Section 106 Success Stories
The Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) reviews over 1,000 projects each year that are subject only to Section 106. Most of them are reviewed quickly because either they do not have the potential to impact historic properties or historic properties are not present. The remaining projects go through a consultative process that attempts to avoid, minimize, or resolve any adverse effects. It is among these approximately 100 projects every year that SHPO staff spends most of its time and that has resulted in its greatest impact. The following are some examples of successful Section 106 outcomes. They are being shared to demonstrate the range of consultation that will be lost by the proposed changes to the Section 106 regulations. In addition to limiting the types of historic resources and projects that would be subject to Section 106, the proposed language strikes all requirements for consultation, giving the federal agency, or a single employee administering a federal project from another state, absolute authority. There are no requirements for technical expertise or local knowledge. Further, the proposed changes have requirement for agencies to consider ways to avoid or minimize impacts; federal agencies will have to choose between preservation or development, rather than finding a solution that incorporates both objectives.