WASHINGTON, D.C. – Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) Chair Sara Bronin today announced she has appointed the Executive Director of the Permitting Council, Eric Beightel, as an ACHP Observer.
“The ACHP works closely with the Permitting Council to ensure the federal historic preservation review process effectively and efficiently assesses project impacts while still protecting historic properties,” Chair Bronin said. “The ACHP welcomes deeper engagement and partnership with the Permitting Council through Executive Director Beightel.”
The ACHP, an independent federal agency, consists of 24 statutorily designated members from federal agencies, preservation organizations, Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian Organizations, state government, experts, and the general public. The ACHP chair may appoint Observers to bring additional insight and expertise to the ACHP.
“I'm grateful for the opportunity to engage with Chair Bronin and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to bring the perspective of the Permitting Council to discussions about how to effectively and efficiently consider the potential effects on our nation’s historic and cultural resources,” Beightel said. “The work of the ACHP is critical to ensuring that our much-needed infrastructure is developed in a way that is respectful of our past while positioning us for the future. Chair Bronin is an important member of the Permitting Council, and I look forward to joining the conversation with the ACHP.”
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. In 2023, the ACHP received funding from the Permitting Council’s Environmental Review Improvement Fund for 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. In addition, in 2024, the ACHP received funding from the Permitting Council to develop data infrastructure to improve federal agency access to information about properties subject to the federal historic preservation review process.
The four other Observers on the ACHP are the leaders of the ACHP Foundation, National Preservation Partners Network, National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, and Preserve America Youth Summit. Observers may actively participate in certain activities of the membership, but may not make or second any motion and may not vote.