Pop quiz: What is America’s national bird?
If you said the bald eagle, you made a very educated guess. After all, it appears on our nation’s Great Seal, adorns the one-dollar bill and U.S. passports, shows up on the lectern every time the President speaks, and was famously dissed by Benjamin Franklin, who called it “a bird of bad moral character.”
However, you would be wrong.
The little-known fact is that the United States of America does not have, and never had, a national bird. The bald eagle was selected to adorn the nation’s Great Seal in 1782, and since then has become, for all intents and purposes, our national symbol. But one title it cannot claim is national bird.
Thankfully, Congress is working to right this wrong. Just before departing for August recess, the Senate unanimously passed a bill to formally designate the bald eagle as America’s national bird. A companion bill has been introduced in the House, and all bets are that it will pass. Sorry, Mr. Franklin.
Compared to issues like climate change, crime and immigration, the designation of a national bird is admittedly less urgent (after all, the Republic has stood for nearly 250 years without one). But it reminds us that symbols do matter. And that it’s always a good idea to make sure the historical record is accurate, even on the little things.
The bald eagle also serves as a symbol of resilience. Sixty years ago, bald eagles were nearly extinct, with only 417 nesting pairs known to exist. Government action under the Endangered Species Act and other laws put in place protections that were so effective that the species was removed from the endangered list in 2007. Today, the Fish and Wildlife Service estimates there are more than 70,000 nesting pairs.
As Congress and the White House debate the future of environmental and cultural heritage laws, the bald eagle serves as a reminder that we can build better infrastructure without losing our history.
Permitting Reform Passed by Senate Committee, But Outlook is Uncertain
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced permitting overhaul legislation in a bipartisan vote before leaving town at the end of July, although potential opposition from both ends of the ideological spectrum could complicate its chances of passing the full Senate this fall.
The bill, approved in a 15-4 vote, is the result of over a year of negotiations between committee Chair Joe Manchin (I-WV) and ranking member John Barrasso (R-WY), representing what Manchin called a “perfectly crafted balance” of energy priorities after initial proposals fell apart.
The bill does not affect NHPA or Section 106. But it would lead to some additional categorical exclusions from NEPA, including for some renewable energy projects, which brought it some additional support from Democrats.
It is far from clear the bill will move ahead in the narrowly divided Senate, but it could form the basis of legislation in the next Congress.
ACHP Unveils Program Comment on Climate and Communities
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has released a Proposed Program Comment on Accessible, Climate-Resilient, Connected Communities and is inviting public comments.
The ACHP notes that “the intent of the Program Comment is to help accelerate the review of federal agency actions to rehabilitate existing housing or create new housing in existing buildings, to maintain and update buildings and their immediate environs in response to climate concerns, and to rehabilitate or create new climate-friendly transportation infrastructure. It would apply to all agencies proposing to carry out, license, permit, or fund the covered undertakings which elect to use it.”
The program comment comes on the heels of two program comments the ACHP adopted in 2023, the Policy Statement on Housing and Historic Preservation and the Policy Statement on Climate Change and Historic Preservation.
The ACHP has scheduled two consultation meetings on the proposed comment:
- Friday, September 13, 1:00 – 3:00 PM ET. (To register, click here.)
- Monday, September 16, 4:00 – 6:00 PM ET. (To register, click here.)
Comments can be submitted to the ACHP by Wednesday, October 9, by email to [email protected].
The ACRA Government Relations Committee will be reviewing the program comment. If you have feedback for the Committee, please email [email protected].
Q&A with National NAGPRA Program Manager Melanie O’Brien
How do the new NAGPRA regulations impact CRM firms? Do these rules change the obligations that firms face under this important federal law?
To help answer these questions, ACRA is holding a virtual Q&A Session with Melanie O’Brien, the Manager of the National NAGPRA Program at the U.S. National Park Service on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, from 12:00pm – 1:00pm EDT. In order to ensure we get to as many questions as possible, attendees will be asked to submit questions in writing before or during the Session.
To RSVP, click here. To submit questions in advance, please use this form.
Get in the Know at the 2024 ACRA Conference
As election season heats up and the policy debate intensifies, attending the ACRA 2024 Annual Conference in Albuquerque Sept. 26-29 is a great way to get the latest scoop.
In addition to updates on what’s happening in Washington, the conference will feature sessions on a wide range of topics that impact CRM and the chance to interact and network with fellow CRMers.
Don’t miss out on the premier cultural resource management event of the year – register now!