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Permitting reform continues to move forward this Congress. On March 9, the House Natural Resources Committee approved a Republican-led permitting reform and energy bill.

The Transparency, Accountability, Permitting and Production of American Resources Act (TAPP) (H.R. 1335) cleared the committee along party lines.

The bill would undermine the core principles of the National Environmental Protection Act and would eliminate vital protections for historic and cultural resources if the proposed changes were enacted.

For example, many oil and gas drilling projects would be completely exempted from compliance with NEPA and the National Historic Preservation Act, and other provisions would accelerate timetables for federal review and overwhelm an already underfunded and understaffed workforce.

On March 14, the TAPP Act was included in a larger House Republican energy package, the Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1), along with other bills advanced by the Energy and Commerce and Transportation and Infrastructure committees.

Final deliberations and House floor consideration are expected this week. While the package is expected to pass the House, it is unlikely to move forward in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Despite opposition to this particular legislative package, there remains bipartisan interest in the Senate to tackle permitting reform during this Congress and bicameral talks continue.

The National Trust led a coalition letter with other national preservation partners opposing H.R. 1 and will continue to advocate for the laws and processes that are necessary to safeguard our nation’s historic and cultural resources.

The National Trust recently submitted written testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on behalf of increased funding for preservation programs and will do the same for the corresponding Senate subcommittee. The National Trust also released its fifth annual “Preservation Budget: Select Preservation Priorities for FY 2024 Appropriations” to supplement our appropriations testimony.

The National Trust’s report and testimony detail our funding recommendations for numerous federal programs that support historic preservation. The information is designed to assist federal policymakers and their staff in supporting funding to protect our nation’s historical legacy. It’s an excellent advocacy tool for you to use as you discuss the many ways the federal government supports historic preservation and the ongoing need for continued investment.

This appropriation cycle is complicated by the broader spending disagreements playing out in Congress as the country confronts a potential default in the coming months when the nation reaches its debt limit. The National Trust will continue to advocate for higher funding for the HPF and other preservation programs as the appropriations process continues.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is pleased to release “The Preservation Budget: Select Preservation Priorities for FY 2024 Appropriations.” This report is designed to assist congressional staff and our preservation partners in appreciating—and advocating for—key federal programs that protect our nation’s legacy of historic resources and benefit all Americans.

A swath of legislation was introduced in February to promote Black history in honor of Black History Month. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) reintroduced the Springfield Race Riot National Monument Act (S. 384), which would designate the 1908 Springfield Race Riots site as a national monument.

The area near Madison Street and the 10th Street Rail Corridor in Springfield, Illinois, includes structural remains of Black-owned homes burned during the 1908 race riots. Over two days during these riots, the community experienced the shooting deaths and lynching of African Americans, as well as significant destruction of property. The riots also catalyzed civil rights activists to launch meetings that led to the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

The National Trust endorsed multiple iterations of the legislation and engaged in several Hill meetings over the years, supporting the preservation and permanent protection of this significant site. Most recently, the National Trust supported the preservation of the site in comments to the National Park Service during the public comment period for the special resource study related to this legislation.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) reintroduced the African American History Act (S. 233 / H.R. 765). This legislation would provide important resources to help educate the American public about the richness and complexity of African American history and the impacts of racism, white supremacy, and the struggle for justice on the fabric of America.

It would invest $10 million over five years in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture to support African American history education programs. The bill has nine cosponsors in the Senate and 113 in the House.

Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and Representative Kweisi Mfume (D-MD) introduced the National Council on African American History and Culture Act of 2023 (S. 215 / H.R. 727). This legislation would create a 12-person National Council on African American History and Culture to advise the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) on how they can best amplify the work of Black creators, strengthen teaching and learning in schools to ensure Black history and culture is recognized, and provide critical resources dedicated to preserving Black history.

The council would monitor the work of museums and organizations and make national policy recommendations to foster and promote the understanding and preservation of African American history. The bill has 53 cosponsors in the House.

Earlier in 2022, the National Trust wrote in opposition to New York State’s Pennsylvania Station Area Civic and Land Use Improvement Project—an effort to demolish eight National Register-eligible buildings and build 10 towers totaling over 18 million square feet.

While we and our partners, New York Landmarks Conservancy and Preservation League of New York State, agree that Penn Station needs major improvements, we disagree with New York State designating the surrounding area as “blighted.” With numerous irreplaceable historic resources and significant commercial and business activity, the area is not blighted by any reasonable definition, and we continue to urge better, more thoughtful solutions that combine historic rehabilitation and possibly new construction.

The amicus brief was filed on February 21, 2023. It can be downloaded with full citations here.