| The
Iowa Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) reviews all projects that are federally
funded, licensed, or permitted and may affect historic properties. The law and
regulations governing this review are Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and its implementing
regulations, 36
CFR Part 800, revised effective August 5, 2004. Under this
act, federal agencies are required to take into account the effects of their actions,
called “undertakings”, on historic resources.
Federal
Education Grants
The US Department of Education provides federal grants for facility improvements
to Iowa schools primarily through the Iowa Demonstration Construction Grant program
(Fire/Life/Safety and Construction grants). In past years, School Renovation IDEA
and Technology (SRIT) Grants were also available. (IDEA stands for Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act.) These grants are awarded through the Iowa Department
of Education. Certain projects funded in whole or in part by these two grant programs
may be considered “undertakings” under Section 106 and should be reviewed
according to the procedures outlined in 36 CFR Part 800.
Grant
Recipient’s Role
Although the US Department of Education is ultimately responsible for compliance
with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, they delegated their
duties to the Iowa Department of Education. By signature on the federal grant
application, the grant recipient agrees to assist the Iowa Department of Education
in assuring compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act.
Once a grant is awarded,
the grant recipient should:
- collect the information requested in the March 1, 2005 Guidance Memorandum
on Department of Education Projects prepared by the Iowa SHPO, and
- submit the collected information and appropriate forms, including a Request
for SHPO Comment on a Department of Education Project form, to IAED.
Links to these documents can be found here.
Please do not submit any information on your project for official comment until
the grant has been awarded. This will eliminate unnecessary project reviews by
SHPO. If, however, you have questions about how to take care of your historic
school, SHPO will be more than happy to assist you.
Please do not submit any
information on your project for official comment until the grant has been awarded.
This will eliminate unnecessary project reviews by SHPO. If, however, you have
questions about how to take care of your historic school, SHPO will be more than
happy to assist you.
Iowa
Department of Education’s Role
The Iowa Department of Education’s School Facility Unit reviews all project
documentation submitted by the grant recipients. If the submittal is complete
and Iowa Department of Education agrees to the findings, they will sign the Request
for SHPO Comment on a Department of Education Project form as the Federally
Authorized Signature and forward the project documentation to SHPO for Section
106 review.
SHPO
Role
Once the appropriate information is submitted to the Iowa Department of Education
and forwarded to the Iowa SHPO with an agency determination regarding effects
on historic properties, a 30-day comment period begins. SHPO staff will review
the material submitted and provide comment. It is important to note that the Section
106 review process is consultative only. The Iowa SHPO provides comments to assist
the US and Iowa Departments of Education, and their federal grant recipients,
in meeting their responsibilities under Section 106 to take into account how their
project may affect historic properties.
Questions
or comments regarding this document should be directed to:
Barbara A. Mitchell, Architectural Historian
State Historical Society of Iowa
515.281.4013
Barbara.Mitchell@iowa.gov |
