[Federal Register: June 12, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 114)]
[Notices]
[Page 33387-33389]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12jn08-41]
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ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Draft Standard Treatments To Address Rehabilitation of Historic
Exterior Masonry
AGENCY: Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Establish Standard Treatments for the
Rehabilitation of Historic Exterior Masonry.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense has requested the Advisory Council
on Historic Preservation to establish several standard treatments for
the rehabilitation of historic exterior masonry. The Advisory Council
on Historic Preservation has merged them into one standard treatment
document and seeks public input on it.
DATES: Submit comments on or before July 14, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this proposed standard
treatment to Hector Abreu Cintr[oacute]n, Office of Federal Agency
Programs, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, 1100 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Suite 803, Washington, DC 20004. Fax (202) 606-8647. You
may submit electronic comments to: habreu@achp.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hector Abreu Cintr[oacute]n, (202)
606-8517, habreu@achp.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act requires Federal agencies to consider the effects of
their undertakings on historic properties and provide the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation (``ACHP'') a reasonable opportunity to
comment with regard to such undertakings. The ACHP has issued the
regulations that set forth the process through which Federal agencies
comply with these duties. Those regulations are codified under 36 CFR
part 800 (``Section 106 regulations'').
Under Section 800.14(d) of those regulations, agencies can request
the ACHP to establish ``standard treatments'' detailing standard
methods for the treatment of a category of historic properties, a
category of undertakings, or a category of effects on historic
properties to assist Federal agencies in
[[Page 33388]]
satisfying their responsibilities under Section 106.
Standard treatments carry the ACHP's explicit endorsement and can
be applied by Section 106 users to assist them in complying with
Section 106. Using standard treatments in the planning and design of
agency undertakings as a best practice may allow an agency to make a
finding of no adverse effects for the relevant aspects of the
undertaking. In other cases, an agency may find its undertaking will
have adverse effects on historic properties, and it can elect to use an
approved standard treatment as a proposed stipulation of a memorandum
of agreement or a programmatic agreement, as a way to resolve such
adverse effects.
Federal agencies are not obligated to follow approved standard
treatments but may elect to do so when they feel standard treatments
will be of benefit in meeting their Section 106 compliance
requirements.
The Department of Defense (``DOD'') has requested the ACHP to
establish eighteen standard treatments, along with two implementation
guidance documents, for the rehabilitation of historic exterior masonry
on historic properties.
The ACHP has decided to merge all eighteen standard treatments for
historic exterior masonry, and the two implementation guidance
documents, into one standard treatment document. The ACHP seeks public
comment on that standard treatment.
A copy of the standard treatment document, minus its appendices,
can be found at the end of this notice. The appendices to that document
comprise the true substance of each of the proposed, eighteen standard
treatments and their two implementation guidance documents. Due to
their volume, they will not be copied into this notice. However, they
can be accessed in their entirety on the Internet at: http://
www.achp.gov/masonryst.html. Those without access to the Internet can
contact Hector Abreu Cintr[oacute]n at 202-606-8517, or by e-mail at
habreu@achp.gov, to arrange an alternate method of access to the
appendices.
Once the public input resulting from this notice is considered, and
edits are incorporated as deemed appropriate, the ACHP will decide
whether to establish the standard treatment. The ACHP expects to make
that decision at its upcoming quarterly meeting scheduled on August 15,
2008 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Background on the Proposed Standard Treatments on Historic Exterior
Masonry
The ACHP and DOD have been collaborating to develop standard
treatments to address rehabilitation of exterior building elements that
are character-defining features of historic properties.
The goal is to encourage use of the Secretary of the Interior's
Standards for Rehabilitation (``Secretary Standards''), 36 CFR part 67,
by translating selected standards into detailed construction
specifications for routine repair and maintenance undertakings that are
expected to have no adverse effect on historic properties.
These Standard Treatments are designed to codify the numerous
``industry standard'' practices associated with routine repair and
maintenance of historic properties. For instance, there are Standard
Treatments for mortar analysis and repointing, and stone crack repair.
The appendices to the standard treatment currently under consideration
include the two implementation guidance documents (numbered 01060.01
and 01091.01) and the following eighteen standard treatments:
04100 Historic Mortar
(1) 04100.01 Removal of Mortar Joints and Repointing.
(2) 04100.02 Preparation of Lime and Cement Amended Mortars.
04110 Historic Stucco
(3) 04110.01 Preparation of Lime or Portland Based Stucco.
(4) 04110.02 Repair and Replacement of Historic Stucco 04211
Historic Brick.
(5) 04211.01 Historic Brick Properties and In Kind Replacement.
(6) 04211.02 Repair through Patching, Consolidating or Injection
Grout.
04214 Terra Cotta and Ceramics
(7) 04214.01 Historic Terra Cotta and Ceramics Properties and In
Kind Replacement.
(8) 04214.02 Terracotta Patching and Glaze Repair.
(9) 04214.03 Replacement anchoring.
04290 Historic Adobe Masonry Units
(10) 04290.01 Adobe Properties and In Kind Replacement.
(11) 04290.02 Repair through Patching, Surface Coatings and
Structural Supports.
04400 Stone
(12) 04400.01 Identifying Masonry Types and Failures 04500 Masonry
Restoration.
(13) 04500.01 Repair by Mechanical Pinning or Structural
Reinforcement.
(14) 04500.02 Repair through Patching, Consolidating, and Grouting.
(15) 04500.03 Replacement In-Kind of Deteriorated Elements.
04510 Masonry Cleaning
(16) 04510.01 Cleaning and Testing of Atmospheric Soiling, Graffiti,
Stains and Biogrowth.
(17) 04510.02 Appropriate Use of Wet and Dry Abrasive Cleaning
Systems.
(18) 04510.03 Poulticing and Salt Removal.
