Æ’s team of historic preservation professionals has a successful track record of providing high-quality services in furthering the dialogue between Native Americans, agencies, and project proponents for a variety of project types, including residential and commercial development, power generation and transmission, oil and gas infrastructure, roadways and trails, and environmental planning.
Our program staff offers extensive experience in cultural resource consulting, including preparation of cultural resource management documents required under federal and state laws, such as Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The Æ team possesses a thorough understanding of regulatory requirements and compliance procedures and has successfully guided clients in identifying and redesigning project alternatives that minimize or eliminate impacts to culturally-sensitive areas and landscapes. We also provide expert historic preservation planning guidance to assist private developers, municipalities, and agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. Our senior staff determines specific client needs, formulates appropriate tribal relations strategies for each project, and follows through with well-managed implementation and high-quality deliverables.
Tribal Relations Services
Fostering constructive and meaningful communications with Native American tribes and organizations
Identifying Culturally-Sensitive Locations, Areas, and Landscapes of Value including traditional cultural properties (TCPs) and tribal cultural resources (TCRs)
Facilitating compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Restoration Act (NAGPRA)
Conducting oral history interviews
Facilitating tribal participation in projects as members of Æ field survey, excavation and monitoring crews
Archival and ethnohistorical research
City, state, and national register eligibility evaluations and nominations
Assessment of impacts/findings of effects
Heritage resource management plans
Condition assessments
Expert testimony
Our dedicated staff of professional historic preservation specialists and historical researchers routinely documents and evaluates culturally-sensitive sites, districts, and landscapes throughout the western United States. We have extensive experience working with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for the Treatment of Historic Properties, as well as local design guidelines, historic preservation zoning overlays and policies, and ordinances.
We provide clear and consistent guidance for preservation, rehabilitation, and other proposed cultural and natural area treatments to heritage resources to ensure compliance with those requirements.
Æ’s preservation professionals coordinate extensively with federal agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, and the USDA Forest Service; state agencies such as the California Energy Commission and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans); and numerous local city and county municipalities. Our experienced team has a demonstrated ability to provide quality work on schedule and produce thorough, accurate, and easily understood technical documents.