FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NATHPO, the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, is calling on all federal agencies to pause any undertaking or policy proposal with the potential to affect landscapes or resources important to Tribal Nations in the event of a government shutdown, and until the government fully reopens, they should also put on hold any consultation deadlines. Even when agencies retain “essential” staff and could advance these actions, proceeding risks harming cultural resources and sacred places important to Tribal Nations because federal capacity is reduced during a shutdown.

"The federal government's trust responsibilities to Tribal Nations do not go away during a government shutdown," said NATHPO Executive Director Dr. Valerie Grussing. "Meaningful consultation cannot happen when one government is at bare-minimum capacity. Projects should only resume when agencies are fully staffed and Tribes have someone to consult with.”

During shutdowns, many of the specialists who make meaningful consultation possible, including environmental and cultural staff, archaeologists, anthropologists, Tribal Liaisons, and others, are furloughed. Without these staff and the relationships they maintain, the intricacies of regulatory compliance, including consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, are often not fully accounted for. Although Section 106 regulations remain in force and require consultation with Tribal Nations and/or Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs) on projects affecting Tribal lands and off-reservation ancestral lands, agencies control how consultation is conducted under these authorities, which can undermine its effectiveness.

Tribal cultural resources, sacred places, and other important landscapes, including treaty-protected resources, are located throughout the United States, not only on Tribal lands. For true emergencies, agencies should engage only through appropriately qualified personnel who are legally authorized to work and able to conduct meaningful consultation. This approach helps prevent irreversible damage to places of cultural and spiritual significance.

Who we are – NATHPO is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization, founded in 1998, of Tribal preservation leaders protecting culturally important places that perpetuate Native identity, resilience, and cultural endurance. Connections to cultural heritage sustain the health and vitality of Native peoples. We provide guidance to preservation officials, elected representatives, and the public about national historic preservation legislation, policies, and regulations. We promote Tribal sovereignty, develop partnerships, and advocate for Tribes in governmental activities on preservation issues. For more information visit our website at www.nathpo.org.