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Performance Details

Department of Natural Resources - Office of History and Archaeology

Mission

The Office of History and Archaeology provides an historic preservation program to encourage the preservation and protection of the historic, prehistoric and archaeological resources of Alaska.

Core Services

  • Identify, document, evaluate, and protect historic sites and buildings through application of historic preservation guidelines, standards and regulations to ensure state and federal actions take into account impacts to historic properties.
  • Maintain statewide inventory of historic, archaeological and prehistoric sites (Alaska Heritage Resource Survey) and provide guidance, training and access to site information.
Arrow GraphicMission Results Core Services
A: Historic properties are protected through historic preservation programs that identify, document, protect, and restore historic sites and buildings. Details >
A1: Identify, document, evaluate, and protect historic sites and buildings through application of historic preservation guidelines, standards and regulations to ensure state and federal actions take into account impacts to historic properties. Details >
  • TARGET #1: Review and comment on projects within 30 days of receipt of projects ready for review.
  • TARGET #2: Enter into four new historic preservation agreements per quarter. Maintain and monitor existing agreements.
A2: Maintain statewide inventory of historic, archaeological and prehistoric sites (Alaska Heritage Resource Survey) and provide guidance, training and access to site information. Details >
  • TARGET #1: Maintain statewide database of site locations, description information, and digital documents for use by agencies, project planners, and researchers.

Performance Detail


A: Result -Historic properties are protected through historic preservation programs that identify, document, protect, and restore historic sites and buildings.
A1: Core Service - Identify, document, evaluate, and protect historic sites and buildings through application of historic preservation guidelines, standards and regulations to ensure state and federal actions take into account impacts to historic properties.
    Target #1: Review and comment on projects within 30 days of receipt of projects ready for review.

Methodology: Total Projects Reviewed within 30 days. The 2023 numbers reflect the first three quarters of the calendar year, through September 30, 2023.
Year Total Projects Reviewed within 30 days
2024 953 of a total of 1030
2023 2061 of a total of 2192
2022 2181 of a total of 2238
2021 1796 of a total of 2030
2020 1999 of a total of 2154
2019 2157 of a total of 2169
Projects Reviewed Within 30 Days
Year
Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
YTD Total
2024
425
528
0
0
953
2023
545
589
452
475
2061
2022
520
736
465
460
2181
2021
407
545
421
423
1796
2020
588
505
529
377
1999
2019
545
683
479
450
2157
2018
514
528
456
386
1884
2017
543
574
387
313
1817
2016
691
545
391
523
2150
2015
720
662
375
531
2288
2014
569
620
424
494
2107
2013
705
645
375
363
2088
Analysis of results and challenges: The Office of History and Archaeology (OHA) tracks response times for projects submitted for review under federal National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 (54 U.S.C. 306108) authorities and state authorities under AS 41.35 for concurrence with determinations of eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places or Alaska Landmarks Register, findings of effect on historic properties or recommendations for survey and identification. Federal regulation 36 CFR 800 gives the State Historic Preservation Office 30 days to respond to federal requests for concurrence with determinations of eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places and findings of effect of federal undertakings on historic properties. OHA strives to respond to these and other steps in the review process within 30 days.

In 2020 OHA reviewed 1999 projects within 30 days out of a total 2154 projects, about 92%. In 2021, OHA reviewed 1796 projects within 30 days out of a total of 2030, about 88%. In 2022, OHA reviewed 2,181 projects in 30 days out of a total of 2238 projects, about 97.4%. In 2023, OHA reviewed 2061 projects in 30 days out of a total of 2192, about 94%. In the first two quarters of 2024, OHA reviewed 953 out of 1030, about 92%.

Target Last Modified: 10/08/2024

    Target #2: Enter into four new historic preservation agreements per quarter. Maintain and monitor existing agreements.

