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Save Our Heritage |
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Protecting the Birthplace of the American Revolution, the cradle of the Environmental Movement, and the Home of the American Literary Renaissance |
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FAA and Park Service announce partnership to preserve Minute Man National Historical Park The FAA, the National Park Service, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation announced a partnership at the Federal Level regarding the ongoing concern regarding the long term protection of Minuteman National Historical Park, with a focus on the issues involving the expansion of the Airport at Hanscom Field. "Administrator Garvey pledged to create this working group and kept her word" according to Neil Rasmussen, President of Save Our Heritiage. Mr. Rasmussen added: "We believe that the appeal of the FAA decision regarding LaGuardia service that we filed has raised the awareness among FAA staff regarding the historic impacts". The press release by the National Park Service follows:
For Release: February 22, 2001Contact:(NPS)
Nancy Nelson, 978/369-6993
(ACHP) Druscilla Null, 202/606-8532 National Park
Service Announces Partnership to Protect and Preserve Minute Man National Historical Park
The National Park Service (NPS) and the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation (ACHP) announced today a partnership with the U.S.
Department of Transportation to protect and preserve Minute Man National
Historical Park in Mass., and other significant historic sites in the
vicinity of Hanscom Field, an airport near Boston.
The three federal agencies joined together to create a federal
interagency Working Group that will promote the long-term protection and
preservation of resources within Minute Man National Historical Park and
other nearby significant historic sites from current and future adverse
transportation impacts, while identifying and achieving the region’s
long-term transportation and land-use visions.
In doing so, the Working Group will actively engage State and
local stakeholders to find and develop mutually beneficial solutions to
preserve the area’s nationally significant resources.
Minute Man National Historical Park is located in the historic
towns of Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord, Mass.
It was established by Congress in 1959 to consolidate, preserve,
restore and interpret portions of the Lexington-Concord Battle Road, as
well as the associated structures, properties, and sites so that
visitors may better appreciate and understand the beginning of the
American Revolution.
Hanscom Field is located immediately adjacent to the park.
The primary access to the airport is via the park’s historic
Battle road, a two-lane country road that is particularly vulnerable to
increasing traffic from many sources in the area. Minute Man NHP is approximately 16 miles west of Boston and located in a rapidly developing, semi-rural area that is experiencing development pressures, including the potential expansion of commercial service at Hanscom Field as well as increasing commercial, residential, and office park developments. The challenges for federal, state, and local agencies and private organizations is to protect historic resources from the associated transportation related impacts--such as air and ground traffic-- in the face of these multiple demands and potential changes. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which created the federal interagency Working Group was signed by the agencies in January. While acknowledging their differing missions and legislative authorities, DOT, NPS, and the ACHP recognize a common goal of helping to assure that American Revolutionary War heritage is protected for future generations and are committed to helping the NPS achieve that goal. - NPS - The National Park Service cares for
special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION ESTABLISHING THE HANSCOM - MINUTE MAN HISTORICAL NATIONAL PARK WORKING GROUP TO PROMOTE THE LONG-TERM PROTECTION OF RESOURCES OF THE MINUTE MAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC SITES IN THE VICINITY OF HANSCOM FIELD BACKGROUND: Minute Man National Historical Park (MMNHP) was established by Congress in 1959 to "consolidate, preserve, selectively restore and interpret portions of the Lexington-Concord Battle Road, as well as the associated structures, properties, and sites so that the visitor may better appreciate and understand the beginning of the American Revolution as a significant chapter in the American Historical Heritage." The National Park Service has the mission to protect and preserve the national resources of Minute Man National Historical Park and other nearby nationally significant historical and natural resources from adverse transportation impacts. The Department of Transportation and other signatory federal agencies. in accordance with their respective statutory missions, are committed to help the National Park Service accomplish this mission. PURPOSE: This Memorandum is established to create a partnership of relevant Federal agencies to promote-consistent with applicable law and in consultation with non-Federal stakeholders-the protection and preservation of the resources within the Minute Man National Historical Park and other nearby significant historic sites from current and future adverse transportation impacts in coordination with identifying and achieving the region's long-term transportation and land-use visions. GOALS: 1. Achieve mutual understandings of each respective agency's missions and authorities. 2. Identify, develop, and implement opportunities to engage other Federal, State, and local stakeholders. 3. Develop and implement strategies that facilitate a coherent comprehensive planning process. 4. Serve as a catalyst to initiate collaboration with State and local stakeholders to find and develop mutually beneficial solutions to preserve the area's nationally significant resources. 5. Identify and pursue processes to ensure the full participation of the National Park Service in relevant aspects of transportation planning-including but not limited to the activities of the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization, as well as the full participation of Federal, State, and local transportation and land-use agencies in relevant aspects of planning for the MMNHP. 6. Develop principles and structures of collaborative decision-making through the planning process that can further the purposes of this Memorandum and serve as a model for future collaborative efforts to protect significant cultural or natural resources throughout the Nation. STRUCTURE: The Working Group will consist of two sub-groups to include representatives of relevant Federal agencies at the Headquarters (Washington) and Field (Boston) levels. The Washington Sub-Group will be co-chaired by the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy and the Director of the National Park Service (or their designees) and will include representatives from the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, National Park Service, and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Other elements of the Departments of Transportation and of the Interior-such as but not limited to their other Departmental offices and other constituent agencies or operating administrations-are encouraged and welcome to be included. Similarly, representatives from any other Federal agency that may have an interest are encouraged and welcome to be included. The Boston Sub-Group will be co-chaired by the Regional Director of the National Park Service and the Chair of the Region One Intermodal Transportation Group (or their designees) and will include representatives from the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, and the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. Representatives from any other Federal entity that may have an interest-such as but not limited to the Air Force, Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Railroad Administration-are encouraged and welcome to participate. The primary role of the Washington Sub-Group is to consult with and provide policy and legal support for the Boston Sub-Group-serving as an interface between the field offices and the senior Headquarters officials of their agencies. The Washington Sub-Group will meet quarterly. Other meetings may be held if the need arises. The role of Boston Sub-Group is to proactively accomplish the goals outlined above and to keep the Washington Sub-Group advised of their progress and needs. The early engagement of State and local officials and other stakeholders will be a critical element of this process. Each Sub-Group may adopt procedures for its operation and management. This MOU shall take effect on the date of the last signature hereto. This MOU may be terminated by any party to the extent of the party's role under the MOU by providing written notice to the other parties. This MOU is only intended to improve the internal management of the executive branch and is not intended to, nor does it, create any right, benefit, or trust responsibility, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or equity by any entity against the United States, its agencies, its officers, or any other person. IN WITNESS THEREOF, this Memorandum of Understanding is executed by the signatures below: Department of Transportation Eugene A. Conti, Jr., Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy Kenneth R. Wykle, Federal Highway Administrator Jane F. Garvey, Federal Aviation Administrator Department of the Interior Kenneth L. Smith, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Robert G. Stanton, Director, National Park Service Advisory Council on Historic Preservation John M. Fowler, Executive Director Dated: January 19, 2001
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