DOD has consulted with the ACHP, the National Conference of State
Historic Preservation Officers, the National Trust for Historic
Preservation and the DOD Historic Preservation Working group. The
National Park Service has been a vital partner in reviewing the draft
standard treatments to verify that they are consistent with the
Secretary Standards.
Development of the Standard Treatments
In formulating the draft standard treatments, and with the goal of
encouraging use of the Secretary Standards, developers chose a detail
construction specification format with the intent that preservation
related rehabilitation practices could be incorporated easily into a
project's scope.
The specification format was chosen since it is a template that
project designers and engineers readily recognize. Also, developers
chose to develop standard treatments that focused on undertakings
instead of effects or classes of properties, as outlined in 36 CFR
800.14(d)(1).
A focus on undertakings was selected since that approach had the
broadest applicability regarding military installations that have many
buildings with disparate functions, but also employ the consistent use
of building materials and aesthetics typical of military master
planning principles.
The project started with a broad scope that addressed
rehabilitation of the most common exterior elements of historically
significant military properties. The initial study areas addressed
rehabilitation of exterior masonry, roofing, wooden elements, and
windows.
A total of seventy-three (73) draft specifications covering those
disciplines were developed. However, the ACHP is only considering the
issuance of the merged, initial group of eighteen (plus the two
implementing guidance documents) addressed by this notice, as listed
above. They are focused on exterior masonry rehabilitation.
The ACHP may consider and adopt the remaining draft standard
treatments at a later date in accordance with the process defined in 36
CFR 800.14(d).
[[Page 33389]]
Expected Benefits
Though this project was conceived to promote best preservation
practices within the military, its broad undertaking-based approach may
benefit any federal agency that possesses historic properties needing
rehabilitation.
As explained above, standard treatments were established as a way
to assist federal agencies in their completion of Section 106
consultations. Standard treatments are to be used when an agency gets
to the point of assessing adverse effects under 36 CFR 800.5, or when
negotiating a Section 106 agreement under 36 CFR 800.6 or 800.14(b).
This quicker path to ``no adverse effect'' or a Section 106 agreement
can greatly reduce the consultation workload of federal agencies that
intend to rehabilitate their historic properties in accordance with the
Secretary Standards.
DOD has been working with ACHP to define a program alternative
whereby a federal agency may use a standard treatment in order to
exempt the consideration of the effects of that specific treatment from
Section 106 review. However, the use of such a program alternative is
not the subject of this notice and public comment.
Text of the Proposed Standard Treatment on Historic Masonry
As stated above, the appendices to the proposed standard treatment
document comprise the actual substance of each of the eighteen standard
treatments and the two implementation guidance documents. Due to their
volume, they will not be copied into this notice. However, they can be
accessed on the Internet at http://www.achp.gov/masonryst.html. Those
without access to the Internet can contact Hector Abreu Cintr[oacute]n
at 202-606-8517, or by e-mail at habreu@achp.gov to arrange an
alternate method of access to the documents.
The following is the text of the standard treatment document, minus
the appendices:
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Standard Treatment for
Historic Exterior Masonry
I. Establishment and Authority: This Standard Treatment for Historic
Masonry was established by the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation on (date of establishment) pursuant to 36 CFR
800.14(d).
A standard treatment is a program alternative that assists
Federal agencies in meeting their obligations to comply with Section
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 470f, and
its implementing regulations, 36 CFR part 800 (Section 106)
II. Applicability to All Federal Agencies: This Standard Treatment
may be used by any Federal agency.
III. Date of Effect: The Standard Treatment will go into effect on
(date of establishment)
IV. Standard Treatment:
(A) As Basis for No Adverse Effect Determination: Work that
follows the relevant standard treatments appended to this document,
in conformance with the implementation guidance documents numbered
01060.01 and 01091.01 in those appendices, does not constitute an
adverse effect under 36 CFR 800.5(a).
Accordingly, a Federal agency that will follow the standard
treatments in such a manner may find ``no adverse effects'' for
those aspects of its undertaking that deal with the specific works
covered by the standard treatments. Except under circumstances where
quantifiable scientific or qualitative historic data indicates that
an alternate treatment procedure is merited, the ACHP will not
object to that aspect of such a finding of ``no adverse effects.''
However, the agency must still examine whether other aspects of
its undertaking may adversely affect historic properties and, if so,
continue the Section 106 process accordingly.
(B) As Basis for Section 106 Agreement: A Federal agency may
also utilize the standard treatments and implementing guidance
appended to this document as a starting point for negotiating that
part of a Section 106 agreement (e.g., Memoranda of Agreement or
Programmatic Agreements) that deals with the works covered by those
standard treatments.
Except under unusual circumstances, the ACHP will not object to
provisions on a Section 106 agreement that are consistent with the
appended standard treatments.
V. Amendment: The ACHP may amend this Standard Treatment after
following the same consultative process required for its initial
establishment under 36 CFR 800.14(d). Such an amendment will go into
effect once published in the Federal Register.
VI. Termination: The ACHP may terminate this Standard Treatment by
publication of a notice in the Federal Register 30 days before the
termination takes effect.
VII. Historic Properties in Tribal Lands and Historic Properties of
Significance to Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations:
This Standard Treatment does not apply in connection with effects to
historic properties that are located on tribal lands and/or that are
of religious and cultural significance to Indian tribes or Native
Hawaiian organizations.
VIII. Definitions: The definitions found at 36 CFR part 800 apply to
the terms used in this Standard Treatment.
IX. Appendices: [Appendices will be attached. Their full text can be
accessed as explained in the notice above.]
Authority: 36 OFR 800.14(d).
Dated: June 4, 2008.
John N. Fowler,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. E8-13007 Filed 6-11-08; 8:45 am]
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