WASHIINGTON, D.C. – Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chair Sara C. Bronin today announced the addition of eight two-year term employees to add to the ACHP’s capacity to participate in policy and process improvements in the critically important area of infrastructure permitting.
The funding for the positions comes from the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council’s (Permitting Council) Environmental Review Improvement Fund (ERIF). The Permitting Council was created through Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015 and is charged with oversight of a process to improve the timeliness, predictability, transparency, and accountability of federal project reviews and permitting for certain “covered” infrastructure projects, known as FAST-41. The ACHP is among 13 federal agency Permitting Council members.
The ERIF supports implementation of the requirements of FAST-41. The Permitting Council executive director can make investments from the ERIF that will improve and enhance the federal environmental review and authorization process.
The Permitting Council’s first round of approved ERIF funding will go to 12 federal agencies, including the ACHP. This money will provide agencies with the staff capacity and resources they need to effectively and efficiently complete necessary environmental reviews and approvals on critical infrastructure projects that will grow the economy and support the nation’s transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
The new ACHP employees will work in the Offices of Federal Agency Programs, Policy and Legislative Affairs, Tribal and Indigenous Peoples, General Counsel, and Information Technology to augment the ACHP’s capacity to help agencies carrying out National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 reviews for FAST-41 projects. They also will contribute more broadly to improving environmental review, specifically in terms of Section 106, for the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects.
“Thanks to the Permitting Council, these eight new positions will bolster staff capacity across the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and will facilitate Section 106-focused permitting improvements and our direct involvement in priority project reviews,” Chair Bronin said. “This unprecedented expansion to our capacity will position us better to assist our partners, including State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, Tribes, and our fellow federal agencies.”
In addition, the eight positions will strengthen the ACHP’s engagement with the Permitting Council and help the agency contribute expertise to interagency coordination and policy alignment questions.
The ACHP hopes to recruit and bring on new staff for these positions as soon as possible.