State Historic Preservation Officers' Association (SHPO)

State Historic Preservation Officers' Association (SHPO)
Name	State Historic Preservation Officers' Association
Abbreviation	SHPO
Formation	1970s
Purpose	Historic preservation coordination
Region	United States
Membership	State and territorial historic preservation offices

Contents

State Historic Preservation Officers' Association (SHPO) The State Historic Preservation Officers' Association (SHPO) is a U.S.-based collective of state and territorial preservation agencies that coordinates implementation of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and advises federal entities such as the National Park Service and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. It serves as a nexus among preservation practitioners from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, and state-level counterparts like the California Office of Historic Preservation and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. SHPOs routinely interact with agencies including the Federal Highway Administration, the Department of Defense, and the Environmental Protection Agency to integrate preservation policy into infrastructure, defense, and environmental review.

History and Legal Foundation

The association emerged from early implementation of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, influenced by precedents such as the Antiquities Act of 1906 and the establishment of the National Register of Historic Places. SHPOs trace legal authority to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 amendments and program guidance from the National Park Service, with oversight shaped by decisions of the United States Congress and consultation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Landmark projects and controversies involving the Interstate Highway System, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Hoover Dam helped define the scope of preservation review, while collaborations with organizations like the Historic American Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record refined documentation standards.

SHPOs implement core functions prescribed under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, including maintaining state inventories analogous to the National Register of Historic Places, reviewing federal undertakings under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and nominating properties in coordination with the National Park Service. They provide technical assistance to entities such as the Federal Transit Administration, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development on treatment standards derived from the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. SHPOs advise local historic commissions exemplified by the New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission and partner with non-profits like the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Preservation League of New York State for advocacy, stewardship, and disaster response with agencies like Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The association comprises chief officers from state and territorial preservation offices, mirroring organizational models found in the National Association of State Budget Officers and the Council of State Governments. Membership encompasses entities from states such as California, Texas, Florida, New York, and territories like Puerto Rico and Guam, and often includes liaison relationships with the National Park Service, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and professional bodies such as the American Institute of Architects and the Society of Architectural Historians. Governance practices reflect practices used by the Council on Environmental Quality and often involve executive committees, standing committees on tax credits and archaeology, and working groups that coordinate with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

SHPOs administer programs including tax-credit coordination aligned with the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit framework, grant administration modeled after Save America's Treasures and Historic Preservation Fund activities, archeological permitting echoing Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act processes, and heritage interpretation initiatives similar to projects by the Smithsonian Institution. They run survey and inventory programs paralleling the Historic American Buildings Survey, manage review processes for infrastructure projects with the Federal Highway Administration and the Corps of Engineers, and coordinate disaster recovery alongside Federal Emergency Management Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration when threatened resources like those in New Orleans or Galveston require response.

SHPO funding streams include grants from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, state appropriations influenced by legislatures such as the California State Legislature and the New York State Legislature, and program income from tax-credit transactions that involve investors, developers, and entities tied to the Internal Revenue Service. Partnerships extend to national organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers equivalents in policy forums, and collaborative work with federal agencies including the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense on project reviews and stewardship agreements.

SHPOs have faced criticism in disputes involving project approvals for infrastructure projects like Interstate 95 expansions, energy developments tied to Keystone XL Pipeline debates, and military facility projects under Base Realignment and Closure processes where preservation determinations intersect with economic and security priorities. Critics include preservation advocates tied to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and developers represented before state legislatures such as the Texas Legislature and the Florida Legislature, who argue about consistency, regulatory burden, and transparency. Controversies have emerged over treatment of Native American cultural resources under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and balancing preservation with disaster recovery in locales affected by events like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy.