[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 36, Volume 3]
[Revised as of July 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 36CFR800.14]

[Page 111-115]
 
              TITLE 36--PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY
 
                     CHAPTER VIII--ADVISORY COUNCIL
                        ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION
 
PART 800--PROTECTION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES--Table of Contents
 
                     Subpart C--Program Alternatives
 
Sec. 800.14  Federal agency program alternatives.


    (a) Alternate procedures. An agency official may develop procedures 
to implement section 106 and substitute them for all or part of subpart 
B of this part if they are consistent with the Council's regulations 
pursuant to section 110(a)(2)(E) of the act.
    (1) Development of procedures. The agency official shall consult 
with the Council, the National Conference of State Historic Preservation 
Officers, or individual SHPO/THPOs, as appropriate, and Indian tribes 
and Native Hawaiian organizations, as specified in paragraph (f) of this 
section, in the development of alternate procedures, publish notice of 
the availability of proposed alternate procedures in the Federal 
Register and take other appropriate steps to seek public input during 
the development of alternate procedures.
    (2) Council review. The agency official shall submit the proposed 
alternate procedures to the Council for a 60-day review period. If the 
Council finds the procedures to be consistent with this part, it shall 
notify the agency official and the agency official may adopt them as 
final alternate procedures.
    (3) Notice. The agency official shall notify the parties with which 
it has consulted and publish notice of final alternate procedures in the 
Federal Register.
    (4) Legal effect. Alternate procedures adopted pursuant to this 
subpart substitute for the Council's regulations for the purposes of the 
agency's compliance with section 106, except that where an Indian tribe 
has entered into an agreement with the Council to substitute tribal 
historic preservation regulations for the Council's regulations under 
section 101(d)(5) of the act, the agency shall follow those regulations 
in lieu of the agency's procedures regarding undertakings on tribal 
lands. Prior to the Council entering into such agreements, the Council 
will provide Federal agencies notice and opportunity to comment on the 
proposed substitute tribal regulations.
    (b) Programmatic agreements. The Council and the agency official may 
negotiate a programmatic agreement to govern the implementation of a 
particular program or the resolution of adverse effects from certain 
complex project situations or multiple undertakings.
    (1) Use of programmatic agreements. A programmatic agreement may be 
used:
    (i) When effects on historic properties are similar and repetitive 
or are multi-State or regional in scope;
    (ii) When effects on historic properties cannot be fully determined 
prior to approval of an undertaking;
    (iii) When nonfederal parties are delegated major decisionmaking 
responsibilities;
    (iv) Where routine management activities are undertaken at Federal 
installations, facilities, or other land-management units; or
    (v) Where other circumstances warrant a departure from the normal 
section 106 process.
    (2) Developing programmatic agreements for agency programs.
    (i) The consultation shall involve, as appropriate, SHPO/THPOs, the 
National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO), 
Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, other Federal agencies, 
and

