PUBLIC LAW 96-515—DEC. 12, 1980
94 STAT. 2987
Public Law 96-515
96th Congress
[H.R. 5496]
An Act
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, National Historic Preservation Act Amendments of 1980.
16 USC 470 note.That this Act may be cited as the “National Historic Preservation Act Amendments of 1980”.
TITLE I—FINDINGS AND POLICY OF NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT
Sec. 101. (a) The first section of the Act of October 15, 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470–470t), hereinafter in this Act referred to as the “National Historic Preservation Act”, is amended to read as follows:
“Sec. 1.Short title.
16 USC 470. (a) This Act may be cited as the ‘National Historic Preservation Act’.
“(b) The Congress finds and declares that—
- “(1) the spirit and direction of the Nation are founded upon and reflected in its historic heritage;
- “(2) the historical and cultural foundations of the Nation should be preserved as a living part of our community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to the American people;
- “(3) historic properties significant to the Nation’s heritage are being lost or substantially altered, often inadvertently, with increasing frequency;
- “(4) the preservation of this irreplaceable heritage is in the public interest so that its vital legacy of cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, economic, and energy benefits will be maintained and enriched for future generations of Americans;
- “(5) in the face of ever-increasing extensions of urban centers, highways, and residential, commercial, and industrial developments, the present governmental and nongovernmental historic preservation programs and activities are inadequate to insure future generations a genuine opportunity to appreciate and enjoy the rich heritage of our Nation;
- “(6) the increased knowledge of our historic resources, the establishment of better means of identifying and administering them, and the encouragement of their preservation will improve the planning and execution of Federal and federally assisted projects and will assist economic growth and development; and
- “(7) although the major burdens of historic preservation have been borne and major efforts initiated by private agencies and individuals, and both should continue to play a vital role, it is nevertheless necessary and appropriate for the Federal Government to accelerate its historic preservation programs and activities, to give maximum encouragement to agencies and individuals undertaking preservation by private means, and to assist State and local governments and the National Trust for Historic
