What does the Federal government shutdown mean for Section 106?

Without the enactment of new funding legislation, most Federal agencies, programs, and employees are on hiatus. Until funding is restored, the Federal government will only be acting on emergencies and matters of safety and security. How this works depends on the agency. For instance, while military operations continue uninterrupted, the Army Corps of Engineers has ceased most of its activities and civilian employees at Wright Patterson Air Force Base are on indefinite furlough. Some agencies, including the National Park Service and the Federal Communications Commission, have taken their websites down.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is closed, for the most part. However, staff whose positions are funded by arrangements with the other agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Energy, are working. Most employees are unavailable, however. So, chances are that the Council is not going to respond to requests for comment, notifications of adverse effect findings, or invitations to consult until the shutdown is over.

Despite the shutdown, most activities that were funded in Fiscal Year 2013, which ended on September 30, are not affected. So, many highway projects, building rehabs, and construction projects are proceeding. On the other hand, consultation to resolve adverse effects cannot proceed until agency staff are back at work.

If you are an applicant for a license, permit, or funding, or if you are a contractor working on a Federal undertaking, and you are unsure of the status of your undertaking, our best advice is to try and phone or email the Federal agency. If no one is available, you will probably receive an automated email or voice message saying so. We don't have any special access to agency officials, so we are unlikely to be able to reach anyone if you can't.

As information becomes available or circumstances change, we'll share what we know. For now, let's hope that a spending bill gets passed by Congress and signed by the President soon, allowing the Federal government to resume normal operations.