To the Members of the Association for Washington Archaeology:
Today, July 24, 2026, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) plans to vote on its proposed severe revisions of the Section 106 process of the National Historic Preservation Act. While Section 106 does have room to be improved, the ACHP’s draft regulations upend the system relied on for decades for ensuring significant public history is considered before federal projects proceed.
The rule changes stunningly reduce the accountability of federal agencies, which would no longer be required to communicate their actions publicly, to engage in government-to-government consultation with States or Tribes, or gather and respond to public comment from individuals, communities, and other concerned stakeholders. All these become optional and discretionary.
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) came to be because of the dedicated efforts of communities tired of having the unique character of their neighborhoods, their cultural places, or their heritage destroyed so the next interstate or urban renewal project could proceed. The ACHP’s duties, distinct among federal agencies, are to advance historic preservation and public engagement across the nation, not sideline these in favor of quick development projects and financial gain.
The grassroots power of communities that led to the NHPA in the 1960s has led to the professional networks, private and public sector relationships, interfaith and intercultural connections, and tapestry of historic preservation that we know today. Together our voices can be strong.
You may be asking yourself, what can I do to help?
Call To Action!
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Volunteer as AWA’s Government Affairs Network Representation (GANSR) to follow legislative and policy issues and alert our community [position is currently vacant]
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Join the AWA’s Legislative Action Committee to help define strategy and focus [we need dedicated volunteers to revive this important committee]
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Find your Congressional representatives and senators, and voice your concerns immediately
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Start drafting your public comment letter now, following this 8-point guide from Cultural Heritage Partners
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There will be a 30-day public comment period for these proposed rule changes, where you can put into the public record what matters about Section 106, why any number of these revisions may be a misstep, and what a better path forward could be instead. We will alert you when this period opens.
Additional Resources and Information:
Scoping for Public Comment: A public comment period for the proposed changes to Section 106 is expected, but has not opened yet. Once it does, comments can be submitted through Regulations.gov using the appropriate docket or RIN number.
https://www.regulations.gov/
War Room for Threats to Section 106: This resource page from the Cultural Heritage Partners provides updates, analysis, and advocacy information regarding proposed changes to Section 106 regulations. It includes summaries of concerns about potential impacts to consultation, Tribal and public participation, and the federal historic preservation review process, along with related resources and action alerts.
The “Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP)’s Proposed Rewrite of the Section 106 Regulations” video briefing for preservation allies on what’s proposed, what it would mean, and how we respond together is included in the link below.
https://culturalheritagepartners.com/war-room-for-threats-to-section-106/
Save Section 106: A tool that helps visitors compose letters/emails to send representatives.
https://section106.org/
Section 106 Is Under Threat: What You Need to Know: This article from the National Trust for Historic Preservation explains the proposed changes to Section 106 regulations, highlights key provisions that would weaken protections for historic and cultural resources, and provides updates on advocacy efforts and ways to stay informed.
https://savingplaces.org/stories/section-106-under-threat
The End of Section 106 as We Know It?: This article from the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers summarizes the proposed revisions to Section 106 regulations and argues that they would fundamentally shift the process from collaborative consultation to agency-led decision-making, reducing the role of SHPOs, THPOs, Tribes, local governments, and the public. It also outlines several of the proposal's major changes and their potential implications…
https://ncshpo.org/2026/07/20/the-end-of-section-106-as-we-know-it/
