SHA Submits Written Testimony for the October 29, 2025 Senate Hearing Examining the Section 106 Process Under the National Historic Preservation Act
The Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) submitted written testimony for the October 29, 2025 Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing examining the Section 106 process under the National Historic Preservation Act. Attached are copies of SHA’s written testimony and an executive summary of our testimony.
The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) and the American Cultural Resources Association (ACRA) also submitted written testimonies to the Committee.
Christopher Merritt, Utah State Historic Preservation Officer, and Steven Concho, Acoma Pueblo Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, testified during the hearing and answered questions posed by Senate Committee members. Both did an excellent job supporting and defending the Section 106 review process. You can view a recording of the hearing at the link below. Open the link and scroll down to the “Archived Webcast.” Below the recorded webcast are the written testimonies of both Meritt and Concho, along with the written testimony of Andy McDonald, Environmental Compliance Manager, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., who also testified during the hearing.
SHA, along with SAA, ACRA, and our other preservation partners, will be monitoring what the Senate Committee will be doing next. Based on the issues and concerns raised by the Republican members of the Senate Committee, we anticipate they will be looking into making changes to or revising the Section 106 regulations, focusing on the definition of areas of potential effect and the consideration of indirect impacts on historic properties. We do not think they will make a direct attack on the Section 106 statute, at least not based on what was discussed at the hearing.
SHA’s government affairs committee will keep SHA members informed on the next steps taken by this Senate Committee, or any related actions by Congress.