If you’ve been following recent headlines, you know that historic preservation is facing a pivotal moment.
First and foremost, I want you to know that the team at Preservation Maryland is engaged on these issues and prepared for this moment.
Success in preservation starts with a solid foundation of community support. It’s why we put so much effort into communicating the value and impact of this work. Preservation for the sake of preservation can never be the goal. Instead, our goal is to use historic places to make life better.
Showing how life is made better, how history enriches communities, and why the struggle to preserve is worth the investment is a key part of our job—and we take it seriously.
It’s also our job to stand up for preservation tools and find new ways to save old places.
One of the most important preservation tools is Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. For nearly sixty years, it has helped ensure that federal agencies consider the effects of their projects on historic places while providing opportunities for communities and other interested parties to participate in decisions about places they value. The places that make life better.
Recent actions by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation have advanced proposed revisions to the Section 106 regulations. Many preservation professionals, advocates, and community organizations have expressed concerns that the revisions could significantly reduce opportunities for public participation and narrow the review of federally connected projects that may affect historic and cultural resources forever.
For Preservation Maryland, this is about more than a single regulation. It is about whether communities will continue to have a role and real input in decisions that shape the places where they live, work, and build their futures.
We believe preservation is strongest when it is transparent, collaborative, and rooted in meaningful public engagement. We also recognize that preservation programs, like any public process, can evolve. Thoughtful reform is possible without sacrificing the public’s ability to participate in decisions affecting historic places.
As this federal rulemaking process moves forward, Preservation Maryland will continue to:
- Monitor developments closely;
- Work with partners across Maryland and the nation;
- Share accurate and timely information with our members and supporters;
- Advocate for policies that balance efficiency with meaningful consultation and public involvement;
- Alert members and supporters when the public comment period opens.
Whatever challenges lie ahead, our commitment remains unchanged. We believe historic places make Maryland stronger, and we will continue working to ensure that preservation remains a powerful tool for building vibrant communities across our state. While the Advisory Council has voted to advance the proposed revisions, the rulemaking process is not complete. Once the proposal is published, there will be an opportunity for the public to submitcomments.
Stay engaged with us; we’ll continue to share updates, opportunities for action, and ways you can help shape the future of preservation in Maryland and beyond.