NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 8510.1A Effective Date: June 20, 2017 Expiration Date: September 15, 2024

Subject: NASA Cultural Resources Management

Responsible Office: Office of Strategic Infrastructure

Appendix A. Definitions

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The independent Federal agency charged by NHPA to advise the President, Congress, and Federal agencies on matters related to historic preservation. The Council also administers Section 106 of NHPA through 36 CFR pt. 800, Protection of Historic Properties.

Archaeological Resources. Material remains of human life or activities that can provide understanding of behavior and cultural adaptation through the application of scientific or scholarly techniques, such as controlled observation, contextual measurement, controlled collection, analysis, interpretation, and explanation.

Center Cultural Resources Manager (formerly Historic Preservation Officer). A NASA employee who is designated by the Center Director and given the responsibility to manage cultural resources at the Center, pursuant to NHPA, ARPA, NAGPRA, and other legal authorities.

Consultation. The process of seeking, discussing, and considering the views of other participants, and where feasible, seeking agreement with them regarding matters arising in the Section 106 process and other processes as required under NAGPRA, NEPA, ARPA, and other statutes and regulations.

Consulting/Interested Parties. Those groups or individuals who have a consulting role in the Section 106 process in accordance with 36 CFR pt. 800.2, such as SHPOs, THPOs (for undertakings concerning tribal lands), and Native Americans. The term may also include, but is not limited to, representatives of local government; the public; and applicants for Federal assistance, permits, licenses, and other approvals.

Cultural Resources. Archaeological and Native American built resources, heritage assets, Historic Properties, NASA artifacts, and NHLs, including, but not limited to, buildings, structures, objects, districts, and sites.

Cultural Resources Professional. A person who meets qualifications in anthropology, archaeology, history, historical architecture, preservation planning, or other preservation specialties set forth in Section 112 of NHPA, The Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation, and 36 CFR pt. 61.

Eligible Historic Properties. Those properties that meet the criteria of the NRHP and have concurrence from the SHPO/THPO regarding their eligibility to the NRHP.

Federal Preservation Officer. The Agency official that NHPA charges with coordinating the Agency CRM Program including interactions with the other agencies, states, Native Americans, NPS, the ACHP, and others.

Heritage Asset. Property, plant, or equipment that is unique for its historical or natural significance; cultural, educational, or artistic importance; and/or significant architectural characteristics. Consists of: (1) collection types, such as objects gathered and maintained for exhibition (for example, museum collections, art collections, and library collections); or (2) non-collection-types, such as parks, memorials, monuments, and buildings. It is reported in Agency financial statements in accordance with SFFAS No. 29. (Heritage Assets are defined in SFFAS No. 29.) NASA's heritage assets include real properties that also are historic properties. These are reported by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) in NASA's annual financial report.

Historic Preservation. Section 300315 of NHPA, 54 U.S.C. 300101 et. seq., states that historic preservation "includes identification, evaluation, recordation, documentation, curation, acquisition, protection, management, rehabilitation, restoration, stabilization, maintenance, research, interpretation, conservation, and education and training" regarding cultural resources. The Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (NPS 1992) defines historic preservation as "the act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property."

Historic Preservation Officer [obsolete]. See "Center Cultural Resources Manager."

Historic Property. Any district, site, building, structure, or object included on or eligible for inclusion in the NRHP, per the criteria provided in 36 CFR pt. 60.4. It also includes cultural resources defined as any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object that is included in or eligible for inclusion in the NRHP maintained by the SOI and that has met the eligibility requirements in 36 CFR pt. 60.4. The term includes artifacts, records, and remains related to and located within such properties and includes properties of traditional religious and cultural importance to a Native American Tribe or Native Hawaiian Organization that meets the NRHP criteria. (54 U.S.C. 300101 et seq.)

Indian Tribe. An Indian or Alaskan Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the SOI acknowledges to exist as an Indian Tribe pursuant to the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. 479a.

Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan. A plan that defines the policies and standard operating procedures for managing cultural resources at a NASA Center and is integrated into property management and other applicable Agency plans.

Listed (or Registered) Historic Property. Those properties that meet the criteria of the NRHP and have formally been accepted by the NPS to the NRHP.

Memorandum of Agreement. A legally binding form of agreement document, as described in 36 CFR pt. 800.6, to mitigate adverse effects on historic properties.

NASA Artifacts. Unique objects that document the history of the science and technology of aeronautics and astronautics. Their significance and interest stem mainly from their relation to the following: Historic flights, programs, activities, or incidents; achievements or improvements in technology; our understanding of the universe; and important or well-known personalities. (See NPR 4310.1)

NASA Environmental Tracking System. A set of relational databases that house environmental data across the Agency. The CRM module tracks cultural resources data and also connects to NASA's Cultural Resources Geographic Information System (CRGIS), which displays cultural resources information on NASA's public Web site and internally.

National Historic Landmark. A nationally significant historic place designated by the SOI because the property or site possesses exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. NHLs are managed, in part, by the NPS's National Historic Landmark Program. All NHLs are considered historic properties or sites.

National Park Service. The Federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior tasked with overseeing the NRHP and NHL Programs. NPS contains the offices of the Departmental Consulting Archeologist, who provides technical assistance to Federal agencies and who coordinates the Federal Archeology Program.

National Register of Historic Places. The Federal Government's official list of buildings, structures, districts, sites, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture and are, thereby, considered for preservation. The NRHP is administered by the NPS.

Native Americans. For the purposes of this document, the term "Native Americans" refers to Eskimos, Aleuts, Alaskan Natives, Native North Americans, and Native Hawaiian Organizations, including federally recognized tribes and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, as appropriate.

Personal Property. Property of any kind, including equipment, materials, and supplies, but excluding real property and certain naval vessels.

Programmatic Agreement. A legally binding document that records the terms and conditions agreed upon to resolve the adverse effects of a Federal agency program, complex undertaking, or other situations in accordance with 36 CFR pt. 800.14(b).

Property Disposal Officer. PDOs are a Center's point of contact for the disposition of NASA personal property after the property is excess to a program's needs and has been turned in for disposition.

Real Property. Land, buildings, other structures and facilities, and leasehold improvements. Real property also includes installed "Collateral Equipment" and "Building Support Type Equipment" as defined in NPR 8800.15.

State Historic Preservation Officer. The official appointed by the Governor of each state and territory to carry out the functions defined in NHPA and to administer the State Historic Preservation Program.

Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. The official appointed by a Native American Tribe in accordance with NHPA to administer a Tribal Historic Preservation Program and assume duties and functions for tribal lands similar to those that the State Historic Preservation Officer has for state lands.

Undertaking. Any project, activity, action, or program wholly or partly funded under the direct or indirect jurisdiction of a Federal agency, including those carried out by or on behalf of a Federal agency; those carried out with Federal financial assistance; and those requiring a permit, license, or approval.

DISTRIBUTION:
NODIS

This document does not bind the public, except as authorized by law or as incorporated into a contract. This document is uncontrolled when printed. Check the NASA Online Directives Information System (NODIS) Library to verify that this is the correct version before use: https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov.