Moss-Bennett Act of 1974, as amended
36 F.R. 8921 HADPA
The Moss-Bennett Act, also known as he Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 469-469c) consists of Public Law 86-532 (June 27, 1960) and amendments.
This Act became law on June 27, 1960 (Public Law 86-523, 16 U.S.C. 469-469c-2) and has been amended six times. The description of the Act, as amended, tracks the language of the United States Code except that (following common usage) we refer to the "Act" (meaning the Act, as amended) rather than to the "subchapter" or the "title" of the Code. The Act was originally known as the "Reservoir Salvage Act" when the initial legislation was enacted in 1960. With broadening amendments, the Act became known as the "Moss-Bennett Act" (after an early amendment) or the "Archeological Recovery Act."
AN ACT To provide for the preservation of historical and archeological data (including relics and specimens) which might otherwise be lost as the result of the construction of a dam.
Purpose
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That it is the purpose of this
Act to further the policy set forth in the Act entitled "An Act to
provide for the preservation of historic American sites, buildings,
objects, and antiquities of national significance, and for other
purposes", approved August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461-467), by
specifically providing for the preservation of historical and
archeological data (including relics and specimens) which might otherwise
be irreparably lost or destroyed as the result of (1) flooding, the
building of access roads, the erection of workmen's communities, the
relocation of railroads and highways, and other alterations of the terrain
caused by the construction of a dam by any agency of the United States, or
by any private person or corporation holding a license issued by any such
agency or (2) any alteration of the terrain caused as a result of any
Federal construction project or federally licensed activity or program.
Notice to Secretary of Interior
Sec. 2. Before any agency of the United States shall undertake
construction of a dam, issue a license to any private individual or
corporation for the construction of a dam, it shall give written notice to
the Secretary of the Interior (hereafter referred to as the Secretary)
setting forth the site of the proposed dam and the approximate area to be
flooded and otherwise changed if such construction is undertaken:
Provided, That with respect to any flood-water retarding dam which
provides less than five thousand acre-feet of detention capacity and with
respect to any other type of dam which creates a reservoir of less than
forty surface acres the provisions of this section shall apply only when
the constructing agency, in its preliminary surveys, finds, or is
presented with evidence that historical or archeological materials exist
or may be present in the proposed reservoir area.
Data recovery
Sec. 3. (a) Whenever any Federal agency finds, or is notified, in writing,
by an appropriate historical or archeological authority, that its
activities in connection with any Federal construction project or
federally licensed project, activity, or program may cause irreparable
loss or destruction of significant scientific, prehistorical, historical,
or archeological data, such agency shall notify the Secretary, in writing,
and shall provide the Secretary with appropriate information concerning
the project, program, or activity. Such agency may request the Secretary
to undertake the recovery, protection, and preservation of such data
(including preliminary survey, or other investigation as needed, and
analysis and publication of the reports resulting from such
investigation), or it may, with funds appropriated for such project,
program, or activity, undertake such activities. Copies of reports of any
investigations made pursuant to this section shall be submitted to the
Secretary, who shall make them available to the public for inspection and
review.
(b) Whenever any Federal agency provides financial assistance by loan,
grant, or otherwise to any private person, association, or public entity,
the Secretary, if he determines that significant scientific, prehistorical,
historical, or archeological data might be irrevocably lost or destroyed,
may with funds appropriated expressly for this purpose conduct, with the
consent of all persons, associations, or public entities having a legal
interest in the property involved, a survey of the affected site and
undertake the recovery, protection, and preservation of such data
(including analysis and publication). The Secretary shall, unless
otherwise mutually agreed to in writing, compensate any person,
association, or public entity damaged as a result of delays in
construction or as a result of the temporary loss of the use of private or
any nonfederally owned lands.
Sec. 4. (a) The Secretary, upon notification, in writing, by any Federal or State agency or appropriate historical or archeological authority that scientific, prehistorical, historical, or archeological data is being or may be irrevocably lost or destroyed by any Federal or federally assisted or licensed project, activity, or program, shall if he determines that such data is significant and is being or may be irrevocably lost or destroyed and after reasonable notice to the agency responsible for funding or licensing such project, activity, or program, conduct or cause to be conducted a survey and other investigation of the areas which are or may be affected and recover and preserve such data (including analysis and publication) which, in his opinion, are not being, but should be, recovered and preserved in the public interest.
Waiver in event of natural disaster
(b) No survey or recovery work shall be required pursuant to this section
which, in the determination of the head of the responsible agency, would
impede Federal federally assisted or licensed projects or activities
undertaken in connection with any emergency, including projects or
activities undertaken in anticipation of, or as a result of, a natural
disaster.
