Cultural Resources

BPA’s cultural resources and historic preservation program conducts necessary compliance for a number of federal regulations and statutes including Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. § 306108), which requires federal agencies to consider the effects on historic properties of projects they carry out, assist, fund, permit, license or approve. As a federal agency, BPA is also responsible for complying with numerous other key laws, executive orders and regulations including Section 110 of the NHPA, 54 U.S.C. § 306101 et seq.; the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, 16 U.S.C. § 469a-c; the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. § 3001 et seq.; and Indian Sacred Sites, Executive Order 13007. Compliance is typically associated with BPA transmission projects, fish and wildlife mitigation projects and FCRPS operations and maintenance.

National Historic Preservation Act

Cultural resource compliance is guided primarily by National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) regulations and guidelines under Section 106.

This act supports historic preservation activities and programs, and encourages protection of “historic properties” in the United States.  It created the National Register of Historic Places, the list of National Historic Landmarks, and SHPOs and THPO. Historic properties are prehistoric or historic districts, sites, buildings, structures, or objects that are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. They can include traditional cultural properties and landscapes. NHPA was signed into law October 15, 1966, and is the most far-reaching historic preservation legislation ever enacted in the United States.

Section 106 Compliance

Below are current undertakings under review for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.  These undertakings are related to BPA’s transmission and fish and wildlife functions and if implemented could cause adverse effects on historic properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

Contact us

For more information, contact:

Sunshine R. Clark Schmidt 
Director of Historic Preservation/Federal Preservation Officer
NHPA@bpa.gov