GAO Flags National Register Bottlenecks Impacting Federal Infrastructure Projects
A new GAO report reveals that outdated National Park Service guidance and procedural friction with state and tribal historic preservation officers are creating compliance delays, affecting federal infrastructure and defense land development timelines.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report identifying significant operational friction within the National Register of Historic Places, which is administered by the National Park Service (NPS) in coordination with State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs) and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs). GAO determined that core NPS guidance documents governing the nomination and evaluation process are severely outdated, lacking key information necessary for users to efficiently process historic property applications. Consequently, state and tribal officials face substantial administrative burdens, requiring extra time and resources to navigate complex nominations.
The report highlights acute structural disconnects regarding tribal historic sites. Officials from federally recognized Tribes informed GAO that standard National Register evaluation criteria often fail to accommodate historically significant tribal properties and traditional cultural landscapes. Additionally, deep concerns regarding data security remain; several Tribes expressed fear that listing properties could expose sacred sites to unauthorized access, looting, or vandalism. Although federal provisions permit the withholding of sensitive location data from public disclosure, NPS has not adequately communicated these protections to tribal partners.
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