State Historic Preservation Review Board
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| State Historic Preservation Review Board | |
|---|---|
| Name | State Historic Preservation Review Board |
| Type | Advisory board |
| Formation | Varies by state |
| Jurisdiction | United States |
| Parent organization | State Historic Preservation Offices |
State Historic Preservation Review Board The State Historic Preservation Review Board advises State Historic Preservation Officers and reviews nominations for the National Register of Historic Places, linking state-level preservation practice with federal programs such as the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and National Park Service. Members typically include professionals from fields like architectural history, archaeology, urban planning, and historic architecture, and they conduct public meetings that intersect with agencies such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and state cultural agencies. The boards shape outcomes for landmarks connected to subjects such as Lewis and Clark Expedition, Civil War battlefield sites, Route 66, and industrial heritage like Lowell National Historical Park.
Role and Purpose
State review boards evaluate eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places, provide recommendations under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, advise State Historic Preservation Officers, and guide compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. They influence preservation policy affecting sites tied to Historic American Buildings Survey, Historic American Engineering Record, Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 concerns, and cultural landscapes related to National Historic Landmarks and landscapes like Blue Ridge Parkway. Boards also engage stakeholders including National Trust for Historic Preservation, State Historical Societys, Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, and local municipal planning offices.
Legal Authority and Governance
Authority derives from state statutes, regulations, and federal law such as the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and implementing rules administered by the National Park Service. State codes often reference standards from the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and procedures aligned with National Register Bulletin guidance. Interaction with federal statutes prompts consultation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and coordination with agencies including the Federal Highway Administration and Environmental Protection Agency when projects affect historic properties.
Composition and Appointment
Membership commonly comprises experts in archaeology, architectural history, historic architecture, historic preservation, museum studies, and landscape architecture, with appointments made by governors or state cultural executives such as State Historic Preservation Officers or state cultural affairs secretaries. Boards may include representatives from Native American tribes coordinated through Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, and liaisons from organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation, American Institute of Architects, and American Anthropological Association. Appointment terms, conflict-of-interest rules, and quorum requirements are established by state law and often mirror practices used by State Historical Society boards and State Cultural Resources Commissiones.
Duties and Responsibilities
Boards review nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, recommend designation actions for National Historic Landmarks, and evaluate eligibility for state registers and local landmark programs such as those administered by Parks Canada-analogous provincial bodies or municipal preservation commissions. They assess integrity and significance using criteria akin to the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, advise on mitigation under Section 106 reviews, comment on tax incentive projects invoking the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, and guide grant awards from programs like the Historic Preservation Fund. Boards may also advise on interpretive projects tied to Smithsonian Institution collaborations, battlefield preservation with groups like the American Battlefield Trust, and archaeological stewardship in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management.
Procedures and Decision-Making
Meetings follow open meetings statutes similar to those governing state legislatures and include public notice, agenda publication, and opportunities for testimony from applicants, owners, and interest groups such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and local heritage tourism organizations. Review criteria reference the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, National Register Bulletins, and state guidelines. Decisions are typically by vote, require a quorum, and produce recommendations to the State Historic Preservation Officer; contested decisions may be appealed through state administrative processes or litigated in state courts, sometimes involving parties such as National Park Service or Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
Interaction with Federal and Local Programs
Boards coordinate nominations with the National Park Service for the National Register of Historic Places, advise on Section 106 consultations involving federal agencies like the Federal Highway Administration and Department of Housing and Urban Development, and work with state agencies administering the Historic Preservation Fund and tax credit programs. At the local level, boards interface with municipal historic preservation commissions, planning departments, and non-governmental organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and local historical societys to align local ordinances with state and federal standards. They also collaborate with Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and tribal governments on culturally significant properties and with regional entities like Metropolitan Planning Organizations on transportation projects.
Notable Cases and Impacts
State review boards have influenced high-profile listings and controversies, including designations related to Civil War sites, industrial complexes like Lowell National Historical Park, historic districts along Route 66, and sites associated with the Civil Rights Movement and Native American cultural heritage. Board recommendations have affected project outcomes in disputes involving the Federal Highway Administration and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, impacted tax credit rehabilitations under the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, and guided archaeological stewardship in cases invoking the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979. Their work has supported preservation partnerships with entities like the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Smithsonian Institution, and state historical societies, shaping public memory through landmark designations and interpretive programming.