The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a hearing next week about Section 106 of NHPA.
The hearing, which the Committee has billed as an opportunity to “Examine the Section 106 Consultation Process Under the National Historic Preservation Act,” will take place Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 9:30 am ET on Capitol Hill. The hearing will be broadcast on the Committee’s website.
The Committee has not yet announced witnesses or other details about the hearing. ACRA is engaged with Senators from both parties, as well as its preservation allies, to learn more about the hearing’s goals and content and will share more information and potential opportunities for ACRA members to engage as it becomes available.
We will be watching. Thank you for posting this so quickly.
Steven Concho, THPO for the Pueblo of Acoma and a member of the National THPO Board of Directors will be a witness. He will highlight the importance of Section 106 to Tribal Nations as they work to preserve their sacred places and cultural resources, as well as the ways in which the Section 106 process can be made to work better for Tribal Nations and the agencies and companies whose projects they review.
This looks like preparation for possible reauthorization of the Historic Preservation Fund in the FY26 budget. Obviously, the current and long-standing 106 apparatus is dependent on the continuance of the Fund. As the Fund goes, so goes 106.
The Western Governors Association is holding a workshop on energy development the day before the Committee hearing. “Unlocking Transmission Development through Permitting” is on the WGA agenda. I suspect some of the comments on Tuesday will show up in testimony during Wednesday’s hearing. https://westgov.org/news/article/livestream-a-wga-workshop-on-energy-transmission
This from Tony Overly at ESA:
The Western Governors Association is holding a workshop on energy development the day before the Committee hearing. “Unlocking Transmission Development through Permitting” is on the WGA agenda. I suspect some of the comments on Tuesday will show up in testimony during Wednesday’s hearing. https://westgov.org/news/article/livestream-a-wga-workshop-on-energy-transmission