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General Project Review at the South Carolina SHPO


The consultation procedures outlined on this page apply ONLY to consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).  Consultation with our office IS NOT a substitute for consultation with Native American tribes, interested parties, local governments, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the public.  See 36 CFR 800 “Protection of Historic Properties” for additional information.

Federal and State Laws require consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History for federally funded, assisted, or licensed projects and some state assisted or permitted projects. Guidance on the regulations implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act can be found at Section 106 Review of Federal Projects. This section of our website outlines the process of consulting with our office for federal projects.

Follow the links below for guidance on SHPO review of state laws:

• OCRM Coastal Zone Management Permits
• DHEC Mining Permits

INITIATING PROJECT REVIEW
Federal agencies and/or applicants for federal assistance should initiate project review by providing the following documentation about a proposed undertaking to our office.  Incomplete forms will be returned for additional information without review.

  1. A completed Project Review Form, with all attached documentation.  Indicate the appropriate federal agency and contact information on the Form.  Contact the appropriate agency requiring consultation with the SHPO for this information.  For Housing and Urban Development projects under 24 CFR 50 and 24 CFR 58, the local government is the responsible entity/federal agency.
     
    NOTE:  Forms without a federal agency identified will be returned.  Indicate “due diligence” if the project review form is submitted outside of any formal review requirements.

    NOTE:  Project Review Forms are not required if an FCC Form 620 or 621 will be submitted.  See Cell Tower Review for more information about completing the FCC Forms 620 and 621.

  2. The results of the identification of historic properties, including any maps printed from ArchSite. The SHPO does not conduct research for the identification of properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.  This information must be provided to the SHPO with the initial project submission.

    The SHPO makes information about cultural resources available to consultants and government agencies through ArchSite, the National Register files, and the South Carolina Statewide Inventory of Historic Properties. Federal agencies and their applicants should search all three sources of information for compliance-related projects. The Consultant's Guide to Survey and National Register Files provides an overview of the information included in the SHPO files and a step-by-step checklist for searching for properties that are listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. 

    Please note: ArchSite and archaeological site information is managed and maintained by the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA). The SCIAA website contains information on how to access ArchSite, their archaeological site files and to set up an appointment.
  3. A USGS 1:24,000-scale topographic map with the project location clearly marked and the name of the quadrangle provided on the map.  Maps may be downloaded for free from www.maptech.com.
  4. Photographs of the project area.  Photographs should include any previous ground disturbance and current land use.  Digital photos printed at a high resolution on a good-quality color printer are acceptable.  No more than two (2) photographs per page should be submitted.

Note:  If a project involves the rehabilitation/repair/renovation of a building that is eligible for or listed in the National Register of Historic Places, or is within the boundaries of a National Register Historic District, the following additional information is needed:

  1. A Historic Building Supplement provides needed information on projects that could directly affect historic properties. Please see Historic Building Rehabilitation/Restoration for additional guidance for work on historic buildings.
  2. Photographs that document the current condition of the building, including photographs of all building elevations and the building’s site.  Digital photos printed at a high resolution on a good-quality printer are acceptable.  No more than two (2) photographs per page should be submitted.
  3. A set of plans and specifications for the proposed work.

GUIDANCE FOR SPECIFIC PROGRAMS CAN BE FOUND HERE:
• Heritage Corridor Grants
• Recreational Trails Grants
• Telecommunications Towers
• Transportation Enhancement Grants

REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
In most cases, the initial information provided in the Project Review Form will be sufficient for the SHPO to provide comments. If we need additional information about a project, our office may request archaeological surveys or investigations, photographs, comments from interested parties, and/or site visits.

When additional information is submitted to our office, the first page of the Project Review Form must accompany the additional information.  This first page will ensure that our office matches the additional documentation to the initial submittal.
SHPO staff may request that the applicant retain a cultural resource consultant to conduct one of the following cultural resource studies.
 

  1. A Cultural Resource Assessment (CRA) is designed to provide our office with the basic information necessary to determine whether a project has the likelihood of affecting irreplaceable historic and archaeological sites.
  2. A Cultural Resources Reconnaissance (CRR) is designed to provide information about the types of resources that are likely to be found within a project area and the need for additional survey.
  3. An Intensive Cultural Resource Survey (CRS) will identify archaeological and above-ground sites within the project’s Area of Potential Effects (APE) and will assess the eligibility of newly identified sites for the National Register of Historic Places.

Only one copy of a draft cultural resources report (two if above-ground properties are documented) should be submitted for review.  Additional copies may be requested for outside (peer) review.
The numbers of final reports to be submitted to the SHPO are as follows:

  • one (1) bound hard copy (two if above-ground properties are documented) for the SHPO
  • one (1) digital copy on CD in ADOBE Acrobat PDF format for the SHPO
  • two (2) bound hard copies on acid-free paper for SCIAA
  • one (1) unbound hard copy on acid-free paper for SCIAA
  • one (1) digital PDF copy on CD for SCIAA

Our office has a 30-day review period for the Project Review Form and all other submitted materials. Review time is often less than 30 days. If additional information is requested, the 30-day review period begins again when the new information is received. It is very important to fully complete the Project Review Form and submit all of the required materials in order to facilitate the review. Phone calls and e-mails checking the status of projects WITHIN the 30-day review period will not be returned.


Print all forms and maps, and send with relevant photos to:

Rebekah Dobrasko
Review and Compliance Coordinator
South Carolina Department of Archives and History
8301 Parklane Road
Columbia, SC  29223

NOTE:  Project Review Forms and supporting documentation will not be accepted via facsimile or e-mail!!!

COMPLETING CONSULTATION
Once our office receives the required information, we will review the material and provide comments. The federal agency is responsible for identifying historic properties and making a determination of effect on those historic properties.  Our office will concur or not concur with any recommendations or agency determinations. The ultimate goal of the review process is to reach a mutually agreeable determination of project effect.

  1. Federal agency and SHPO concurrence with a determination of no historic properties affected generally concludes the review process and no further work is required.
  2. A determination of no adverse effect is typically made when the federal agency, SHPO, and additional consulting parties have agreed to a set of conditions that will keep adverse effects from happening. Generally, these conditions become part of the federal undertaking or are permit conditions.
  3. If the agency determines that a project will have an adverse effect upon a historic property, then the federal agency, the SHPO, project planners, and any interested parties should consult to determine the best way to resolve adverse effects. Once the means for resolving adverse effects are agreed upon, they are formalized in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).