Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is an independent federal agency with the primary mission to encourage historic preservation in the government and across the nation.

The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), which established the ACHP in 1966, directs federal agencies to act as responsible stewards when their actions affect historic properties. The ACHP is given the legal responsibility to assist federal agencies in their efforts and to ensure they consider preservation during project planning.

The ACHP serves as the federal policy advisor to the President and Congress; recommends administrative and legislative improvements for protecting the nation’s diverse heritage; and reviews federal programs and policies to promote effectiveness, coordination, and consistency with national preservation policies. A key ACHP function is overseeing the federal historic preservation review process established by Section 106 of the NHPA. Section 106 requires federal agencies to consider the effects of projects, carried out by them or subject to their assistance or approval, on historic properties and provide the ACHP an opportunity to comment on these projects prior to a final decision on them.