This is part of a biannual blog series highlighting the agreement documents executed by PA SHPO in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and its implementing regulations.
Between January 1 and June 30, 2024, PA SHPO has been a signatory to approximately ten (10) Section 106 agreement documents with five different federal agencies as part of consultation for the resolution of adverse effects to historic properties.
Below illustrates a selection of the agreement documents executed within the past six months.
Programmatic Agreement between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO), and TMI-2 Solutions, LLC, Regarding Three Mile Island Unit 2 Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Project, Dauphin County.
The proposed project includes a license amendment request to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to allow for major decommissioning activities, including the future demolition of buildings associated with Three Mile Island – Unit 2 (TMI-2). As part of Section 106 consultation, TMI-2 was again determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register) for its association with the sequence of events that took place from March 28 – April 4, 1979, during and immediately after the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant operating history.
Three Mile Island towers, April 2023. Photo by Don Giles, PHMC.
As part of ongoing consultation with PA SHPO and other Section 106 consulting parties, mitigation for resolving the adverse effect includes the salvage and donation of associated items to a historic agency or library; donation of the TMI-2 Control Room and TMI-2 Reactor Building model to the Pennsylvania State Museum, and additional recordation and documentation to be posted on the TMI-2 Knowledge Management Library website, which is accessible to the public.
Control room at Three Mile Island.
The development of a programmatic agreement (versus a memorandum of agreement) was utilized in order to set forth a plan to avoid impacts to archaeological resources.
Memorandum of Agreement between the Federal Communications Commission, PA SHPO, AT&T Mobility, LLC, and the Latrobe Community Revitalization Program Regarding AT&T Site WPA698 Project, Latrobe, Westmoreland County.
The proposed project includes the collocation of telecommunications equipment atop the roof of the building historically known as the Loyalhanna Lodge No. 275, which is listed in the National Register as a significant example of early twentieth century mixed-use commercial architecture. While the project was designed to minimize effects to the architecturally significant property through the inclusion of a stealth enclosure to conceal the equipment as best as possible, an adverse effect could not be avoided.
Loyalhanna Lodge No. 275, Latrobe, Westmoreland County. Photo by Clinton Piper in the property’s National Register nomination, 2015.
Mitigation developed in consultation with PA SHPO and other Section 106 consulting parties included a donation to the Latrobe Community Revitalization Program to partially fund a façade renovation of a historic building in downtown Latrobe. You can read more about the LCRP here!
Letter of Agreement between the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and PA SHPO Regarding the SR 1018 over D&H Railroad Project, New Milford Township, Susquehanna County.
The proposed project includes a bridge project over the Norfolk Southern Railroad (formerly the Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western [DL&W]) wherein the alignment alternative would place a new bridge perpendicular to the active rail line as well as include reconstruction of approach roadways, storm water control features, guiderails, and signage.
In consultation with PA SHPO, PennDOT determined that the proposed project would have an adverse effect on the DL&W: Cutoff (Clarks Summit to Halstead), which was determined eligible for its transportation and engineering significance as its construction to facilitate the transport of mined anthracite coal between Clarks Summit and Halstead required massive earth moving as well as the use of reinforced concrete in the bridges and viaduct. The cutoff was also considered a contributing resource to the larger DL&W Railroad, also significant for its transportation and engineering significance.
The south side of the SR 1018 bridge over the railroad cutoff, May 2020. Photo by Kevin Mock, PennDOT.
Mitigation developed to resolve the adverse effects include the development of a story map illustrating the history of the DL&W Railroad and its importance to the region. The story map, once developed, will be posted on PennDOT’s website.
*Remember – Section 106 is inherently a consultative law, and that consultation is most effective when other consulting parties get involved. Learn more about Section 106 and consulting parties here!
