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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), an independent
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
federal agency, is charged with the mission to promote the
preservation Preservation may refer to: Heritage and conservation * Preservation (library and archival science), activities aimed at prolonging the life of a record while making as few changes as possible * ''Preservation'' (magazine), published by the Nat ...
of the nation's diverse historic resources. The ACHP advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy and also provides a public forum for stakeholders and the public to influence federal agency decisions regarding federal projects and programs that affect historic properties. The ACHP promotes the importance of historic preservation to foster an understanding of the nation's heritage and the contribution that historic preservation can make to contemporary communities, along with their economic and social well-being. In 2025, Trump issued an Executive Order that implemented leadership changes at the ACHP to expedite energy projects under the auspices of a "National Energy Emergency", which permitted fossil development on federal lands while preventing new clean energy projects.


Overview

The ACHP was created by the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, which sets forth most of the ACHP's duties and authorities. Passage of the NHPA was a watershed event that launched a transformation of the federal government from an agent of indifference—frequently responsible for the needless loss of historic resources—to a facilitator, an agent of thoughtful change, and a responsible steward of historic properties for future generations. The ACHP, created by the NHPA, is the only federal agency whose sole mission is promoting the preservation of the nation's diverse historic resources. In keeping with these concepts, the ACHP is responsible for overseeing the federal historic preservation review process established by Section 106 of the NHPA (now codified as 54 U.S.C. 306108). Section 106 requires federal agencies to consider the effects of federal projects on historic properties and to provide the ACHP an opportunity to weigh in on project impacts. Based on authority granted by the NHPA, the ACHP has issued regulations (36 CFR Part 800) that spell out how agencies should meet their Section 106 responsibilities efficiently and effectively while giving due consideration to the historic places that communities value. Administering application of the Section 106 review process is a major ACHP responsibility.


Mission

In January 2011, ACHP membership adopted the following Mission Statement: The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation promotes the preservation, enhancement, and sustainable use of our nation's diverse historic resources, and advises the President and the Congress on national historic preservation policy.


Membership

The ACHP's 24 statutorily designated members, including the chairman who heads the agency, address policy issues, direct program initiatives, and make recommendations regarding historic preservation to the President, Congress, and heads of other federal agencies. Members meet several times per year to conduct business. ACHP members are from various federal agencies, local and state government, the public, and historic preservation organizations. * Four members of the general public and four historic preservation experts are appointed by the President, including the chairman and vice chairman. * A member of an Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization, a governor, and a mayor are appointed by the President. * Two federal agency heads and the Architect of the Capitol are permanent members of ACHP. * Seven federal agency heads are designated by the President to terms on ACHP. * Ex-officio representatives of national preservation organizations round out ACHP's membership.


Chairman

In March 2018, Aimee Jorjani was nominated by President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
as the first full-time chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), earning Senate confirmation in June 2019. Jorjani has nearly 20 years of experience in the fields of government and cultural resources from a variety of perspectives including both executive and legislative branches, as well as the non-profit sector. Her career began on Capitol Hill working as a legislative aide to Rep.
Paul Ryan Paul Davis Ryan (born January 29, 1970) is an American politician who served as the List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 54th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. A member of the ...
(R-WI). She later moved to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and had several positions, including serving as the Deputy Secretary's Special Assistant for Historic Preservation. A native of
Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
,
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
, Ms. Jorjani is a graduate of
Northern Michigan University Northern Michigan University (Northern Michigan, Northern or NMU) is a public university in Marquette, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1899 by the Michigan Legislature as Northern State Normal School. In 1963, the state designa ...
and
Goucher College Goucher College ( ') is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1885 as a Nonsectarian, nonsecterian Women's colleges in the United States, ...
, with a Masters in Historic Preservation. Jorjani's term of office was due to end on June 10, 2021. President
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
asked for Jorjani's resignation on February 5, 2021. President
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
nominated Sara Bronin as the next chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation on June 24, 2021. Bronin was confirmed by the Senate on 22 December, 2022. During Trump's second term he did not initially nominate a chairman rather appointing a Vice Chairman Travis Voyles who would serve one year until June 2026.


List of chairmen of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

This is an incomplete list of chairmen since 1966. Until 2019, all chairmen were appointed directly by the president. From 2018 the chairman has been nominated by the president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate:


Activities

The ACHP's major program offices are reflected in its organizational structure. The Office of Federal Agency Programs participates in Section 106 reviews, develops and implements program improvement initiatives, provides technical assistance and guidance for Section 106 users, and works to improve federal agency and stakeholder understanding of Section 106. It also oversees implementation of Section 3 of Executive Order 13287, "Preserve America," and develops and administers the ACHP's training program, including delivery of classroom courses, webinars, and e-learning. The Office of Native American Affairs advises the ACHP leadership and staff on policy and program matters related to Native American issues, and offers technical assistance and outreach for tribal and Native Hawaiian Organization consultation under the Section 106 review process. The Office of Preservation Initiatives (OPI) analyzes legislation, develops policy recommendations, oversees special studies and reports, and implements programs related to national preservation benefits such as community development, economic impacts, sustainability, and tourism. It oversees the Preserve America Program. The Office of Communications, Education, and Outreach creates and conveys the ACHP's message to partners, stakeholders, and the general public via print and electronic media, meets information requests from citizens and Congress, handles media relations, and manages ACHP outreach, awards and publications. A professional staff, which supports ACHP's daily operations, is headquartered in Washington, D.C.


Terms

The ACHP members who are the heads of other Federal agencies serve on the ACHP as long as they hold their head of agency positions. The president of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, the Chairman of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Architect of the Capitol are ''ex officio'' members of the ACHP, and therefore serve on the ACHP as long as they hold their mentioned positions. Mayors and
governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
s serve for terms that last as long as they are serving in an elected capacity as mayor or governor but no longer than four years. The citizen (including the chairman), expert, and Indian tribe/Native Hawaiian organization members of the ACHP all serve four year terms.


References


External links

* {{authority control 1966 establishments in the United States Historic preservation organizations in the United States United States federal boards, commissions, and committees National Register of Historic Places Independent agencies of the United States government