Army Historic Preservation and Cultural Resources Management

Strategic Agenda for National Historic Preservation Act Improvement.  The Strategic Agenda is the Army’s strategy to improve its compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).  The strategy designates Army NHPA leadership roles and responsibilities, and assigns necessary authorities for implementation; enhances leadership oversight and engagement in critical NHPA and historic preservation related issues; mandates the pursuit of programmatic Army-wide NHPA compliance solutions with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation for Army historic properties; and ensures effective Army-wide NHPA compliance through increased awareness and knowledge among Army Commanders.  The Army Federal Preservation Officer is designated as the Army lead for strategy implementation.

Designation of the Department of the Army Federal Preservation Officer. This policy memorandum designates the Department of the Army Federal Preservation Officer (FPO) and authorizes the Army FPO to act as agency official, consult on behalf of the Department of the Army, and sign Department of the Army NHPA correspondence and NHPA Program Alternatives for purposes of compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA and 36 CFR 800.  The Army FPO is authorized to establish Army historic preservation policy and take other necessary actions regarding the Department of the Army’s historic preservation program and compliance with the NHPA.  The Army FPO is also the Department of the Army signature authority for National Register of Historic Places listing nominations, requests for determinations of National Register eligibility from the Keeper of the National Register, and for comments on National Historic Landmark proposals.

Army Directive 2020-10 Use of Imitative Substitute Building Materials in Historic Housing. Army Directive (AD) 2020-10 establishes Army policy requiring the consideration of imitative substitute building materials in the maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and renovation of Army-owned and privatized historic housing.  AD 2020-10 requires NHPA Section 106 Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) and Programmatic Agreements (PAs) pertaining to historic housing provide for the use of imitative substitute building materials in Army-owned and privatized historic housing to the maximum extent possible.

Adverse Effect and Termination of Consultation Under the National Historic Preservation Act. This policy memorandum defines the requirement in Section 106 of the NHPA and its implementing regulation, 36 CFR 800, for adverse effect determinations and termination of consultation, and it establishes Army procedures and responsibilities for adverse effect determinations and termination of consultation.

Priority and Procedures for Listing Army Historic Properties in the National Register of Historic Places. This policy memorandum defines the requirements and establishes Army priority and procedures for listing properties in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).  The enclosure to this memorandum reviews the 2016 NHPA statutory amendments regarding listing properties in the NRHP, and provides an analysis and rationale for the Army’s NRHP listing prioritization.

Management of Army National Historic Landmarks.  This policy memorandum defines responsibilities for the designation, treatment, and standard of care for Army National Historic Landmarks.  It clarifies the responsibilities of the National Park Service regarding NHL identification and designation, provides information on the use of imitative substitute building materials in NHL housing; establishes Army procedures for NHLs actions, and provides a list of the Army’s designated NHLs. 

Cost/Benefit Analysis Methodology for Building Materials Used in Historic Army Housing. This memorandum from the Army Federal Preservation Officer provides a cost/benefit analysis methodology for the three categories of building materials used in historic Army housing. The cost/benefit analysis methodology is designed to support a determination of the appropriate building materials to use in projects that maintain and improve historic Army housing. The methodology is applicable to all historic Army housing, including pre-1919 housing, and is provided for Army Command and installation–level implementation in the context of their National Historic Preservation Act compliance activities.

National Historic Preservation Act Compliance for Deferred Maintenance on Historic Army Buildings. The memorandum National Historic Preservation Act Compliance for Deferred Maintenance on Historic Army Buildings provides NHPA compliance policy direction to Army installations and commands to proactively address deferred maintenance issues on historic Army buildings.  The memorandum also provides relevant supplemental information pertaining to Army case law on deferred maintenance and the effect of Section 110 of the NHPA on Army activities.

Coordination of National Historic Preservation Act Compliance Agreements.  NHPA compliance agreements have significant policy, program, and funding implications for the Army. The memorandum Coordination of National Historic Preservation Act Compliance Agreements provides specific policy and procedures to meet the Army Regulation (AR) 200-1 directed coordination of all National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) compliance agreements.  The term NHPA compliance agreement means all NHPA Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs), Programmatic Agreements (PAs), and Historic Property Component Plans (HPCs), and all amendments and revisions to such agreements and plans. NHPA compliance agreements are developed in accordance with the procedures in 36 CFR 800 or the Army Alternate Procedures (69 FR 20576). NHPA compliance agreements that have not obtained final endorsement from HQDA are not authorized for signature.