SECRETARY SALAZAR VOICES SUPPORT FOR FULL FUNDING OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND

Washington, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar expressed support for full funding of the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) as part of remarks to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation on September 16, 2010. "Historic preservation has played second fiddle for too long, and the shoulder that should have been put behind historic preservation funding hasn't been there," the Secretary said.   Secretary Salazar also added that he felt that the authorized amount of $150 million was “not enough,” to fully support the necessary work of preserving, protecting and interpreting the diverse history of all Americans. Each year, $150 million is deposited annually from off-shore oil and gas lease revenues into the HPF.  Congress has never appropriated even half of the authorized amount. For FY2011, the President’s budget included $46.5 million for SHPOs (of which 10% is used to support CLGs), $8 million is scheduled for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPO). The HPF supports State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO) whose mandates include support for local historic preservation commissions, administration of rehabilitation tax credits, survey and nomination of properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, and review and compliance of federal undertakings to determine potential impact on historic resources. Other entities eligible for HPF funding include Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Secretary’s statement follows a policy statement released in July by the White House stating that the Administration “strongly supports funding for land and water conservation and historic preservation projects that prioritize the needs of the Nation based on competitive process.” In July, the House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Land, Energy and Aquatic Resources Act of 2010, including a provision to fully fund the Historic Preservation Fund until 2040.  The Senate Energy bill currently does not include a similar provision.