Did anyone else start singing David Bowie’s “Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes” song when you read that title?  If you have been keeping up with the announcements this year, you may think this is now the PA SHPO theme song.

Behind the scenes, we have been thinking about our internal work gets done here at the SHPO in preparation for our future Data Management System. We recently completed our Business Needs Analysis for the new system and now have a blueprint in hand for the future.

Not sure what the Data Management System is?  I don’t want to spoil all the great stuff you’ll read about in an upcoming post by our project manager, Saurabh Shah, but I can tell you a few things.

The data management system will be a new, enterprise, web-based application that will be based on state-of-the-art technology, and will greatly expand upon the functionality provided in the current CRGIS system.  Our goal is to digitize the PA SHPO processes and upgrade our existing databases into one system to help the PA SHPO staff provide better customer service to the public, our partners, and the many agencies and organizations we work with on a daily basis.

This is a multi-year project that you’ll hear a lot more about throughout the year.  Think of the changes upgrades to CRGIS we’ve been announcing as stepping stones helping you – and us – transition to the future Data Management System.

The Environmental Review staff are moving quickly off the starting line, and have made a big leap toward achieving our office goals, by shifting our review areas of responsibility to exclude our management staff from routine reviews.

Updated Environmental Review Regions, effective August 1, 2017.

This new map, reflecting the updated review regions for both archaeology and above ground, illustrates our new direction. Emma Diehl will now handle above-ground reviews in the northeast, southeast, and south central part of the state.  Cheryl Nagle will review above-ground reviews in the southwest, northwest, and north central part of Pennsylvania.

PA SHPO’s three archaeologists also have different review regions.  Mark Shaffer will review the southeast quarter of Pennsylvania, and Kira Heinrich will review projects in the south central, southwest, and northwest.  Steve McDougal will handle review for the central and northeast part of the state as well as statewide mine project reviews.

Doug and Barbara will still be here working hard, managing staff, directing our coming changes, and developing important new office initiatives. And, as always, the contact information for all of our Environmental Review managers and staff can be found on our website.