Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

The National Park Service (NPS) preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. NPS cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

A bureau within the U.S. Department of the Interior, NPS manages 423 park units covering more than 85 million acres in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. A network of NPS staff, volunteers, and partners work together to manage and protect America's national parks. NPS has jurisdiction over 7,561 historic properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), including National Historic Landmarks (NHLs), and hundreds more historic properties which are eligible for listing on the NRHP.

In 2020, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and NPS entered into a partnership in order to improve preservation planning. Various policy solutions, including program alternatives to tailor the Section 106 review process (36 CFR Part 800), are being considered. The partnership provides for two full-time staff members in the ACHP's Office of Federal Agency Programs (OFAP).

Kirsten Kulis is the ACHP's point of contact for policy solutions for deferred maintenance and climate resilience within national parks, while Raina Regan supports development of program alternatives and project review for NPS's external granting programs, such as through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

Related Sites and Documents

• NPS Section 106 Compliance Program Site

• NPS Nationwide Programmatic Agreement (2008)

• NPS Historic Preservation Fund

• NPS Land and Water Conservation Fund

Related News

A Report on Historic Outleasing as a Preservation Stewardship Solution at the National Park Service was developed as part of the inter-agency agreement in early 2024, in furtherance of the recommendations in ACHP's Leveraging Federal Historic Buildings Final Report (2021). The purpose of the 2024 report is to facilitate greater use of historic outleasing at the NPS (e.g., via their Business Services Directorate and 54 U.S.C. § 102101 "Part 18" and Section 111), especially of small-to-mid-sized under- and unutilized historic buildings often built for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes within NPS park boundaries. The ACHP produced an executive summary of the report that spring.

Nationwide Program Alternatives in Development

NPS is proposing to develop a Nationwide Programmatic Agreement that creates an efficient and consistent Section 106 process for its cultural resources financial assistance undertakings. For more information about the proposal, including how to attend consultation meetings or submit comments, visit the dedicated Planning, Environment & Public Comment (PEPC) site.

NPS is also developing an agency request for a Program Comment for certain undertakings focused on NPS facilities built between 1945 and 1972, referred to as the Mission 66-era. The purpose of the Program Comment is to facilitate the reuse and preservation of historic facilities from this era by allowing park superintendents to determine them as eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and by expediting undertaking reviews. For more information including how to attend consultation meetings or submit comments, visit the dedicated PEPC site.

In addition, NPS is looking to improve how the Section 106 review process is carried out for the LWCF State and Local Assistance Programs. The LWCF Program currently provides federal assistance for planning, acquisition, and development of locally owned and managed outdoor recreation lands. NPS has been evaluating its current policy and is requesting initial feedback on its current and future Section 106 process, along with seeking feedback on its development of a Section 106 program alternative (36 CFR § 800.14) for these undertakings. For more information including how to attend consultation meetings or submit comments, visit the dedicated PEPC site.

Contact Information

ACHP Liaison (Grants Policy and Cases): Raina Regan (202-517-0202 or rregan@achp.gov)

ACHP Program Analyst (Parks Cases): Christopher Wilson (202-517-0229 or cwilson@achp.gov) 

ACHP Liaison (Parks Policy): Kirsten Kulis (202-517-0217 or kkulis@achp.gov)

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