The Utah State Historic Preservation Office (UT-SHPO) has gone all-digital! Chris Merritt, Deputy UT-SHPO, provided the following document excerpt to the Commonwealth Heritage Group, Inc. Ogden office to share on the ACRAsphere:

The UT-SHPO is one of only a handful of SHPOs around the country that have converted to an all-digital work flow. Digitizing this consultation workflow has been a priority of the Utah SHPO since 2014, with concerted efforts to build a system starting in spring of 2016. The project was termed as “e106”, as Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act is the specific part of the law that requires consultation of federal agencies, and is the common professional reference point. The estimated cost savings in Utah for the switch from a paper to a digital workflow for Section 106 and 404 consultation is $283,344.80 with an additional 8,000 days (~21 years) saved in transit time for correspondence.

To ease the transition of agencies and consultants into the world of e106 using Salesforce, UT-SHPO created a training program using GoToMeeting and conference phone call-ins. Over 50 individuals representing two dozen agencies took advantage of that personalized orientation with UT-SHPO staff, easing the final implementation of the system.

The following are unsolicited testimonials of the newly launched e106 that have been received by UT-SHPO staff during the first week of its public launch.

“The newly implemented electronic Section 106 submission system is extremely worthwhile and long over-due. It reduces the inefficiencies in the consultation process tremendously. Official, routine correspondence that previously took days through the mail to be delivered is now available in moments and will not be lost in the mail. The e106 system will save the Bureau of Reclamation months on consultation timelines and fosters goodwill within my organization for working with the State Historic Preservation Office. Definitely worth it!”—Bureau of Reclamation

“The E106 process is a game changer. And change is not something that goes over well with many people. I was impressed with the straight forward simplicity and consultation time frame. Your staff have gone out their way to clarify any questions I have had and worked the kinks out of the system. I never thought this day would come. 20 something years of pushing paper.” – Division of Wildlife Resources.

Have you worked in Utah and had the chance to utilize e106? Do you have experience with digital workflows for Section 106 consultation in other states? Tell us about your experiences in the comments!

Do you have a public or private sector client that has gone above and beyond what the law requires for cultural resource management? Now is the time to recognize their commitment - submit them for a 2019 ACRA Industry Award before next week's deadline!

Recent past winners of our industry awards include Calpine Corporation and the Dayton Power and Light Company for the private sector, and the City of Wilmington and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for the public sector. You can see the full list of previous awards recipients here.

One thing you may notice on that list is that the ACRA Awards don't always focus on industry projects. The ACRA Public Service Award allows you to recognize friends and colleagues who are making important contributions to CRM or their community outside of specific projects.

The award is presented to an ACRA company, or current employee thereof, who has made a long-term contribution to the study, management, and/or preservation of cultural resources, or who has contributed volunteer efforts and resources for the betterment of their immediate community, county, state, etc. Contributions may include, but are not limited to, training students for CRM careers, internships, and the development and delivery of environmental, preservation, and interpretive programs.

The deadline for receipt of nominations is fast approaching: FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019, at 5:00 PM EDT. Awards will be presented during the ACRA Conference October 24-27, 2019, in Spokane, Washington. For more details on each of these awards and how to submit your nominations, click here.

Earlier today ACRA submitted comments regarding proposed changes to the definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS). The new definitions aim to restrict the US Army Corps of Engineers’ jurisdiction by removing seasonal and ephemeral water courses from federal regulation. our response focuses on the lack of adequate public comment time, the elimination of well-developed legal concept of “significant nexus,” and lack of incorporating or using scientific data in making jurisdictional decisions. The rule inappropriately excludes major season streams from environmental review, a change that has serious potential implications on ACRA member firms.

Read ACRA's full comments here, and let us know how the proposed changes could affect your firm in the comments below.

ACRA is thrilled to announce that registration for our 25th annual conference is now open! Click here to sign up to attend our industry's premier informational and networking event. Come to Spokane from October 24-27, 2019 to hear exciting updates on preservation legislation in DC, be a part of interactive panels on CRM's most critical issues, and meet new business partners. A full schedule of events and sessions will be posted to the ACRA webpage in the coming weeks. Register before July 15th to get the Early Bird rate; ACRA members and firms who register multiple attendees get an even bigger discount. Sign up today!

While registering, you can also add on our incredible pre-conference workshop to be held on Thursday, October 24 from 1-5pm. Water Over the Dam: “WERC-shop” on Federal Hydroelectric Project Relicensing will introduce attendees to FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) hydroelectric relicensing projects. The WERCshop will feature an expert panel composed of Industry Project Managers, Tribal representatives, CRM practitioners, and the Washington DC FERC archaeologist. Following the hydro relicensing roundtable, we will visit the beautiful Spokane Falls for a tour of Avista’s historic Post Street Substation in downtown Spokane. 

Questions on the conference? Ask Committee Chair Kerri Barile or Executive Director Amanda Stratton. Hope to see you in Spokane!

Are you attending the SAAs in Albuquerque? Come visit the ACRA booth in the exhibition hall! You can meet our Executive Director and members of the Board of Directors, get more information on upcoming ACRA initiatives, and even give us your feedback on benefits and events you would like to see. You can also pick up some free ACRA swag!

We also hope you can join us for the CRM Expo on Saturday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Jointly hosted by both SAA and ACRA, many member firms will be exhibiting at this event showcasing CRM practitioners from around the country. Hint: if you are a student, this is a particularly great event for you to attend!

