What is a historic structures survey?
A historic structures survey is a systematic attempt to identify all structures that are over 50 years old that will be directly or indirectly affected by a project. The survey will record the location, style, condition, builder, history of modifications, and special features of the structure in order to determine its signficance. The survey is often conducted by a structural historian who has been trained to recognize the factors that make a structure significant.
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Why do I have to do a cultural resource assessment?
Cultural resource assessments are required of all projects that occur on federal land or are federally funded or permitted. The source of this requirement is the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, that was passed when American citizens became alarmed at the rate in which historic houses and archaeological sites were being destroyed by economic development and population growth. The law does not forbid the destruction of these resources but it does require that the effects to these resources be considered prior to any potentially destructive activity being conducted. The law requires that significant resources that may be affected by the activity be identified and recorded. It also requires that the project managers look at alternatives to limit the amount of destruction to the cultural resources when possible. In the event that the cultural resources are destroyed, a record has been made of their existence in order to allow for future study and appreciation.
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