(c) The Secretary shall initiate the survey or recovery effort within sixty days after notification to him pursuant to subsection (a) of this section or within such time as may be agreed upon with the head of the agency responsible for funding or licensing the project, activity, or program in all other cases.
Compensation as a result of delay
(d) The Secretary shall, unless otherwise mutually agreed to in writing,
compensateaany person, association, or public entity damaged as a result
of delays in construction or as a result of the temporary loss of the use
of private or nonfederally owned land.
Sec. 5. (a) The Secretary shall keep the agency responsible for funding or licensing the project notified at all times of the progress of any survey made under this Act, or of any work undertaken as a result of such survey, in order that there will be as little disruption or delay as possible in the carrying out of the functions of such agency and the survey and recovery programs shall terminate at a time mutually agreed upon by the Secretary and the head of such agency unless extended by mutual agreement.
Repositories for relics and specimens
(b) The Secretary shall consult with any interested Federal and State
agencies, educational and scientific organizations, and private
institutions and qualified individuals, with a view to determining the
ownership of and the most appropriate repository for any relics and
specimens recovered as a result of any work performed as provided for in
this section.
Annual report to Congress
(c) The Secretary shall coordinate all Federal survey and recovery
activities authorized under this Act and shall submit an annual report at
the end of each fiscal year to the Committee on Interior and Insular
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources of the Senate indicating the scope and effectiveness of
the program, the specific projects surveyed and the results produced, and
the costs incurred by the Federal Government as a result thereof.
Sec. 6. In the administration of this Act, the Secretary may:
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(1) enter into contracts or make cooperative agreements with any Federal
or State agency, any educational or scientific organization, or any
institution, corporation, association, or qualified individual; and
(2) obtain the services of experts and consultants or organizations thereof in accordance with section 3109 of title 5, United States Code; and
(3) accept and utilize funds made available for salvage archeological purposes by any private person or corporation or transferred to him by any Federal agency.
Use of project funds
Sec. 7. (a) To carry out the purposes of this Act, any Federal agency
responsible for a construction project may assist the Secretary and/or it
may transfer to him such funds as may be agreed upon, but not more than 1
per centum of the total amount authorized to be appropriated for such
project, except that the 1 per centum limitation of this section shall not
apply in the event that the project involves $50,000 or less: Provided,
That the costs of such survey, recovery, analysis, and publication shall
be considered nonreimbursable project costs.
(b) For the purposes of subsection 3(b), there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary, but not more than $500,000 in fiscal year 1974; $1,000,000 in fiscal year 1975; $1,500,000 in fiscal year 1976; $1,500,000 in fiscal year 1977; $1,500,000 in fiscal year 1978; $500,000 in fiscal year 1979; $1,000,000 in fiscal year 1980; $1,500,000 in fiscal year 1981; $1,500,000 in fiscal year 1982; and $1,500,000 in fiscal year 1983.
(c) For the purposes of subsection 4(a), there are authorized to be appropriated not more than $2,000,000 in fiscal year 1974; $2,000,000 in fiscal year 1975; $3,000,000 in fiscal year 1976; $3,000,000 in fiscal year 1977; $3,000,000 in fiscal year 1978; $3,000,000 in fiscal year 1979; $3,000,000 in fiscal year 1980; $3,500,000 in fiscal year 1981; $3,500,000 in fiscal year 1982; and $4,000,000 in fiscal year 1983.
(d) Beginning fiscal year 1979, sums appropriated for purposes of section 7 shall remain available until expended.
Sec. 8. As used in this Act, the term "State" includes the several States of the Union, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
ADDENDUM TO ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED, FROM NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF 1966, AS AMENDED, (PUBLIC LAW 96-515)
16 U.S.C. 469c-2
Sec. 208. Notwithstanding section 7(a) of the Act of June 27, 1960 (16
U.S.C. 469c), or any other provision of law to the contrary---
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(1) identification, surveys, and evaluation carried out with respect to
historic properties within project areas may be treated for purposes of
any law or rule of law as planning costs of the project and not as costs
of mitigation;
(2) reasonable costs for identification, surveys, evaluation, and data recovery carried out with respect to historic properties within project areas may be charged to Federal licensees and permittees as a condition to the issuance of such license or permit; and
Waiver
(3) Federal agencies, with the concurrence of the Secretary and after
notification of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the
United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources of the United States Senate, are authorized to waive, in
appropriate cases, the 1 per centum limitation contained in section 7(a)
of such Act.
Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974