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.

As we’ve discussed in past blogs, the Section 106 process requires consideration of resources that are affected by federal projects. However, it is not always possible to accommodate the needs of the project while preserving the historic resource. When a historic property is adversely affected, the preservation outcome can be mitigation which is meant to be a preservation outcome that offsets the loss of the resource.

Between January 1, 2025 and June 30, 2025, the PA SHPO was a signatory to 12 Section 106 agreements with six agencies as part of consultation to resolve adverse effects to historic properties.

Examples include:

In May 2025, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Borough of Chambersburg, and the Franklin County Historical Society executed an agreement to mitigate for the removal of 195 West Queen Street, a contributing resource in the National Register listed Chambersburg Historic District (1980RE00652).

Collection of three story masonry buildings along busy streets and surrounding a large fountain in the center.

Downtown Chambersburg, Franklin County. Image from Borough of Chambersburg website.

The mitigation includes preparation of an identification level survey of those properties included in the boundaries of the district, which was listed in the National Register in 1982. The survey information will be used as part of a future update to the National Register nomination.

As mitigation for adverse effects associated with the construction of a solar project in the agricultural landscape of the Nowlan/Lingenfelter/Hileman Historic Agricultural District in Blair County (2024RE00621), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, developer, and PA SHPO executed an agreement that includes a donation to the Historic Barn and Farm Foundation’s Barn Preservation Grant program.

Houses, barns, and other buildings in a valley of open fields and woodland.

Historic agricultural district.

The program supports the maintenance and preservation of historic barns across the state. More information on the program can be found at http://pahistoricbarns.org/barn-grant-program/.

Comment Policy

PHMC welcomes and encourages topic-related comments on this blog.  PHMC reserves the right to remove comments that in PHMC’s discretion do not follow participation guidelines.

Commenters and Comments shall be related to the blog post topic and respectful of others who use this site.

Commenters and Comments shall not: use language that is offensive, inflammatory or provocative (this includes, but is not limited to, using profanity, obscene, or vulgar comments); disparage other commenters or people; condone illegal activity; identify the location of known or suspected archeological sites; post personal information in comments such as addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses or other contact details, which may relate to you or other individuals;  impersonate or falsely claim to represent a person or an organization; make any commercial endorsement or promotion of any product, service or publication.

If you would like to comment on other topics not related to this blog post but related to PHMC, please fill out the PHMC Contact Us Form.