Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released a statement following the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP)’s vote to alter Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act:
“On Friday, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) took the first step in radically altering the National Historic Preservation Act. The proposed revisions would silence the voices of states that have cared for their residents’ history for generations. The affront runs deeper for Tribes, undermining Tribal sovereignty and the federal government’s trust responsibility.
“Historic and cultural sites in Colorado, from national landmarks like Mesa Verde to local treasures such as the Redstone Coke Ovens, are irreplaceable, and once they are gone, they are gone forever.
“These changes are not designed to make historic preservation better or to deliver the projects that our communities need most. They are designed to pave the way for Trump’s vanity projects in D.C., from putting his name back on the Kennedy Center to concealing his mistakes at the reflecting pool.
“I demand that ACHP work with Tribes and States to preserve and improve the consultation process –– not disregard the federal government’s critical responsibilities to Tribal Nations and our history.”
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