laws and executive orders, the Federal Government is charged with the stewardship of archeological resources under its ownership or control.

Following the August 2003 appointment of Julia King as the first archeologist to be a member of the ACHP, Chairman John L. Nau, III established an Archeology Task Force (ATF) to identify those issues that should receive priority consideration and action by the ACHP. 

The ATF is composed of the following ACHP members:

• Julia King, ATF chair and ACHP expert member
  
  
• Gerald Peter Jemison, ACHP Native American member
  
  
• Secretary of Agriculture
  
  
• Secretary of Defense
  
  
• Secretary of the Interior
  
  
• Secretary of Transportation
  
  
• National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO)

ATF observers include:

• ACHP’s Native American Advisory Group
  
  
• National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO)

To identify priority issues, the ATF sought input from all Federally recognized Indian tribes, professional archeological organizations, Federal Preservation Officers, State Historic Preservation Officers, and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers. 

In addition to this outreach, the ATF discussed possible priority issues at the annual meetings of NATHPO, the United Southern and Eastern Tribes, the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, the Society for American Archaeology (SAA), the Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA), the American Cultural Resources Association (ACRA).

This outreach has identified three key areas where the ATF will focus its efforts:

1. Develop new guidance for archeology conducted under Section 106;
2. Revisit the ACHP’s 1988 “Policy Statement Regarding Treatment of Human Remains and Grave Goods,” and
3. Identify strategies to better capitalize on the rich potential of archeological resources for heritage tourism and public education.

ATF Activities Update
December 23, 2005

 On November 11, 2005, the Chair provided an update on the activities of the ATF during the plenary session of the ACRA annual meeting.  Her presentation emphasized ATF efforts to reconsider the ACHP’s human remains policy, to develop badly needed guidance for archeology conducted under Section 106, and to explore the role of archeology in heritage tourism and education.   

Human remains policy:  To guide reconsideration of the 1988 ACHP policy, the ATF developed six working principles that were published as “Notice of Intent to Reconsider the Advisory Council’s ‘Policy Statement Regarding Treatment of Human Remains and Grave Goods’” in the Federal Register on Thursday, September 1, 2005 (see link below).

Notice of Intent to Reconsider the Advisory Council’s
“Policy Statement Regarding Treatment of Human Remains and
Grave Goods”  (in PDF)

Copies of comments received
in response to the Notice of Intent to Reconsider the Advisory Council’s
“Policy Statement Regarding Treatment of Human Remains and
Grave Goods”  (in PDF)

The comment period on these principles was scheduled to close on November 4, 2005.  However, at the written request of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and others, the ACHP extended the comment period to December 2, 2005. 

The ATF has received 76 comments from Federal and State agencies, Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations, professional and other organizations and the public.  Although these comments represent a wide range of opinions, all offer well considered, thoughtful and helpful observations and recommendations.

Based on its preliminary review of these comments, the ATF has decided to proceed with revision of the 1988 policy.  At its January 2006 meeting, the ATF will use the comments it has received to begin developing the first draft of a revised human remains policy. Drafting of this first revision of the human remains policy tentatively is expected to be complete by March 2006.

This first draft revision will be subject to further review and comment by Federal agencies, Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian Organizations, State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, professional archeological organizations and other interested parties during Spring 2006. Following this consultation and outreach, the Task Force may present a revised policy statement to the full ACHP membership for adoption.

Guidance on archeology in Section 106 review:  At the request of its Chair, the ATF prioritized the seven topics identified for guidance development.  Work already has begun on the top four priorities, which are:  

1. Making Section 106 consultation more effective;
2. What constitutes a “Reasonable and Good-Faith Effort” to identify historic properties;
3. Applying the National Register criteria to archaeological properties in the Section 106 process; and
4. Opportunities for creative approaches to resolving adverse effects to archeological sites. 

In order to complete this effort, committees composed of ATF representatives and their respective archeological staff have been assigned to each topic. These committees are identifying pertinent questions and issues, and making recommendations that ACHP staff may use to guide development of each of the four topics.  Because they share related issues, the topics must be developed concurrently. Accordingly, none of the final guidance documents is expected to be complete before September 30, 2006.

New Participants

Because of the recent increase in ATF work, Kay Simpson has been selected as the second representative of SAA, SHA, ACRA and the Register of Professional Archaeologists to serve as a resource to the ATF. Martin E. Sullivan, representing the American Association of Museums, also has been selected to serve as a resource to the ATF.

Schedule

• December 2, 2005:  Close of comment period on the document titled, Working Principles for revising the ACHP’s “Policy Statement Regarding Treatment of Human Remains and Grave Goods” that was published in the Federal Register on September 1, 2005.
  
  
• January 11-15 2006:  Presentation to the executive board at the SHA annual meeting
  
  
• March 2006:  First draft of revised human remains policy available (Tentative)
  
  
• March 12-15, 2006: Presentation at NCSHPO annual meeting
  
  
• April 26-30:  Presentation at SAA annual meeting
  
  
• Spring 2006:  Regional government-to-government consultation meetings to be conducted with Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations on the first draft revision of the human remains policy.  (Specific meeting dates to be announced)

Posted December 29, 2005

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