The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is an independent Federal agency that advises the President and Congress on historic preservation matters and oversees the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 review process (review of impacts on historic properties).
The ACHP has two parts:
- The Council itself – a 20-member body of Presidential appointees, agency heads, and statutory members who collectively advise the President and Congress on historic preservation matters
- The staff – a professional staff, with an office in Washington, DC, who carry out the day-to-day work of the Council, including oversight of Section 106 review
Although both the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture are permanent members of the Council, the ACHP is not a part of any other Federal agency. It should not be confused with the National Park Service, which maintains the National Register of Historic Places and carries out other historic preservation functions. Nor should it be confused with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Congressionally chartered nonprofit corporation that promotes historic preservation.
The ACHP works closely with the State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs/THPOs), who play important roles in the Section 106 review process.
The ACHP's regulations, 36 CFR 800, provide direction on implementing Section 106 review. These regulations are binding on all Executive Branch and independent Federal agencies.
For detailed information on the work of the ACHP and a variety of useful links, go to the ACHP web site.