Section 4130.10  Purpose

a)         Since 1966, when Congress established a historic preservation program for the United States, the national preservation program has operated as a decentralized partnership between the federal government and the states.  In 1980, Congress expanded the partnership to provide for the participation of local governments.  The National Historic Preservation Act (the Act) (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.) contains the legal basis for the federal-state-local preservation partnership.

b)         Section 101(e)(1) of the Act directs the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Secretary of the Interior to participate in this partnership and 36 CFR 61 (1984) specifies several requirements that the local government must meet.

c)         The Act provides that local governments which the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Secretary determine are Certified Local Governments must participate in the National Register of Historic Places process and may apply for a portion of the state's federal allocation of funds. The Act provides that at least ten percent of the state's annual Historic Preservation Fund allocation from the Department of the Interior shall be designated for transfer to Certified Local Governments.

d)         This Part provides the procedures by which local governments may become Certified Local Governments and by which application for a portion of the ten percent local share may be made.

e)         This Part is also intended to assure that the Certified Local Government's performance is consistent and coordinated with the identification, evaluation and preservation priorities of the Department's comprehensive historic preservation planning process.