The requirements for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the Antiquities Code of Texas (ACT) are codified in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations and the Texas Natural Resources Code, but the work to satisfy these requirements is conducted under the Section 106 Programmatic Agreement (PA) or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Texas Historical Commission (THC). As the PA and MOU are deliberately parallel, the TxDOT review process satisfies all requirements of both the PA and MOU, and environmental practitioners can use these tools to complete that process.

Questions? Contact the supervisor of the Historical Studies Branch at (512) 416-2628.

Title	Date	Description	Format
Environmental Handbook for Historic Properties	04/14	Outlines the TxDOT process for conducting a review of non-archeological historic properties in compliance with the NHPA and the ACT
Project Coordination Request for Historic Studies	12/13	Used by the TxDOT districts to request assistance from the TxDOT Environmental Historical Studies Branch to determine the scope of historic resources study appropriate for a project

Agreements

Title	Date	Description	Format
Section 106 Programmatic Agreement (PA-TU)	12/05	Outlines the agreement, between the FHWA, TxDOT, Texas State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) that streamlines the regulatory process for all TxDOT projects with FHWA involvement; authorizes TxDOT to make internal, peer-review determinations without direct oversight from SHPO and FHWA for projects with no adverse effects to historic properties; and establishes documentation standards
Memorandum of Understanding with the Texas Historical Commission	05/13	Establishes a process that ensures compliance with the ACT for all projects without FHWA involvement and grants authority to TxDOT for the review and approval of projects without direct oversight from the THC

Guidance Documents

Title	Date	Description	Format
Adobe in Texas	11/08	Provides guidance for surveying and evaluating National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility of historic-age adobe resources
Historic Agricultural Processing Facilities in Texas	04/10	Provides guidance for surveying and evaluating NRHP eligibility of historic-age agricultural processing properties
Agricultural Theme Study for Central Texas	09/13	Provides guidelines for identifying, documenting and evaluating the NRHP eligibility of agricultural properties
Agricultural Landscape Development Along US 277	05/03	Describes the history of agriculture, transportation and community development of the architectural resources along US 277 Wichita Falls to Abilene, including a case study of the cotton industry in Haskell
A Field Guide to Gas Stations in Texas	10/03	Provides guidance for surveying and evaluating NRHP eligibility of historic-age gas stations
A Field Guide to Industrial Properties in Texas	05/03	Provides guidance for surveying and evaluating NRHP eligibility of historic-age industrial properties
A Field Guide to Irrigation in the Lower Rio Grande Valley	2009	Provides guidance for surveying and evaluating NRHP eligibility of historic-age irrigation resources in the Lower Rio Grande Valley
A Guide to the Research and Documentation of Local Texas Bridges	10/13	Provides guidance on how to conduct research and prepare National Register of Historic Places documentation for local Texas Bridges
Guidelines for Assessing the NRHP Eligibility of Commercial Historic Districts in Crossroads Communities in Northwest-Central Texas	08/11	Provides guidance for evaluating the NRHP eligibility of historic downtowns in crossroads communities
Historic-Age Motels in Texas from the 1950s to the 1970s: An Annotated Guide to Selected Studies	03/11	Provides guidance for surveying and evaluating NRHP eligibility of historic-age motor courts and motels
South Texas Ranching	04/07	Provides the results of a study and preliminary NRHP eligibility assessments undertaken for TxDOT to objectively and independently identify and analyze historic ranches for the proposed construction of a segment of new Interstate 69 corridor through South Texas
Texas General Aviation	03/08	Provides guidance for surveying and evaluating the NRHP eligibility of historic-age general aviation facilities and resources

Survey Standards

Title	Date	Description	Format
Documentation Standard for Historic Resources Research Design	04/14	Used by TxDOT to determine the sufficiency of a research design to identity and evaluate historic properties identified in the area of potential effects
Documentation Standard for a Windshield Survey Report	04/14	Used by TxDOT to determine the sufficiency of a windshield survey to conclude that no historic properties are present and/or that project activities do not have the potential to effect historic properties
Documentation Standard for Reconnaissance Survey Report for ADA Projects	04/14	Used by TxDOT to determine the completeness of reconnaissance survey report for district-wide Americans with Disabilities act (ADA) projects to determine the NRHP eligibility of the surveyed properties; and, as necessary, to carryout effects determinations
Documentation Standard for a Reconnaissance Survey Report	04/14	Used by TxDOT to determine if a reconnaissance survey report is sufficiently complete; if the surveyed properties are NRHP-eligible; and if an intensive survey is warranted
Documentation Standard for an Intensive Survey Report	04/14	Used by TxDOT to determine if an intensive survey report is sufficiently complete and the surveyed properties are NRHP-eligible

Section 106 Coordination Standards

Title	Date	Description	Format
Standard Operating Procedure for Visual Impacts Assessment		Provides a standard working tool to document and analyze the visual impacts to historic properties within project area of potential effects (APEs)

Historic Bridges

Title	Date	Description	Format
Historic Bridge Programmatic Section 4(f) Guidelines and Standards of Uniformity	04/09	Assists practitioners in preparing a Section 4(f) evaluation for a project affecting an historic bridge by providing recommendations on gathering technical and engineering information for establishing the purpose, need and sufficient justification for the alternatives considered and measures to minimize harm

Additional Resources

Title	Date	Description	Format
AASHTO Web Page: Historic Preservation/Cultural Resources		Brief summaries from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials of historic preservation issues and programs applicable to the transportation community
FHWA Historical and Archeological Preservation		Lists legislation, regulation, policy and guidance made available in the FHWA Environmental Review Toolkit
Texas Historical Commission Texas Historic Sites Atlas		Provides an interactive resource for identifying Official Texas Historical Markers and NRHP properties

More Information

• Environmental Compliance Toolkits