ACHP federal programs expert hosts Section 106 training

  • Published
  • By Jennifer Schneider
  • AFCEC Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas --  One thing the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation wants base civil engineers to know is that just because a property is historical, doesn't mean it's untouchable.

"A lot of folks think that if it's a historic property, you can't touch it," said Katharine Kerr, program analyst for the ACHP. "They think you have to put bubble wrap around it and you can't do anything with it. Just because it's historic does not mean it can't be used to meet your mission."

Kerr, in partnership with the Air Force Civil Engineer Center Environmental Directorate's Midwest Regional Support Team, is currently conducting a series of nationwide classes aimed at Air Force base civil engineers and installation leadership regarding Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The act requires federal agencies to take into account effects to historic properties and to afford the ACHP an opportunity to comment.

The ACHP is the independent federal agency that oversees the Section 106 process and advises the president and U.S. Congress on historic preservation policy. The one-and-a-half day course is an introduction to the requirements of Section 106, and explains the required four-step process.

"Partnering with Ms. Kerr and the ACHP office puts the Air Force in a proactive position," said William Barry, director of the AFCEC Midwest Regional Support Team. "We have the expert federal agency, ACHP, advising and explaining the NHPA Section 106 planning process to both senior leaders and Air Force staff who normally don't directly engage in matters of Section 106, but whose management activities and decisions can influence the time and cost, and ultimately the success or failure, of a critical mission project."

Six of the eight classes have been completed for this fiscal year. The two remaining classes will be held at Eglin AFB, Florida, during the last week of July and at Vandenberg AFB, California, during the last week of August.

In addition to the onsite training sessions Kerr is holding, the ACHP is also developing an e-learning course for the Air Force, as well as organizing several webinars focused on specific Air Force topics to be held later this year.

One of the ACHP's primary objectives is to promote reuse of the federal government's historic properties, Kerr said. Shrinking budgets are one of the biggest challenges to meeting this goal, she added.

"Across the (Department of Defense) and the Air Force, it's all about downsizing," Kerr said. "That is a big challenge and one that has to take into account the effects on historic properties. There's going to be a lot of reduction, a lot of demolition proposed, because the square footage has to come down. I'm hoping that educational opportunities such as this class will help installations more effectively manage their infrastructure while maintaining federal requirements."

Kerr brings a unique perspective to the classes. Originally the case manager for the Air Force within DOD, her role has since expanded to include Section 106 compliance not only the for Air Force but for all military branches except the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In spite of what some may see as an excessive workload, Kerr sees a lot of benefit to managing cases across all defense services.

"The biggest benefit to having all of DOD is the opportunity to see the national perspective," she said. "It gives me a global perspective, which is a benefit not only to my agency, but, I think, to DOD as well."

Kerr has some parting advice for cultural resource managers across the DOD for dealing with Section 106.

"I'm not your enemy, please come to me," she said. "There is always a solution to whatever your problem is. Consult early and consult often is our biggest mantra. Contact me and we'll solve it. We'll get through it together."

For more information on Section 106 training opportunities, call (312) 986-1281.