View the full Business Meeting Recording
Members of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) met at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, to conduct formal business.
ACHP Vice Chairman Travis Voyles briefly reviewed recent Council activities, including the conclusion of the Section 106 review for the proposed Triumphal Arch Project in Washington, DC, and Virginia, and the execution of the Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for Routine Transmission Line Operations and Maintenance Undertakings, which creates a tailored Section 106 process for projects on existing infrastructure. He mentioned that Executive Director Reid Nelson represented the ACHP on September 22, 2026, at the National Preservation Awards ceremony in Washington, DC, where National Trust for Historic Preservation President and CEO Brent Leggs presented the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in San Antonio, Texas, with the joint National Trust/Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Award for Federal Partnerships in Historic Preservation. He also directed Mr. Nelson to move ahead with scheduling ACHP committee meetings prior to the next Business Meeting.
In his Executive Director report, Mr. Nelson told Members the ACHP is funded through December 11, 2026, at the current level and the ACHP submitted a budget estimate to the Office of Management and Budget consistent with funding levels from the last two fiscal years with a special request for additional funding to upgrade the agency’s IT infrastructure. He noted an IT staff member was recently brought on board, and a new interagency agreement with the Permitting Council extended the service of two staff members, the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) Liaison, and the Assistant Training Specialist. He also said ACHP staff attended several conferences, including the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO) and the American Cultural Resources Association, in an effort to engage with stakeholders. In addition, he said ACHP staff is currently developing housing guidance.
Next, Members approved the final proposed rescissions of the ACHP’s outdated and obsolete regulations implementing the Historic Preservation Requirements of the Urban Development Action Grant Program and the National Environmental Policy Act.
Jaime Loichinger, Director of the Office of Federal Agency Programs, then addressed Members on ACHP-issued Program Alternatives. She suggested Members consider amending the Exemption for Indigenous Knowledge-Informed Activities by Native Hawaiian Organizations (Exemption) to remove the requirements of annual meetings and annual reports, instead allowing agencies that utilize the Exemption to share feedback with the ACHP on an as-needed basis. Vice Chairman Voyles asked that the Regulations and Governance Committee work on developing language for an amendment that would then be voted on by the full membership. Ms. Loichinger also reported on the status of the Program Comment on Certain Housing, Building and Transportation Undertakings (PC). She said, in light of Executive Order 14394, which directs the ACHP to develop guidance to maximally exempt housing construction and infrastructure that facilitates housing construction, ACHP staff developed suggestions for Members to consider to both improve the PC’s implementation and usage, and to meet the Executive Order’s directive. Vice Chairman Voyles said he would work with ACHP staff to facilitate discussion through the Regulations and Governance Committee and come back to the full membership with recommendations.
Next, Ms. Loichinger updated Members on the status of the Section 3 report on Federal Historic Property Management, due to the President on February 16, 2027. She said ACHP staff is currently drafting the document after receiving reports from 10 federal agencies. Ms. Loichinger was directed to send the findings and recommendations for the report to the Members for review. Vice Chairman Voyles said Members would have an opportunity to review and comment on the full draft report in late December or early January.
Vice Chairman Voyles told Members the ACHP’s first Annual Performance Report, covering Fiscal Year 2026, is due in February 2027. He turned to ACHP Legislative and Policy Officer Blythe Semmer, who said the has ACHP focused on core Section 106 work, maintaining outreach efforts and external programs such as trainings and internships, and has been responsive to legislative and policy matters. She said ACHP staff is still studying how the agency has deployed technology and how systems are developing internal efficiencies. Mr. Nelson welcomed feedback from Members on how to better quantify the ACHP’s work, both Section 106 and non-Section 106 related.
Next, Vice Chairman Voyles reported on the status of the ACHP’s proposed Section 106 rule revision, saying the federal agency review process through the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is ongoing and has resulted in a number of comments that will be considered when revising the draft rule. He will keep Members updated and alert them to next steps, which will include the proposal coming back before the Council for discussion and another vote before publication of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register. ACHP General Counsel Kelly Fanizzo noted that anyone can request a meeting with OIRA or submit written comments.
The final discussion of the meeting centered on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (the bill). Vice Chairman Voyles said the bill has implications on historic preservation reviews and noted the White House has issued a Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) in favor of the legislation. Dr. Semmer then reviewed key points of the bill that impact historic preservation and Section 106, as well as a quick overview of a recent amendment to the bill. Vice Chairman Voyles said that, if passed, the bill would have a significant impact on the ACHP’s own regulatory review process. Mr. Nelson said while ACHP staff saw the proposed SAP, they did not comment on it. He also clarified that staff were not contacted by Congress on development of the bill. He also reminded Members that they could take a formal position on the preservation implications of the bill, something that has been done on past legislation. Several Members expressed their opposition to the bill. Vice Chairman Voyles said he will assess how ACHP staff can provide Members with updates and provide Congress with details of the bill’s impact. He said if members of Congress reach out to ACHP staff, they are prepared to provide technical assistance on the bill.
In conclusion, Vice Chairman Voyles advised Members they would soon hear from Mr. Nelson to consider a range of dates for the next ACHP Business Meeting, and the meeting was adjourned.