Federal preservation agency says it’s ‘terminating’ required consultation with local officials on Trump’s arch
Federal Preservation Agency Ends Trump Arch Consultation
Tyunews.com – Federal preservation agency says it s ending a required consultation process over President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery. The decision allows the federal review to continue without an agreement from preservation officials in Virginia or Washington, D.C.
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, or ACHP, told the National Park Service on Thursday that it would terminate the consultation required under federal preservation law. The proposed arch would be built on National Park Service land near Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington.
Federal preservation agency says it s concluding discussions after state and local officials raised concerns about possible harm to historic views, landscapes and nearby landmarks. Although the law requires consultation when a federal project could affect historic resources, it does not require all parties to reach a final agreement.
Virginia raises concerns about historic setting
Virginia preservation officials said the proposed structure could damage the visual and historic setting around Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington House. In a Monday letter to the National Park Service, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources said the suggested mitigation measures would not adequately address the project’s effects.
DHR anticipates all the proposed mitigation will do will further highlight how this undertaking has marred rather than added to these spaces.
Samantha Henderson, the department’s director of review and compliance, said the Park Service had received substantial public input and comments from agencies in Virginia and the District of Columbia. She said those concerns had not been addressed in a way that showed a meaningful effort to seek agreement.
Virginia has argued that any historical or interpretive material connected to the site should focus on the commemorative landscape, the sacrifice and honor associated with Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington House, and the lasting significance of those places. District of Columbia officials did not comment on the proposal.
Federal review will continue without a negotiated agreement
The ACHP said the National Park Service maintained that alternatives intended to avoid or substantially reduce the project’s adverse effects would change the proposal so dramatically that it would no longer meet its goals.
Implementation of alternatives to avoid or minimize the adverse effects would alter the fundamental nature of the proposed undertaking and fail to achieve its goals.
The Trump administration had already acknowledged that the arch would adversely affect the area’s setting and views. That finding remains part of the preservation record even though the consultation is ending, and the project can move forward toward a final federal decision without negotiated mitigation.
Federal preservation agency says it s planning to send final comments to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum by Oct. 7. Burgum will then decide whether the federal government should advance the arch proposal.
The project also needs approval from the National Capital Planning Commission. The commission has not granted final design clearance, and its review is expected to occur within the next six months.
Trump also described a possible military role for the structure in a social-media post Sunday, saying he had agreed at the request of the U.S. military to convert the arch into what he called a “top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch.”
FAQ: What happens next for the proposed arch?
Does ending consultation mean the arch has been approved? No. The consultation process has ended without an agreement, but Interior Secretary Doug Burgum must still decide whether to advance the project.
Will local preservation officials have the final say? No. Virginia and Washington, D.C., officials can provide comments during the review, but federal law does not require their agreement before a final decision is made.
What other approval is required? The National Capital Planning Commission must still review the design before the proposal can receive final clearance.