National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 - Definition and Overview

The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) is a piece of legislation in the United States of America concerned with sites of historic and archaeological interest.

It became law in 1966 though several amendments have been made since. It created the National Register of Historic Places, the list of National Historic Landmarks and the posts of State Historic Preservation Officers with the intent of managing important sites in the face of development projects.

It requires any government agency to evaluate the impact of any government-funded construction project through a process known as Section 106 Review. Each agency is expected to maintain its own preservation program informed by an Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Sites threatened by development are to be preserved for the future through appropriate action.

External link

Text of the NHPA (http://www2.cr.nps.gov/laws/NHPA1966.htm)