From Preservation Action:

Last week the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation announced their attention to dramatically reduce staff at the agency. The staffing change would align with the Administration's budget request which called for $5.151 million. This would represent a more than $3 million cut over current enacted levels. To achieve this reduction the agency plans to reduce staff from 39 positions to just 16 positions. This includes reducing the Office of Federal Agency Programs, the ACHP's largest and most mission-critical office, from 16 staff to just 6, a staggering 62.5% cut. The funding level proposed in the FY26 House Interior Appropriations bill earlier this week, was only slightly higher at $5.7 million

This severe reduction in staff at the ACHP is extremely concerning and will dramatically impair the Council's ability to fulfill it's statutory responsibilities under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), prevent it from providing needed assistance to federal agencies to carry out their preservation project reviews, and likely result in the unnecessary loss of historic resources. The ACHP plays a small but pivotal role in Section 106 process, reviewing thousands of the most complicated and important federal undertakings, often responding within 15 days, helping to ensure efficiency. A critical and unique function of the ACHP is to help agencies tailor the Section 106 process to their specific program. This has helped to streamline several important initiatives like housing and infrastructure. With these cuts, staff will no longer be able to carry out this important role, leading to a slower, less streamlined process.

Preservation Action is deeply concerned by these dramatic cuts and is urging Congress to adequately fund the ACHP. Earlier this year we submitted testimony urging Congress to support $10.5 million for the ACHP. We are asking lawmakers to reject these draconian cuts and adequately fund the ACHP, enabling the council continue to carry out it's key role in the national historic preservation program. Stay tuned for more.