On Wednesday, August 14. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released new proposed rulemaking on "modernizing" their National Environmental Policy Act Rules. Comments are due September 18, 2025. NATHPO will be submitting comment, a copy of which we will provide to you when it is ready. This proposed rulemaking may be news to many THPOs - as of this writing, we have not heard from a single THPO who was directly notified of the proposed rulemaking by FCC, a fact we have and will continue to raise with FCC officials.

During this process, NATHPO has made its voice heard on multiple occasions. NATHPO submitted comment In April and signed onto a separate comment letter by the Coalition for Tribal Sovereignty, of which we are a member. Later NATHPO joined the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) in filing a reply to several of the comments other entities submitted. NATHPO also conducted a joint preparation session with NCAI for THPOs in advance of the FCC's consultation meetings.

Additionally, NATHPO has learned FCC officials will be at the Grand Sierra Resort during the first two days of the NATHPO Conference. On Monday, September 8, and Tuesday, September 9, FCC officials will be using one of the resort's meeting rooms to conduct individual meetings with THPOs and Tribal officials regarding their proposed rulemaking.

These meetings are NOT part of the NATHPO's conference. FCC is not part of the conference program. Any THPOs or Tribal officials who wish to use the opportunity to meet with FCC while you are both in Reno can request a time by emailing Native@fcc.gov. However, we will continue to make clear to FCC these meetings should not be considered government-to-government consultations, and that Tribal Nations and Native Hawaiian Organizations should have the opportunity to be heard in legitimate government-to-government consultations, rather than allowing FCC to "check the box" by saying them came to NATHPO's conference.

RECENTLY SUBMITTED | NATHPO Comment On Plan for Army Warfighting Readiness And Associated Buildings, Structures, And Landscapes: The US Army is currently considering a new plan to address readiness with respect to building, structures, and landscapes under its control. Comments were due August 25, 2025, and NATHPO submitted comment, which you can find on our website.

HAPPENING IN SEPTEMBER | Gravesite Repair Workshops: The National Park Service, National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NPS-NCPTT) will conduct two, 2-day workshops in Georgia that focus on fundamentals in caring for a cemetery post-disaster. The first will take place September 9-10 in Valdosta, GA, and the second will take place September 11-12 in Augusta, GA. There is no charge to participants. Costs are covered by the Department of the Interior Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, Environmental Response and Recovery (DOI-OEPC-ERR). You can register for the workshops HERE and find more information about them HERE.

SUBMITTED AUGUST 1 | COALITION LETTER ON TRIBAL CONSULTATION: On August 1, 2025, NATHPO and other members of the Coalition for Tribal Sovereignty submitted a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum both "to acknowledge and thank the Department of the Interior (DOI) for its ongoing efforts to engage in Tribal consultation on various initiatives that could impact Indian Country" and to "request DOI comply with its own Tribal consultation procedures and release a Tribal consultation report." You can read a copy of the letter HERE.

SUBMITTED JULY 28 | COALITION LETTER ON THPO FUNDING: On July 28, 2025, NATHPO and other members of the Coalition for Tribal Sovereignty submitted a letter to Congressional leaders to ensure THPOs’ federal funding is both protected and increased to provide the resources they need to perform their work preserving sacred places and cultural resources. You can read a copy of the letter HERE.

NATHPO regularly submits comment letters to federal agencies advocating on behalf of Tribal communities and their THPOs. You can find several of our most recent letters HERE, and if you know of an upcoming deadline and want NATHPO to consider submitting comment, please contact Melissa Madrigal at melissa@nathpo.org.

We’re excited to announce that a Virtual Option is now available for the 2025 Annual Conference & Sacred Places Summit!

This option allows you to participate in the conference remotely, giving you access to all main presentations from the comfort of your own home or office. A Zoom link will be provided to you shortly before the sessions begin. Virtual registration costs $150 and closes September 10, 2025.

Registration for in-person attendance closed on August 22, and because we are exceeding capacity for in-person events, there will be no on-site registration option. We hope this virtual option allows more attendees to benefit from the conference while offering flexibility for your schedule. If you have any questions about virtual registration or switching from in-person attendance, please contact Frank Martinez at Admin@NATHPO.org.

Team NATHPO is getting VERY excited about our upcoming Conference. We look forward to seeing everyone at the Grand Sierra Resort in just a few short days. You can find a schedule and more details as you prepare for your trip HERE. If you're attending in person, keep an eye peeled in the not-so-distant future for an email with helpful tips to prepare for the conference, but in the meantime, especially if you're planning to go on the excursions with us, please prepare for high elevations, sun, a decent amount of walking, and, if you're so inclined, a chance to swim (weather permitting).

We would also be remiss if we did not note this year's conference would not be possible, first, without all of you who have signed up to attend, and second, without the support of our sponsors. You can see who is sponsoring this year's Annual Conference & Sacred Places Summit on our website.

The National Park Service is now processing FY 2025 THPO apportionment grants. To ensure payment before late October, applications must be submitted no later than this Friday, August 29, 2025. NPS has advised that applications received after August 29 may not be funded until late October due to a system blackout from mid-September to mid-October. Apple HERE.

If you can’t find the NPS reminder email, search your inbox or spam folder for Program Assistant Norma Streeter-Hamilton (norma_streeter-hamilton@partner.nps.gov). If you have additional questions, including on your apportionment amount, please contact the NPS THPO address (thpo_program@nps.gov) or call the main line at 202-354-2020.

Stay current on important happenings using our new Calendar of Events, and post your own to share! And let us know if you have a job posting you would like to share and we'll post it on our Community Job Board. AND don't forget to browse our listing of relevant Grant Opportunities.

Valerie J. Grussing, PhD
NATHPO Executive Director
valerie@nathpo.org | 202-628-8476