Federal Historic Preservation Laws face focused ongoing attack

From the song, "Don't Tear it Down"by Spy vs. Spy. "Wonder why they're tearing all the old houses down. Can't they see, that they're the best places around. Don't tear it down..."

Earlier in the week, it was reported that Carol Schull, the long time "Keeper," director of the National Register of Historic Places, lost her title.

From the Washington Post:

Not Flexible by Her Account
By Al KamenMonday, May 9, 2005; Page A21

In Washington, every day, every week, every month is special, a celebration of some group, event, cause or whatever. May, for example, is Historic Preservation Month. The National Park Service is celebrating with a major restructuring (that's fed talk for what some folks there are calling a massacre) of the cultural resources staff.

Associate Director Jan Matthews , "to promote more efficiency, effectiveness and accountability," moved around some senior career officials and assumed the job of Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places -- a job that had been handled by highly respected veteran Carol Shull.

David Rotenstein, a preservation professional, wrote this on the Forum-L email list (reprinted with permission):

I think it would be wise to view the recent NPS re-organization in light of a broader conservative agenda to recast historic preservation. The recent House subcommittee oversight hearing on the National Historic Preservation Act and streamlining actions undertaken by the ACHP in concert with various federal agencies under pressure from industrial special interest groups all are part of this trend. (See this article, which is the only news report of the oversight hearing.)

When I was still working as a compliance consultantfor the major telecommunications corporations there were significant efforts underway as early as the spring of 2001 to begin working personal relationships in state legislatures, governors' offices, and on CapitolHill. My clients actually held conference calls to discuss ways to rope in old college friends, former colleagues, and relatives into the effort.

The strategy hatched in 2001 included intensive lobbying efforts to ge trelief from the rigors of NHPA compliance through executive and legislative action. I had several clients attempt to get me to participate in these direct lobbying efforts and they continued to try and bounce ideas off me up until last summer when I informed them that I would no longer do Section 106 work for FCC compliance projects. The effort is very concentrated and it has evolved from a communications-industry focus into a broader attempt to"reform" national historic preservation policy.

And this response from an historic preservation professional that works for a state government agency--

My apologies for not responding to the listserv here, but as a government employee, I do not feel that would be wise. I just wanted to thank you for responding to the previous gentleman's email and for saying what we are all thinking (at least those of us who are independent thinking preservationists) this is so obviously just step three (or whatever it is up to now) in the telecommunication industry's clandestinely hatched dark plan to subvert cultural resource protection for their and the legislature's gain.

It is disgusting and so plainly clear--I just really don't know what recourse there is. Do we write Jan Matthews and tell her and her cohorts that we know what is going on and that we will be watching? I personally don't know her, but her resume seems fairly impressive and almost liberal, not seemingly in line with such a coup d'etat and overt expression of political will, power, and influence. Do we try and educate our legislative reps. as to what is happening? both state and federal. Do we begin a grass roots movement of knowledge and expression lending the idea to the NPS and the government that we will not stand idly by silent?

What is the best recourse or plan of action, especially considering the many preservationists and archaeologists who are already govt. employees, and who cannot yell too loudly?
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I will say this week that I finally joined Preservation Action, the preservation advocacy group, that because it is a 501(c)(4), doesn't shy away from advocacy.