Methodology: New historic preservation agreement documents and substantive amendments to existing agreements during calendar year: Memorandums of Agreement and Programmatic Agreements
Historic Preservation Agreement Documents: Programmatic Agreements and Memorandum of Agreements
Year
Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
YTD Total
2024
1
5
0
0
6
2023
4
8
5
4
21
2022
8
4
6
1
19
2021
4
7
5
5
21
2020
0
8
8
3
19
2019
4
3
4
2
13
2018
3
1
2
5
11
2017
5
12
2
3
22
2016
2
7
2
1
12
2015
4
6
3
3
16
2014
5
8
5
5
23
2013
6
5
3
3
17
2012
5
5
6
3
19
2011
0
0
6
2
8
Analysis of results and challenges: Agreement documents are an important tool in streamlining the historic preservation environmental compliance process and are used to modify the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 project review process for large and complex projects or ongoing agency operations. Agreement documents also address mitigation of adverse effects a project may have on historic properties and allow for a project to move forward once mitigation is agreed to and documented in a memorandum of agreement or a programmatic agreement.

Large or substantive Agreements signed in 2024 include the PMART PA, the 17(d)(1) PA, and the Alaska Fiber PA. Major agreement amendments made during the reporting period include the FHWA PA, the Coastal Plain PA, and the McDonald Cr MOA. Major milestones were reached for several large projects with existing agreements, such as the Ambler Access Road PA, the Sterling Highway MP 45-60 PA, and the Coastal Plain PA.

Target Last Modified: 10/08/2024


A2: Core Service - Maintain statewide inventory of historic, archaeological and prehistoric sites (Alaska Heritage Resource Survey) and provide guidance, training and access to site information.
    Target #1: Maintain statewide database of site locations, description information, and digital documents for use by agencies, project planners, and researchers.

Methodology: Site data entered or updated in Alaska Heritage Resource Survey.
Alaska Heritage Resource Survey Data Entered or Updated
Year
Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
YTD Total
2024
3,774
5,473
0
0
9,247
2023
4,115
7,509
6,637
4,490
22,751
2022
5,925
5,668
5,036
2,153
11,593
2021
11,778
21,657
9,673
4,568
47,676
2020
6,948
9,521
11,643
12,769
40,881
2019
7,779
5,178
5,649
4,526
23,132
2018
3,135
3,901
3,408
4,320
14,764
2017
3,758
2,860
6,660
3,170
16,448
2016
7,618
6,233
4,416
4,713
22,980
2015
7,640
7,555
6,306
5,396
26,897
2014
5,991
6,870
6,715
5,866
25,442
2013
3,083
3,902
3,040
3,398
13,423
2012
1,932
1,328
1,529
5,018
9,807
2011
569
574
619
1,007
2,769
2010
1,931
695
1,449
847
4,922
Analysis of results and challenges: The State of Alaska statewide inventory of historic, prehistoric, and archaeological sites is maintained under state and federal authorities. Data entered in the Alaska Heritage Resource Survey (AHRS) comes from external sources: agencies, land managers, communities, tribes and others submit survey reports to the Office of History and Archaeology. Site data contained within the cultural resource survey reports and documents are entered into the AHRS database where appropriate. Legacy data is reviewed and incorporated into the database as time allows. The AHRS database transition was completed early in SFY2024, and previous database shut down. In addition to performing database operations, AHRS staff worked on several special projects that resulted in important, updated AHRS record information, but did not generate consistent database entries or modifications.

AHRS access is closed to the public and controlled through review of submitted, signed user agreement and, if requesting additional access, supporting documentation (vitae, school transcript). The restricted access nature of the database is to protect site locations and information that may cause unauthorized site disturbance and vandalism. Access protocols and guidelines are set in the Office of History and Archaeology`s Data Access Policies and Guidelines and managed by the AHRS Coordinator.

AHRS database information is continually updated, and new records created as information is submitted to the unit. In FY2024, there were 460 individual users and 10 corporate agreements. As of June 30, 2024, there were 51,000 AHRS site records. Digitized documents associated with the cultural sites reached 21,000 records in the Document Repository and there are 21,000 digitized investigation records in the database. AHRS database development continues and will include more efficient data entry and search functions soon.

Target Last Modified: 10/08/2024

Last refreshed: 05/12/2025 12:00 pm