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Major Milestone Fort Monroe FADA signs PAPress Contact: Bill Armbruster, barmbruster@fmfada.com, 757-637-7778 x 103 March 17, 2009, Fort Monroe, VA…Today, Bill Armbruster announced that the Programmatic Agreement has been signed by the Fort Monroe FADA and is circulating to the Governor, the National Park Service and the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (Advisory Council) for their signatures. Mr. Armbruster expects the Governor to sign the agreement this month. The Programmatic Agreement legally binds the signatories to protect the historic assets at Fort Monroe and Old Point Comfort. The agreement comes out of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 (NHPA) process and was developed under the supervision of the Army. The NHPA is a law that binds federal agencies and those receiving federal funds, permits, etc. The program is administered by the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and in some cases, local governments who are certified local government (CLGs). In 2011, the Army will close Fort Monroe, a designated National Historic Landmark since 1960 and on the national register since 1966, as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 2005 decision. The Section 106 review process includes steps for identifying and evaluating historic properties, assessing the effects of the agency’s proposed action on historic properties and, if there is a harmful (adverse) effect, consultation about ways to avoid, reduce or mitigate that harm. Consultation typically results in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or a Programmatic Agreement (PA) for more complex undertakings, which outline specific steps for avoiding or reducing harm to historic properties. The Army has been in consultation with the Advisory Council, the State Historic Preservation Officer, several Federally-recognized Indian Tribes and consulting parties to determine what actions should be taken regarding Fort Monroe's historic properties. The Fort Monroe FADA board meeting will be held on Thursday, March, 19, 2009 at Fort Monroe’s Bay Breeze Community Center. The full PA and the executive summary will be available on the Fort Monroe FADA website following signing by the governor. The website address is www.fmfada.com. Armburster said, "My compliments to the Army, who conducted this process in a careful way and included the many parties who wanted to be at the table. The Army has done a fine job with the stewardship of this important landmark and this agreement ensures that Fort Monroe and historic Old Point Comfort will be protected for generations to come." The consulting parties on the Fort Monroe PA include:
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