This program comment provides the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with an alternative way to comply with its responsibilities under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, 54 U.S.C. 306108, and its implementing regulations, 36 CFR part 800 (Section 106), with regard to the effects of wayside poles and associated infrastructure installed by the nation's freight and passenger railroads to deploy Positive Train Control (PTC) systems on historic properties.

Executive Summary The National Historic Preservation Act directs the Federal Government to administer federally owned, administered, and controlled historic resources in a spirit of stewardship. Executive Order 13287, issued in 2003 as part of the Administration’s Preserve America initiative, reaffirms this mandate. Section 4(e) of the order requires that the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation make recommendations to the President and Federal agencies on further stimulating initiative, creativity, and efficiency in the Federal stewardship of historic properties.

A set of FAQs on federal agency coordination where an undertaking subject to review in accordance with Section 106 involves more than one federal agency.

A key responsibility of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is to administer the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), a review process that ensures historic properties are considered during the development of any federal project. The ACHP’s Office of Federal Agency Programs (OFAP) coordinates this responsibility.

On March 25, 2004, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation approved technical and administrative amendments to the Army Alternate Procedures. Those Army Alternate Procedures set forth a process that Army installations can follow in order to meet their historic preservation review responsibilities under the National Historic Preservation Act. The main purposes of the amendments are to conform the Alternate Procedures to the Army’s internal reorganization, and clarify its exemption regarding designated surface danger zones. 

In 2013, the ACHP issued a report, Measuring Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation. Commissioned by the ACHP, with funding assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, the report identifies and analyzes methods for measuring the economic impacts of historic preservation.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has posted updated guidelines for federal agencies about how to report on their progress in identifying, protecting, and using historic properties in their ownership or control, consistent with the requirements of Section 3 of Executive Order 13287 (EO). The next report to the President on federal historic property stewardship will be issued by February 15, 2021.

Memorandum of Agreement among the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the Virginia State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) regarding the construction of a United States District Courthouse (District Courthouse) on a block bounded by Broad, Grace, Seventh, and Eighth Streets in the City of Richmond, VA