Cultural Resources
CULTURAL RESOURCES
Cultural Resource Programmatic Agreement 191231 Near Final Draft PA Download
Draft 3 PA Comment Response Matrix Download
Near Final Draft Blank Comment Form Download
On behalf of the Core Team for the Arizona Conservation Partnership Cultural Resource Programmatic Agreement (PA) process, this email transmits the near final draft of the Programmatic Agreement among the BLM, the Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer, and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation [and other signatories] Regarding the Effects of Vegetation Management and Rangeland Management Activities in Arizona (See Attached).
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is consulting with you pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106) and seeking your input on the near-final draft of the PA which incorporates changes made in response to comments from the consulting parties on previous versions of the PA. Also attached to this email are the Draft 3 PA Comment Response Matrix, and a blank comment form for you to use on this review.
Please let Matt Basham know, as soon as possible, if you intend to sign the PA as an invited signatory or concurring party (as indicated in the PA). If you intend to sign, please transmit your agency’s communication protocols to Matt Basham in accordance with Appendix I of the PA.
Notable changes to this draft include:
- Recitals and Stipulations were rearranged for clarity
- Clarifications to tribal involvement and consultation text
- Appendix A was updated with new definitions and removal of unused terms
- Movement of select screened undertakings to exempted undertakings (and vice versa)
- Updated vegetation and rangeland management protocols to make them more concise
- Insertion of Appendix J containing links to policy, regulations, and statutes
Please provide your comments in the attached blank comment form and send to Jennifer.Lanthier@GalileoAZ.com by February 14, 2019.
The BLM is interested in any substantive comments you have on the near-final draft PA and asks that you provide your comments in the attached blank comment form. After all comments have been submitted, they will be compiled into a single document. The BLM will provide responses to the comments and send those back to the Consulting Parties along with a final PA.
Your input is vital in making this a productive and sensible document. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know so we can facilitate getting you the information you need.
Writing Team:
- Matt Basham, State Archaeologist, Deputy Preservation Officer, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Arizona State Office; mbasham@blm.gov
- Steve Barker, Executive Director, Arizona Association of Conservation Districts (AACD); rms@cox.net
- Kathryn Leonard, State Historic Preservation Officer, Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO); kleonard@azstateparks.gov
- Mary-Ellen Walsh, Cultural Resources Compliance Manager, SHPO; mwalsh@azstateparks.gov
- Margaret Hangan, Forest Archaeologist, Kaibab National Forest; hangan@usda.gov
- Michael O’Hara, Cultural Resources Section Manager, Arizona State Lands; MOHara@azland.gov
- Grace Ellis, Galileo Project, LLC; ellis@galileoaz.com; Jennifer Lanier; Jennifer.Lanthier@galileoaz.com
Cultural Resource Programmatic Agreement
Arizona Conservation Partnership PA: Project Introduction
The Arizona Conservation Partnership is facilitating a working group to identify common sense programmatic approaches that will ensure timely and cost-effective implementation of critical conservation work, while preserving Arizona’s rich history and traditions, and our important cultural resources.
The goal of the Arizona Conservation Partnership Programmatic Agreement (Conservation PA) is to identify common sense programmatic approaches that will ensure timely and cost-effective implementation of critical conservation work, while preserving Arizona’s rich history and traditions, and our important cultural resources.
This AACD effort, with the support of Arizona’s State Historic Preservation Officer, and funding support from the BLM will bring together key agricultural producers, state and field level agency staff, NEPA specialists, tribal representatives, and archeologists to help identify issues and solutions.
Over the last few years, cultural resource compliance issues and concerns have resulted in significant delays and the loss of millions of dollars in available funding for conservation work in Arizona. A significant percentage of the agricultural producers and private landowners are now choosing to do their projects without financial assistance to avoid excessive cultural resource costs and delays. That means fewer projects can get done, and Arizona loses millions of dollars a year that benefit rural communities.
The objective of this effort is to develop, and then execute, a Section 106 Programmatic Agreement (PA) pursuant to 36 CFR 800.14(b)(1)(i) for when effects on historic properties are similar and repetitive or are multi-State or regional in scope. This is a federal undertaking for which the BLM is serving as the lead for Section 106 purposes. Further, it is intended that this PA will allow State agencies to meet certain responsibilities required by the Arizona State Historic Preservation Act.
The Conservation PA is intended to cover future undertakings that involve vegetation and range management. It is intended that activities covered will at a minimum include hand treatments, biological treatments, chemical treatments, mechanical treatments, prescribed fire, and range improvements such as water lines, dirt tanks, drinkers, wells, corrals and holding pens, fencing, cattle guards, and grazing permit renewals.
Initial objectives for the PA were identified during the Steering Committee Kick-Off meeting and are presented below.
Downloadable Project Documents
Section 106 Agreement Documents
Landscape Approach to Resource Management Powerpoint
BLM Conservation Programmatic Agreement Powerpoint
Cultural Resource PA Coordination
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FINAL DRAFT – Cultural Resource PA
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PREVIOUS COMMENTS – Cultural Resource
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD COMMENT FORM – Cultural Resource PA
PLEASE READ BELOW FOR PREVIOUS DOCUMENTS RELATED TO CULTURAL RESOURCE PA
Cultural Resource PA DRAFT I Comments Form Final Download
On behalf of the Core Team for the Arizona Conservation Partnership Cultural Resource Programmatic Agreement (PA) process, this email is an update on some important developments in the project. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is consulting with you pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106) and seeking your input on the first draft of the Section 106 Programmatic Agreement among the BLM, the Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer, [and other signatories] Regarding the Effects of Vegetation Management and Rangeland Improvements Activities in Arizona.
The BLM is interested in any comments you have on the draft PA and asks that you provide your comments in the response table. After all comments have been submitted, they will be compiled into a single document. The BLM will provide responses to the comments and send those back to the Consulting Parties.
Your input is vital in making this a productive and sensible document. If you have any questions at all, feel free to let me know so we can facilitate getting you the information you need.
As a reminder, BLM is hosting two webinars to discuss the first draft of the PA, provide information on how to comment, and provide opportunities for additional questions.
Agenda and meeting access will be provided to those who register using the information below:
Field Onsite Listening Sessions
Arizona Association of Conservation Districts & Bureau of Land Management hosted several ‘Field Onsite Listening Sessions.’
These sessions were designed to get first-hand perspectives from stakeholders about the kinds of conservation projects being implemented and discuss how a cultural resource Programmatic Agreement (PA) might be able to help address any issues, and streamline the cultural resource process.
The goal of the PA is to identify common sense programmatic approaches that will ensure timely and cost-effective implementation of critical conservation work while preserving Arizona’s rich history and traditions, and our important cultural resources.
‘Field Onsite Listening Sessions’ included a field tour to look at the types of treatments, including vegetation treatments, fencing, pipelines, etc. They are designed to help the programmatic agreement core team, steering committee and stakeholders understand the need for and applicability of the PA and what types of activities to consider including in the PA. Find the Triangle field session notes below.