The comment period opened July 16. The proposed programmatic agreement would replace the park’s expired 2009 agreement, which expired in July 2024, and establish a new Section 106 review framework for archaeological sites, historic structures, traditional cultural places and other properties eligible for or listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

What the draft would cover

The agreement is tied to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the federal process used to consider the effects of federally connected activities on historic properties. Under the proposal, the National Park Service would use procedures for identifying properties, assessing potential effects and developing steps to avoid, minimize or mitigate adverse effects.

The proposed scope would include fire-management activities below the canyon rim. It also would cover mechanical, non-fire fuel-reduction treatments throughout the park, rather than limiting that part of the review to areas currently identified near the South and North rims.

The draft is being developed with the Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer and in consultation with 12 tribes that were consulted on the 2009 agreement. The document says the tribes were invited to be concurring parties. It also recognizes the Grand Canyon, from rim to rim and including the Colorado River and associated features, as eligible for listing in the National Register as a Traditional Cultural Place.

The proposal would not approve a burn

The draft agreement would not authorize a specific prescribed burn, mechanical treatment, fuel-reduction project or other fire-management operation. Instead, it would establish the historic-property review procedures the park would apply when planning and implementing covered activities.

The draft calls for project- and site-specific review before planned work begins. That process could include records searches, mapping, field inventories, cultural-resource assessments and measures designed to avoid, minimize or resolve adverse effects.

Section 106 review is separate from operational authorization and does not by itself serve as environmental, safety or project approval. A final agreement also would not determine which individual fire-management projects will proceed.

How to submit a comment

Comments must be submitted through the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment system by August 15 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time. The project page provides access to the draft agreement and related fire-management documents.

The NPS says comments become part of the public record and may be made publicly available, including personal information submitted with a comment. After the review period closes, the agency plans to respond to substantive comments on the PEPC website before completing any final agreement.

Until that process is finished, the agreement remains a draft. Its proposed expansion of historic-property review would affect how future fire-management activities at Grand Canyon National Park are evaluated, but it would not itself authorize immediate work or decide which projects will be carried out.

Sources

• National Park Service public-comment notice
• NPS PEPC project record
• Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Section 106 fact sheet