Specialized experience complying with cultural resource laws

Overview

Parsons Behle & Latimer’s environmental practice team has assisted clients on numerous projects requiring detailed compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and other cultural resource laws. The breadth of our experience with projects located on public lands or otherwise requiring federal permits has provided us a unique perspective on the NHPA consultation and compliance process. These projects typically prompt a variety of questions triggered by the applicability of the NHPA, and other federal and state laws protecting cultural, archaeological and paleontological resources.

Our attorneys regularly assist clients with compliance obligations ranging from the initial determination of eligibility, to efficiently interfacing the historic properties assessment under the NHPA consultation process with the corresponding project-related NEPA compliance, to negotiating detailed Memoranda of Agreement or Programmatic Agreements for resolving any project effects on eligible historic properties. With respect to transportation projects, our practice team has also worked on compliance with the unique cultural resource preservation obligations triggered by Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act.