A number of different state and federal laws guide how WSDOT considers cultural resources.
This page is a general overview. For more details, please refer to the Environmental Procedures Manual or contact a Cultural Resources Specialist (pdf 50 kb)
Section 106
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires that federal agencies take into account the effects of their activities on historic properties. Historic properties are sites, districts, objects, or structures that are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
If a WSDOT project is federally funded or permitted, we work with the lead federal agency to comply with Section 106.
Section 106 requires consultation with Native American tribes, the State Historic Preservation Officer, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and local governments. For more information on tribal consultation, contact the Tribal Liaison Office.
Federal Highway Administration
Projects funded or approved by the Federal Highway Administration follow the process described in the Statewide Section 106 Programmatic Agreement (pdf 170 kb).
When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is issuing a permit, they are a project co-lead. The co-lead process with FHWA Washington Division is described in a Memorandum for Record (pdf 30 kb).
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Some projects are state-funded, but require a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Section 106 compliance for those projects is conducted as described in a second Memorandum for Record (pdf 61 kb).
Other Federal Agencies
WSDOT works with other agencies, such as the National Park Service, Federal Transit Administration, and USDA Forest Service, on a project-by-project basis.
Governor's Executive Order 05-05
State-funded capital construction projects with no federal funding or permits must comply with Governor's Executive Order 05-05 (pdf 133 kb). GEO 05-05 is similar to Section 106 and is administered by the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (pdf 443 kb).
Other Laws, Regulations, and Policies
A number of other state and federal laws might apply to a WSDOT project, depending on factors like specific location, land ownership, and permitting.
The Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation has a comprehensive list of state and federal cultural resources laws.
Documents
We use these documents and templates to guide cultural resources studies: