# Script for PowerPoint Issue Area Report

**Preserve America Summit, October 20, 2006**

# 

# Charting a Future Course

The 11 expert panels that met over the summer advanced 60 ideas to
consider in shaping the future of national historic preservation. The
dialogue during yesterday's breakout sessions highlighted and clarified
how these ideas fall into five broad categories of action.

# Panel Ideas For Consideration

Identifying Resources

Enhancing Stewardship

Sustaining Communities

Educating Citizens

Providing Leadership

**Identifying Resources**

Much has been accomplished in 40 years to identify our nation's historic
resources, but much more can be done.

## A National Inventory

Three panels advanced the idea of creating a comprehensive national
inventory of historic resources -- an inventory that would integrate
existing inventories at all levels of government and provide a strong
planning tool, especially in case of disasters and emergencies.

The 50^th^ anniversary of the NHPA in 2016 was advanced as a goal for
completing digitizing and organizing current information.

## The National Register

Two of the expert panels focused much of their attention on possible
improvements to the existing National Register of Historic Places, the
Federal vehicle for recognizing significant historic resources.

These two panels stressed the need for more diversity and the need to
promote open-ness and flexibility when evaluating properties.

These panels also highlighted the need to recognize intangible cultural
heritage. Stories important to cultures should be recognized, they
suggested, and the resources that express those stories identified. To
this end, expanding the use of traditional cultural property listings
and updating guidance on such properties may be helpful.

The National Register should be flexible and user-friendly. Improvements
in the designation criteria might better adapt with change over time and
recognize properties of the recent past. The designation process might
also be made more accessible to the general public. In this same vein,
there may be ways for professionals in the field to communicate with the
public to further engage them through what is documented.

## Enhancing Stewardship

Once properties are identified as historic, their management takes on
new dimensions. What more can we do to promote stewardship during the
next decade?

## Innovation and Effectiveness

One panel suggested advancing stewardship by promoting and rewarding the
use of existing and innovative technologies. Toward this goal, the panel
suggested creating a national clearinghouse for information exchange to
highlight model technologies and applications.

Innovation should run concurrently with effective program management and
decision-making. As another panel pointed out, establishment of
priorities and performance measures could help promote tangible
outcomes, notably in the Section 106 review process.

## Inclusiveness

Stewardship of historic resources is important in all communities. The
panels floated concepts to enhance inclusiveness both at home and
abroad.

We may want to explore how other endeavors that are culturally inclusive
might serve as models for involving all cultures in preservation.
Heritage areas, geo-tourism, and heritage tourism offer examples.

We should also consider how the Federal government, the private sector,
and international development organizations can better integrate
preservation into their activities.

## Cultural Collections

Stewardship of historic resources and conservation of cultural
collections are often intertwined.

The panel addressing this issue stressed the need to make conservation
of cultural collections essential to the mission of every cultural
institution.

Educating board members, donors, and the general public about the value
and effectiveness of conservation funding may advance this goal.

**Security**

In today's world, security is an ever more pressing concern in the
stewardship of historic resources.

The panel that examined this issue advanced the premise that we must
work to keep historic resources open to the public. To do so, we need to
remember that design matters---that design of security measures must be
of high quality to preserve the integrity of historic resources.

**Security (2)**

Tools that might help to balance security and historic integrity
include:

\-- security-related provisions in our national building codes;

\-- an All-Hazards risk assessment methodology specifically for historic
resources; and

\-- new guidance and training to guide decision makers at all levels.

**Responding to Disasters**

As the experience of this city and the Gulf Coast demonstrates,
disasters can gravely challenge stewardship of historic resources. Among
the panel ideas to address this issue, better integrating preservation
into emergency management and mitigation strategies at all levels of
government is prominent. One suggestion is for state agencies and
statewide organizations to collaborate in shaping local and statewide
preparedness plans for historic properties and cultural collections.

Another specific suggestion is that a Web-based network be established
to coordinate the preservation community's response to disasters.

**Sustaining Communities**

Stewardship of historic resources does not occur in a vacuum. It is an
integral part of the growth of our communities. Forty years after
passage of the National Historic Preservation Act, the importance of
preservation to community vitality is obvious.

**Costs and Benefits**

But while the tangible and intangible benefits of preservation are well
known, they are not always well documented.

Two of the panels stressed the importance of evaluating and quantifying
the costs and benefits of preservation.

Particularly, participants suggested that we devise uniform ways to
measure the economic impacts of preservation, rehabilitation, and
heritage tourism. This is what sells preservation.

**Sustainability**

But if preservation's benefits are to have lasting value, they must be
sustainable. Several panels touched on this premise.

One panel advanced the idea that promoting mutual understanding across
borders will help empower American communities to make preservation
integral to sustainable development, notably through international
tourism.

Another panel noted the need to expand and sustain the "creative
economy" in communities by attracting artists and cultural institutions.

And, acknowledging the fact that preservation can sometimes have
unintended negative effects, another panel addressed the need to examine
the impacts of heritage tourism and development that sometimes follow
listing of properties on the National Register of Historic Places.

**Federal Preservation Tax Credit**

Existing tools that help promote stewardship include the highly
successful Federal historic preservation tax credit.

Despite its success, however, panel suggestions addressed the need to
increase awareness of the credit, streamline its administration, and
remove regulatory and legislative barriers that reduce the credit's
effectiveness. A 2006 National Park System Advisory Board report on the
tax credit includes options for improvement.

