What is the History of THPO Funding?
Per the 1992 amendments to the National Historic Preservation Act, tribal governments were able to create and operate Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) programs by officially entering into agreements with the National Park Service on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior. Among other tasks, THPOs may assume the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) responsibilities on tribal lands and also receive funds for this purpose from the Historic Preservation Fund, also administered by the National Park Service. In the first year of THPO funding in Fiscal Year 1996, 12 tribes received a total of $958,500 for an average of about $80,000 each.
Historic Preservation Fund (HPF)
The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) was created by the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act and is supported by annual revenues from Outer Continental Shelf oil leases and assists states, local governments, and Indian tribes with their historic preservation activities nationwide. The HPF is administered by the National Park Service that is located within the Interior Department. The Interior Department receives its federal appropriations via the House and Senate subcommittees on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies.
FY2018 Federal Appropriations being considered on Capitol Hill:
Click here for President Trump administration request for the HPF.
FY2017 Federal Appropriations for Tribes (current year):
Click here for the final FY2017 HPF funding levels.
* February 2016 President Obama submitted his federal budget request to the U.S. Congress.
* Late May 2016 the House passed its Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations levels.
* June 2016 the Senate passed its version.
* May 2017 the Congress agreed on a FY17 budget