More than 300 companies, organizations, Tribes and agencies across the preservation community signed a letter to Congress urging it to reauthorize the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF).
The HPF is the federal government’s primary vehicle for supporting preservation work at the state, local and Tribal levels. HPF funding comes from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas royalties and goes to SHPOs and THPOs, enabling them to facilitate Section 106 reviews, administer the Historic Tax Credit, support National Register nominations, and many other tasks. The HPF also funds invaluable grant programs, like Save America’s Treasures, that enable all communities to tell their story. But the HPF expired last year, meaning that no more funds are being deposited from OCS royalties.
A bipartisan group of House members has introduced legislation, H.R. 3418, that would reauthorize the program for 10 years and increase its annual deposit from $150 million to $250 million.
Drafted by ACRA and its national preservation partners, the coalition letter (LINK) urges calls on Congress to advance the bill: “We cannot think of more fortuitous timing as we prepare for the 50th anniversary of the Historic Preservation Fund in 2026, in addition to commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence, the 60th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act, and the 50th anniversary of the Historic Tax Credit program.” The letter’s signers, including many CRM firms, come from 46 out of 50 states.
Although the letter was sent to the Hill today, companies can still sign on; additional signatories will be forwarded to Congress to demonstrate growing support and momentum for the HPF’s reauthorization.
Click here to sign on.