**Federal Funding Programs**

Some Federal funding programs, while not specifically targeted to
preservation, provide significant assistance to preservation projects.
As one panel pointed out, such funding programs might be more effective
if we would resolve inconsistencies and impediments that prevent some
programs from funding rehabilitation or coordinating with the
preservation tax credit.

There may also be opportunities to create incentives for applicants to
include preservation in comprehensive development plans tied to their
receipt of Federal funding. This approach would help streamline such
tools.

## Technical Assistance

The panels suggested two new sources of technical assistance on
stewardship.

One panel suggested expanding the *Preserve America* program by creating
a system of *Preserve America* Community Agents. Located in each State
and Tribal Preservation Office, these individuals would provide
assistance to local communities.

Another proposal is to develop an integrated Federal Web site to serve
as an economic and marketing development planning tool for communities.

## Educating Citizens

The continued vitality of the national preservation program after four
decades depends on helping citizens understand the importance of their
history and their historic resources.

**Communicate the Importance**

Communicating to the public about the importance of history and
preservation is critical.

One panel noted how promoting general public understanding of history
and preservation would enhance citizenship.

Panelists identified the need to communicate the economic, educational,
and moral value of heritage resources. In this case, the development of
a national marketing strategy might create awareness of the benefits of
investing in historic resources.

## Teaching and Training

Formal teaching and training opportunities are important, and three
panels advanced ideas on this issue.

One panel noted the need to promote use of historic resources as
interactive teaching and learning tools. Another suggested strongly
recommending inclusion of heritage education in national & state
history/social studies standards and curricula.

**Teaching and Training (2)**

To help make heritage education effective, two panels stressed the need
to support partnerships and connections between historians,
preservationists, and the educational community.

And within the preservation field itself, a need persists to ensure a
professionally trained work force in preservation, archeology, and
cultural resource management.

**Broaden Outreach**

Panelists proposed broader outreach as a way of expanding the depth and
breadth of the history and preservation community. International
outreach was specifically mentioned as an area for potential growth.
Yesterday, breakout session participants expressed great interest in the
development of a U.S. clearinghouse to facilitate the sharing of
knowledge about international preservation.

**Providing Leadership**

Guiding the national preservation program during the coming decades will
require strong leadership.

**Federal Program Structure**

Two panels examined the structure of the existing Federal preservation
program, exploring how it can be improved. Possible changes focused on
raising the profile of heritage resources within the Federal government.
Yesterday's breakout sessions revealed considerable interest in
continuing this dialogue.

To better engage the private sector, one panel suggested creating a
time-limited, bipartisan Presidential Commission of corporate leaders to
encourage strategies for corporate involvement in preservation.

**Policy**

Policy considerations raised by several of the panels ranged from the
broad to the specific. The most comprehensive suggestion was to fully
implement existing provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act,
some of which are unused, underutilized, or underfunded.

One panel noted a need to improve how existing legislation and
regulations facilitate preservation following disasters. Another policy
suggestion was to reinvigorate participation in international
preservation organizations, conventions, treaties, and programs.

**Funding**

Policy and legislative concerns are inextricably linked to issues of
funding, and several panels addressed this issue.

On the broadest scale, panelists explored how to ensure that funding for
the Federal preservation program is sustainable and fully accomplishes
the intent of the NHPA.

Two panels suggested that doing so might require new financial vehicles
and incentives for heritage resource development, such as tax credits,
bond funds, loan programs, and related mechanisms.

For the unique preservation needs following disasters, another panel
suggested developing specific funding mechanisms to support
stabilization efforts & continuity of operations for local heritage
organizations.

**Partnerships**

Not surprisingly, several of the panels brought forth ideas addressing
the importance of partnerships and the need for the Federal government
to foster collaboration.

One suggestion was to foster partnerships between the Federal government
and Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations, while recognizing
the unique government-to-government relationship between the Federal
government and Tribes. At yesterday's breakout sessions, participants
strongly supported this idea.

Another panel stressed the need for state and local cultural
institutions to collaborate to support both historic preservation and
the conservation of cultural collections.

Finally, participants suggested that enhancing public/private
partnerships between all levels of government and nonprofit and private
organizations is imperative. As noted in at least one of the breakout
sessions, all preservation is ultimately local, so fostering greater
collaboration with local governments is critical.

**Where Do We Go From Here?**

As this presentation has summarized, all of you -- either as panelists
or as participants at this Summit -- have helped to identify and shape
important ideas for change and improvement. How do we take these ideas
and move forward?

**Immediate Next Steps**

The panels' preliminary reports have been posted on the Internet for
public review and comment.

In the coming weeks, the expert panels will have the opportunity to
revise their reports, as needed, to reflect public comment and the
feedback generated at this Summit.

**Immediate Next Steps(2)**

In November, the final panel reports will also be posted online for
public review.

The final reports and the public feedback ultimately will be presented
to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at its February 2007
meeting. The ACHP will then work with its partners -- Federal, Tribal,
State, Local, and private -- to use the ideas that have come out of this
Summit to help chart the course of the national preservation program.

**2016**

In 2016, the National Historic Preservation Act will be 50 years old.
The work we have done here will help set the stage for moving the
national preservation program forward over the next ten years.
Implementing change over the next decade is a goal for us to strive for.
The 50^th^ anniversary will be the milestone from which we will look
back upon this Summit and assess its outcome.