Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

WASHINGTON, DC — Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) Chairman Aimee Jorjani today announced the issuance of a Program Comment that provides the Department of the Army with an alternate way to comply with its responsibilities under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). This Program Comment specifically addresses the Army’s inventory of housing, associated buildings and structures, and landscape features constructed on Army installations nationwide during the Inter-War period from 1919-1940.

The Program Comment went into effect on September 4, 2020, after ACHP members voted in favor of its issuance.

The ACHP has provided requested comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission following its recent termination of consultation regarding the Pearl Hill Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project in Douglas County, Washington State. In a letter to FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee, the ACHP recommended FERC deny approval of the project due to its unavoidable adverse

The ACHP is considering a request from the Department of the Army to issue a Program Comment for management actions related to its inventory of Inter-War Era historic housing, constructed between 1919 and 1940. The public review period is now open for the proposed Program Comment for the Army. Those interested in commenting on the proposed Program Comment may do so by emailing their comments so they are received by the ACHP on or before Monday, August 17, 2020. 

ACHP Chairman Aimee Jorjani says new IRS COVID-19 taxpayer relief will help historic preservation projects throughout the country. Today, the IRS extended the deadline by almost a year for satisfying the substantial rehabilitation test for claiming the Historic Tax Credit for rehabilitation of historic income-producing properties. 

The preservation community had advocated for IRS to take action, and Jorjani in June wrote to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnunchin asking for a one-year extension, saying many historic preservation projects would be unable to meet the previous deadline due to curtailment or stoppage of work due to COVID-19.

On July 8, 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) terminated consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), 54 USC 306108, regarding the Shell Energy North America (US) (Shell) Hydro Battery Pearl Hill Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project (Pearl Hill), FERC Project No. 14795-002, in Douglas County, Washington. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is required to issue comments to the head of the federal agency within 45 days of a termination. In order to assist us in preparing these comments, the ACHP is requesting stakeholder and public comment on the effects of the project on historic properties.