ACRA offers the ONLY online continuing education opportunities specifically tailored to cultural resource management professionals - and the full 2019 slate is now available!

This year's webinar schedule has been carefully crafted with ACRA members in mind. Some sessions focus specifically on meeting the federal requirements on which our industry is based, such as Planning for Section 106 Agreements on June 20. Others are meant to help your firm run more efficiently - for example, Accounting Basics on May 9 is essential for all employees to attend (and could save you money in the long term!).

Check out our full slate of sessions for 2019 below, and remember that ACRA members always receive a reduced rate. Several of these sessions are only going to be offered live, so you won't be able to view the recording after. Space is limited - make sure to reserve your spot today!

This post is authored by Terry H. Klein, Executive Director of the SRI Foundation and Paul Graham, Senior Program Manager at Louis Berger U.S., Inc. 

We know how busy ACRA members are, but we really need your assistance and expertise in conducting this new National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 25-25 project. This project, Task 116, is “Potential Section 106 Exempted Categories or Program Comments for Federal Highway Administration Projects: National Streamlining Opportunities.” (Please refer to the project webpage for more information.)

Task 116 examines how the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have used program alternatives (pursuant to 36 CFR 800.14) to streamline and enhance their Section 106 programs and project delivery efforts. Another goal of this NCHRP study is to identify additional national-level program alternatives that FHWA, state DOTs, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) might be able to use to improve and expedite Section 106 compliance associated with transportation project delivery. These include, but are not limited to, Exempted Categories (36 CFR 800.14(c)) and Program Comments (36 CFR 800.14(e)). For more information on program alternatives, see https://www.achp.gov/program_alternatives.

We have developed a questionnaire that will help us document your experience in using current national program alternatives (access the questionnaire here). We are also interested in your views on possible additional national program alternatives that would streamline Section 106 reviews for transportation projects. If you want, you can insert your answers after each question, and then email us your responses. Or, we can set up a time to go through these questions over the phone in an interview. Whatever works best for you. If you want to submit a completed questionnaire or set up a time to go through the questions over the phone, please contact either project Principal Investigator: Paul Graham at pgraham@louisberger.com, or Terry Klein at tklein@srifoundation.org. If possible, we would like to receive a completed questionnaire by April 19, 2019. If you want to discuss the questionnaire over the phone in an interview, please let us know by April 12, 2019, and then we will set up a time to call you.

If you have any questions about this project or the questionnaire, do not hesitate to contact us. We greatly appreciate your assistance in this NCHRP study!

On March 1, 2019, the National Park Service invited public comment on proposed regulations that would give federal agencies power to block National Register listings and eligibility determinations of federally owned properties, and also give large landowners the ability to block historic district and property listings. These changes go beyond the intent of Congress when it passed minor amendments to the National Historic Preservation Act in 2016.

The proposed changes would make the National Register listing process more vulnerable to political pressure by routing all federal property listings and determinations of eligibility through the agency-designated federal preservation officer (FPO) and undermine the power of state and tribal historic preservation officers to nominate historic properties on federal land, exactly the opposite of what Congress intended. The changes appear designed to limit the input of local communities in the National Register listing process while giving more power to large developers.

ACRA needs YOU to submit comments on these proposed regulations no later than April 30, 2019. Your comments can help NPS improve this proposal and will also be read by courts in future litigation, if necessary.

Are you interested in being a leader in the CRM industry? Now is your opportunity to join ACRA leadership - ACRA is seeking dedicated members who are interested in serving on the Board of Directors.

ACRA’s board of directors consists of 7 officers (2-year terms), 3 designated seats based on firm size (3-year terms), and 11 at-large members (3-year terms). Members are able to serve two terms of office consecutively.

Positions that are up for election in 2019 include:

Each nominee must be employed by a firm in good standing with ACRA. Candidates must also be able to commit to quarterly board meetings, including in person at the Annual Conference in the fall. Board members will also be recommended to serve on at least one committee.

All positions will now be competitive, which is different than in years past. Nominees’ applications are examined by the Nominating Committee to assure that they are current members in good standing and that they can perform the basic requirements of the position for which they are applying. Candidates will be announced to the membership in May, and voting will take place electronically in June.

How to Apply?

Just two simple steps:

1. Submit a one-paragraph biography
2. Submit a second paragraph that answers the following questions, keeping each answer short and concise.
   1. Relevant Experience. Please list any experience, education, or employment that may be relevant to serving on the ACRA Board of Directors.
   2. Interest. Why are you interested in serving on the Board?
   3. Contribution. What contribution do you feel you can make? What one or two desirable qualities (those listed above or other qualities) will you bring to the organization?
   4. Vision. What is your vision of how ACRA can better serve the industry and its membership in the future?

Send your 2 nominating files to Duane Peter with a subject line that begins “Board Nomination.” Be sure to include the position you would like to run for in the body of the email.

Nomination deadline is Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

The 2019 CRM Day on the Hill will be held May-16-17 in Washington, D.C. Together with fellow ACRA members, you will talk with Members of Congress and their staff about our most pressing CRM concerns.

ACRA will arrange the meetings and provide training beforehand. After registering, you will receive additional information in the coming weeks about the schedule and additional logistics, so keep an eye on your email.

From introducing ACRA to the newest members of Congress to thanking our seasoned champions, we need to make sure the interests of CRM businesses across America are represented on Capitol Hill. Join us for this exciting opportunity to influence national policy that directly affects you!

Register for CRM Day on the Hill NOW