Army moves to end state review of ground work at two Alaska posts

The Army has moved to scrap the historic preservation agreement covering Fort Wainwright, Fort Greely and their training areas, ending the state's formal role in signing off on ground-disturbing projects there.

In a July 22 letter, the Army said it would terminate the agreement unless it and the state reached an alternative during a 30-day consultation period. That window closed Aug. 21, and neither the Army nor the state has said publicly whether anything came of it.

The Army cited the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's July 15 refusal to sign a proposed amendment, and the Alaska State Historic Preservation Office's failure to respond within 30 days.

The replacement is an Army-wide program the preservation council issued in April. It "eliminates requirement for SHPO concurrence; prescribes SHPO as advisory," moving determinations to installation staff rather than the state office. Using it is optional, and existing agreements have to be ended under their own terms first. It does not cover every undertaking, and it keeps separate procedures for National Historic Landmarks and for properties of traditional religious and cultural importance.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough preservation commission takes up federal historic review letters Sept. 1.