Trends & Issues

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (SoI Standards) were originally published in 1977 and revised in 1990 as part of the Department of the Interior regulations (36 CFR 67, Historic Preservation Certifications). These standards are in place to guide those undertaking projects on historic structures. The Standards explain, in non-technical language, the general concepts that should be followed when undertaking work on a historic property. They pertain to all historic buildings of all materials, construction types, sizes, and occupancy, and they encompass the exterior and the interior of historic buildings. They also apply to related landscape features and a building’s site and environment, as well as attached, adjacent, or related new construction. The standards provide property owners with general concepts as to how to go about undertaking work on the property while still maintaining its historic integrity. These are also the standards that the State Historic Preservation Division use when evaluating the effect of proposed projects on historic properties. The SoI Standards provide a fairly simple conceptual framework in which one can undertake work on a historic property. The Standards address four different treatments of historic properties: preservation; rehabilitation; restoration; and reconstruction. Preservation places a high premium on the retention of all historic fabric through conservation, maintenance and repair. It reflects a building’s continuum over time, through successive occupancies, and the respectful changes and alterations that are made. Rehabilitation emphasizes the retention and repair of historic materials, but more latitude is provided for replacement because it is assumed the property is more deteriorated prior to work. These are the standards that are most often used by the State Historic Preservation Division when reviewing projects to historic properties. Restoration focuses [...]

The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 was a significant step in providing a means of protecting our Nation’s history. The Act provides for a National Register of Historic Places to include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, and culture that have importance at either the national, state or local level. Additionally, it provided funding for State Historic Preservation Officers and their staffs to conduct surveys and comprehensive preservation planning and established standards for state programs and requires states to establish mechanisms for Certified Local Governments to participate in the National Register nomination and funding programs. Section 106 of the Act is perhaps the section of the law that is referred to most often. It requires that federal agencies having direct or indirect jurisdiction over a proposed federal, federally assisted, or federally licensed undertaking, prior to approval of the expenditure of funds or the issuance of a license, take into account the effect of the undertaking on any district, site, building, structure, or object included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, and afford the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the State Historic Preservation Office, and other interested parties a reasonable opportunity to comment with regard to the undertaking. This means that before work can commence on a project with any federal involvement, the federal agency involved with the project must consult under Section 106 (NHPA). Section 106 does not apply only to projects that take place on federally-owned land. Whether it is a project undertaken on federal land, such as a military base, or one that is on private land but has received funding from a federal agency, such as Department of [...]