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members of the public. If the programmatic agreement has the potential 
to affect historic properties on tribal lands or historic properties of 
religious and cultural significance to an Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization, the agency official shall also follow paragraph 
(f) of this section.
    (ii) Public participation. The agency official shall arrange for 
public participation appropriate to the subject matter and the scope of 
the program and in accordance with subpart A of this part. The agency 
official shall consider the nature of the program and its likely effects 
on historic properties and take steps to involve the individuals, 
organizations and entities likely to be interested.
    (iii) Effect. The programmatic agreement shall take effect when 
executed by the Council, the agency official and the appropriate SHPOs/
THPOs when the programmatic agreement concerns a specific region or the 
president of NCSHPO when NCSHPO has participated in the consultation. A 
programmatic agreement shall take effect on tribal lands only when the 
THPO, Indian tribe, or a designated representative of the tribe is a 
signatory to the agreement. Compliance with the procedures established 
by an approved programmatic agreement satisfies the agency's section 106 
responsibilities for all individual undertakings of the program covered 
by the agreement until it expires or is terminated by the agency, the 
president of NCSHPO when a signatory, or the Council. Termination by an 
individual SHPO/THPO shall only terminate the application of a regional 
programmatic agreement within the jurisdiction of the SHPO/THPO. If a 
THPO assumes the responsibilities of a SHPO pursuant to section 
101(d)(2) of the act and the SHPO is signatory to programmatic 
agreement, the THPO assumes the role of a signatory, including the right 
to terminate a regional programmatic agreement on lands under the 
jurisdiction of the tribe.
    (iv) Notice. The agency official shall notify the parties with which 
it has consulted that a programmatic agreement has been executed under 
paragraph (b) of this section, provide appropriate public notice before 
it takes effect, and make any internal agency procedures implementing 
the agreement readily available to the Council, SHPO/THPOs, and the 
public.
    (v) If the Council determines that the terms of a programmatic 
agreement are not being carried out, or if such an agreement is 
terminated, the agency official shall comply with subpart B of this part 
with regard to individual undertakings of the program covered by the 
agreement.
    (3) Developing programmatic agreements for complex or multiple 
undertakings. Consultation to develop a programmatic agreement for 
dealing with the potential adverse effects of complex projects or 
multiple undertakings shall follow Sec. 800.6. If consultation pertains 
to an activity involving multiple undertakings and the parties fail to 
reach agreement, then the agency official shall comply with the 
provisions of subpart B of this part for each individual undertaking.
    (4) Prototype programmatic agreements. The Council may designate an 
agreement document as a prototype programmatic agreement that may be 
used for the same type of program or undertaking in more than one case 
or area. When an agency official uses such a prototype programmatic 
agreement, the agency official may develop and execute the agreement 
with the appropriate SHPO/THPO and the agreement shall become final 
without need for Council participation in consultation or Council 
signature.
    (c) Exempted categories. (1) Criteria for establishing. An agency 
official may propose a program or category of agency undertakings that 
may be exempted from review under the provisions of subpart B of this 
part, if the program or category meets the following criteria:
    (i) The actions within the program or category would otherwise 
qualify as ``undertakings'' as defined in Sec. 800.16;
    (ii) The potential effects of the undertakings within the program or 
category upon historic properties are foreseeable and likely to be 
minimal or not adverse; and
    (iii) Exemption of the program or category is consistent with the 
purposes of the act.

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    (2) Public participation. The agency official shall arrange for 
public participation appropriate to the subject matter and the scope of 
the exemption and in accordance with the standards in subpart A of this 
part. The agency official shall consider the nature of the exemption and 
its likely effects on historic properties and take steps to involve 
individuals, organizations and entities likely to be interested.
    (3) Consultation with SHPOs/THPOs. The agency official shall notify 
and consider the views of the SHPOs/THPOs on the exemption.
    (4) Consultation with Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations. If the exempted program or category of undertakings has 
the potential to affect historic properties on tribal lands or historic 
properties of religious and cultural significance to an Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization, the Council shall follow the requirements 
for the agency official set forth in paragraph (f) of this section.
    (5) Council review of proposed exemptions. The Council shall review 
a request for an exemption that is supported by documentation describing 
the program or category for which the exemption is sought, demonstrating 
that the criteria of paragraph (c)(1) of this section have been met, 
describing the methods used to seek the views of the public, and 
summarizing any views submitted by the SHPO/THPOs, the public, and any 
others consulted. Unless it requests further information, the Council 
shall approve or reject the proposed exemption within 30 days of 
receipt, and thereafter notify the agency official and SHPO/THPOs of the 
decision. The decision shall be based on the consistency of the 
exemption with the purposes of the act, taking into consideration the 
magnitude of the exempted undertaking or program and the likelihood of 
impairment of historic properties in accordance with section 214 of the 
act.
    (6) Legal consequences. Any undertaking that falls within an 
approved exempted program or category shall require no further review 
pursuant to subpart B of this part, unless the agency official or the 
Council determines that there are circumstances under which the normally 
excluded undertaking should be reviewed under subpart B of this part.
    (7) Termination. The Council may terminate an exemption at the 
request of the agency official or when the Council determines that the 
exemption no longer meets the criteria of paragraph (c)(1) of this 
section. The Council shall notify the agency official 30 days before 
termination becomes effective.
    (8) Notice. The agency official shall publish notice of any approved 
exemption in the Federal Register.
    (d) Standard treatments. (1) Establishment. The Council, on its own 
initiative or at the request of another party, may establish 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 satisfying the requirements of 
subpart B of this part. The Council shall publish notice of standard 
treatments in the Federal Register.
    (2) Public participation. The Council shall arrange for public 
participation appropriate to the subject matter and the scope of the 
standard treatment and consistent with subpart A of this part. The 
Council shall consider the nature of the standard treatment and its 
likely effects on historic properties and the individuals, organizations 
and entities likely to be interested. Where an agency official has 
proposed a standard treatment, the Council may request the agency 
official to arrange for public involvement.
    (3) Consultation with SHPOs/THPOs. The Council shall notify and 
consider the views of SHPOs/THPOs on the proposed standard treatment.
    (4) Consultation with Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations. If the proposed standard treatment has the potential to 
affect historic properties on tribal lands or historic properties of 
religious and cultural significance to an Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization, the Council shall follow the requirements for the 
agency official set forth in paragraph (f) of this section.
    (5) Termination. The Council may terminate a standard treatment by 
publication of a notice in the Federal Register 30 days before the 
termination takes effect.

