All federal and most state agencies are required to identify and protect cultural resources on the land they manage and the projects they fund. Business and industry whose projects are licensed by federal and/or state agencies must also identify and mitigate impacts to cultural resources.

A number of state and federal laws mandate these studies. These are the NY State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), the State Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and the National Environmental Protection Act. With these, cultural resources are given equal weight with other factors to determine the impact on the environment. The review process for most projects, therefore, includes a cultural resources study.

Cultural resources include prehistoric and historic sites, historic standing structures, bridges, cemeteries, monuments, and sites potentially eligible for the Historic Register of Historic Places.

If you’re planning a venture like a shopping plaza, a bridge, a water main extension, or a highway, it’s likely that cultural resources will need to be considered during the review process. It’s important that you understand what’s involved, especially during your site selection when a potential showstopper can be addressed early on.

For many projects, only a basic review is required. This consists of a background check and the filing of an assessment form which can be conducted in 4 to 8 hours. For projects in an area of cultural or archaeological significance, a Phase 1A study may be required. This costs approximately $2,500. A smaller number of projects will require a Phase IB field investigation for an additional $5,000 to $7,500. This work can generally be completed in a month.

Even if your project is found to have cultural impacts, mitigation can be performed can be performed early on, through re-design, to reduce the need for additional cultural resource work, speed the approval process, and keep your project viable.

If you have questions or a project that needs a cultural resources review, contact Ann Morton at 585-334-1310 or by e-mail at amorton@fisherassoc.com