Idaho National Laboratory Cultural Resource Management Plan

gathering, planning, and assessment in advance of
projects or actions that occur on federal land or are
federally licensed or funded. It requires the use of
natural and social sciences in planning and
decision-making with regard to project impacts on
the environment and extends protective provisions
to important historic, cultural, and natural aspects
of our national heritage. Federal agencies must
prepare detailed environmental impact statements
(EISs) and environmental assessments (EAs)
outlining the scope, environmental impacts of, and
alternatives to the action planned and allow for
and consider public comments.
ARPA establishes definitions, permit
requirements, and criminal and civil penalties,
among other provisions, to strengthen the basic
tenets of the Antiquities Act of 1906. Felony-level
penalties are established for the unauthorized
excavation, removal, damage, alteration, or
defacement of any archaeological resource located
on public or American Indian lands. This act also
prohibits the sale, purchase, exchange,
transportation, receipt, or offering of any
archaeological resource obtained in violation of
any provision of the act. Finally, ARPA fosters
increased cooperation and exchange of
information between governmental authorities, the
professional archaeological community, and
private individuals possessing collections of
archaeological resources and data.
NHPA establishes the NRHP and defines
historic properties as those that meet National
Register criteria and are, therefore, eligible for
listing on the National Register. Properties that are
eligible for listing are afforded the same protection
under the law as those that are listed. NHPA
Sections 106 and 110 are particularly important
for the identification, management, and protection
of INL’s cultural resources. Together these
provisions of law direct federal agencies, like
DOE-ID, to assume responsibility for the
significant cultural resources under their
stewardship and consider these resources in
day-to-day operations as well as long-term
planning.
The protective provisions of NHPA apply only
to those resources that are determined to be
eligible or potentially eligible for nomination to
the NRHP. Many American Indian sacred sites,
traditional cultural areas, and sites or features of
local interest are not eligible for listing on the
National Register but nonetheless are cultural
resources and are no less important to local tribal
people and stakeholders. Other laws, such as the
NEPA, American Indian Religious Freedom Act,
and the American Folklife Preservation Act
recognize their importance and the Department of
Energy, Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID) is
committed to their protection at INL (NHPA
provides direction for integrating NEPA and
NHPA Section 106 requirements. However,
categorical exclusions under NEPA do not apply
under NHPA.)
Appendix A provides an annotated list of
laws, regulations, policies, executive orders, and
INL procedures that guide the management of
cultural resources at INL. Appendix B includes
summaries of the DOE policy and
DOE-ID-specific programs and regulatory
guidance that illustrate DOE’s commitment to
protecting American Indian interests. Appendices
C and D provide descriptions of how requirements
and commitments regarding the protection of
cultural resources are implemented at INL.
DOE Cultural Resource
Management Philosophy
The INL CRMP was initiated by and reflects
the philosophy of DOE-ID, as stated in the
following directive:
The INEL [Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory, now known as
the Idaho National Laboratory]
possesses a rich and varied prehistory
and history. It must be emphasized that
cultural resources are limited and
non-renewable; that once damaged or
destroyed, the information those
resources contained is irretrievably lost.
Since the INEL has been a federal
reservation for over 50 years where
public access has been restricted, we are
in a unique position to implement
management programs which can
protect these resources and the
information that can be learned from
them for the future. As with all other
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