Like other federal agencies, the ACHP has special roles and responsibilities governing its relationship with Tribal and Indigenous Peoples. This policy statement outlines ACHP policy regarding its role, responsibilities, and relationships with individual Indian Tribes deriving from the Constitution, treaties, statutes, executive orders, regulations, and court decisions. It specifically ensures the ACHP’s compliance with and recognition of its Tribal consultation responsibilities under certain authorities.

The ACHP recognizes the government-to-government relationship between the United States and federally recognized Indian Tribes and acknowledges Indian Tribes as sovereign nations with inherent powers of self-governance. This policy pertains to Indian tribes as defined in the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966: Indian tribe means an Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including a Native village, Regional Corporation or Village Corporation, as those terms are defined in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602), which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians (16 U.S.C. 470w).

Download the full policy here.