Council handpicked by Trump to gut review process of historic-preservation projects

The Advisory Council for Historic Preservation is voting this week on a measure to slash the role of states, tribes and the public in Section 106 reviews under the National Historic Preservation Act. Twenty of the 24 members of the council are Trump administration appointees. The council does not currently have a chairman, who must be nominated by the president and Senate-confirmed, and one appointee appears to have stepped down in June. Three of the members are ex-officio representatives of national preservation organizations.

Section 106 is a 60-year-old law that says federal agencies "must consider the effects on historic properties of any project they propose to carry out." If a project could affect a historic property, a review process takes place, where the council, relevant parties and the public can weigh in on the project before it moves forward.

The issue is of interest to President Trump, since the president has several construction projects underway in the region. The ballroom addition to the East Wing of the White House is not governed by the rule, since it is on White House grounds. But the president's plans for a triumphal arch to be built near Arlington National Cemetery are currently undergoing a Section 106 review, and the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation says it's worried the review has been too hurried.

"We are deeply concerned about the limited nature of the consultation, the rushed timeline, the exclusion of many parties (including the National Trust) from the consultation process, and the failure to consider less harmful alternatives," said Rob Nieweg, senior vice president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in testimony before the National Capital Planning Commission earlier this month.

Experts warn that the changes, which would take effect after a final rule is passed and would impact future projects, could expand the federal government's power to build or renovate historic sites with less oversight.

The review process currently requires the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation to consult with state preservation officials and Tribal Historic Preservation officers.

The changes would also limit the ability of Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations to protest projects that may affect their land.

In a letter obtained by CBS News, the National Trust for Historic Preservation said it opposes the moves by the council to change Section 106, arguing it will "eviscerate the preservation of our shared civic and cultural heritage in the United States," and says the group will take legal ac