Culture Keepers Convene URGENT Meeting about Secret NHPA Section 106 Overhaul

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 21, 2026 — Following the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s (ACHP) proposal to overhaul the Section 106 consultative process, The Culture Keepers Circle (TCKC) convened an emergency strategy meeting with community advocates and cultural heritage experts, especially from Indigenous, Latiné, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other communities. Participants identified 38 dangerous provisions that would weaken federal oversight, restrict the definition of “federal undertakings,” and effectively silence community voices by turning consultation into a transactional notification process. The proposed rules threaten to foreclose formal participation for diverse stakeholders, including Indigenous, African-descendant, and Latiné communities. In response, The Culture Keepers Circle has joined forces with Cultural Heritage Partners to coordinate a rapid advocacy campaign, demanding transparency and urging stakeholders to submit detailed, case-specific public comments to protect historic resources from imminent regulatory erosion.