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    (e) Program comments. An agency official may request the Council to 
comment on a category of undertakings in lieu of conducting individual 
reviews under Secs. 800.4 through 800.6. The Council may provide program 
comments at its own initiative.
    (1) Agency request. The agency official shall identify the category 
of undertakings, specify the likely effects on historic properties, 
specify the steps the agency official will take to ensure that the 
effects are taken into account, identify the time period for which the 
comment is requested and summarize any views submitted by the public.
    (2) Public participation. The agency official shall arrange for 
public participation appropriate to the subject matter and the scope of 
the category and in accordance with the standards in subpart A of this 
part. The agency official shall consider the nature of the undertakings 
and their likely effects on historic properties and the individuals, 
organizations and entities likely to be interested.
    (3) Consultation with SHPOs/THPOs. The Council shall notify and 
consider the views of SHPOs/THPOs on the proposed program comment.
    (4) Consultation with Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations. If the program comment has the potential to affect 
historic properties on tribal lands or historic properties of religious 
and cultural significance to an Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization, the Council shall follow the requirements for the agency 
official set forth in paragraph (f) of this section.
    (5) Council action. Unless the Council requests additional 
documentation, notifies the agency official that it will decline to 
comment, or obtains the consent of the agency official to extend the 
period for providing comment, the Council shall comment to the agency 
official within 45 days of the request.
    (i) If the Council comments, the agency official shall take into 
account the comments of the Council in carrying out the undertakings 
within the category and publish notice in the Federal Register of the 
Council's comments and steps the agency will take to ensure that effects 
to historic properties are taken into account.
    (ii) If the Council declines to comment, the agency official shall 
continue to comply with the requirements of Secs. 800.3 through 800.6 
for the individual undertakings.
    (6) Withdrawal of comment. If the Council determines that the 
consideration of historic properties is not being carried out in a 
manner consistent with the program comment, the Council may withdraw the 
comment and the agency official shall comply with the requirements of 
Secs. 800.3 through 800.6 for the individual undertakings.
    (f) Consultation with Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations when developing program alternatives. Whenever an agency 
official proposes a program alternative pursuant to paragraphs (a) 
through (e) of this section, the agency official shall ensure that 
development of the program alternative includes appropriate government-
to-government consultation with affected Indian tribes and consultation 
with affected Native Hawaiian organizations.
    (1) Identifying affected Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations. If any undertaking covered by a proposed program 
alternative has the potential to affect historic properties on tribal 
lands, the agency official shall identify and consult with the Indian 
tribes having jurisdiction over such lands. If a proposed program 
alternative has the potential to affect historic properties of religious 
and cultural significance to an Indian tribe or a Native Hawaiian 
organization which are located off tribal lands, the agency official 
shall identify those Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations 
that might attach religious and cultural significance to such properties 
and consult with them. When a proposed program alternative has 
nationwide applicability, the agency official shall identify an 
appropriate government to government consultation with Indian tribes and 
consult with Native Hawaiian organizations in accordance with existing 
Executive orders, Presidential memoranda, and applicable provisions of 
law.
    (2) Results of consultation. The agency official shall provide 
summaries of the views, along with copies of any written comments, 
provided by affected Indian

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tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations to the Council as part of the 
documentation for the proposed program alternative. The agency official 
and the Council shall take those views into account in reaching a final 
decision on the proposed program alternative.