Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation

DAHP houses Washington's State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), a position created by the National Historic Preservation Act.[5] The SHPO conducts reviews of the impacts to historic resources caused by construction funded by federal dollars under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act, section 101.[6] Governor Christine Gregoire's 2005 executive order, EO 05-05, further extended the Washington SHPO's authority to include the review of capital projects using state dollars.[7]

Washington State designates DAHP as an agency with expertise in cultural resources under the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA).[8]

The current Washington State Historic Preservation Officer is Dr. Allyson Brooks.[9]

DAHP staffs the Governor's Advisory Board on Historic Preservation, which was established by RCW 27.34.250-330. The Board meets three or four times a year and reviews applications to the Washington Heritage Register and the National Register of Historic Places . It has nine members, including a representative of local or state heritage organizations, six members of the public who are interested and experienced in issues of preservation or archaeology, a representative from the Washington archaeological community, and a representative of the Native American community. Terms are four years.

Through Section 106 reviews (pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act), and Washington's SEPA, DAHP reviews construction projects using federal or state monies for impacts to archaeological resources. Washington's archaeological resources are rich as evidence of human activity stretches almost 13,000 years. Archaeology reviews are carried out by professional staff archaeologists. The current Washington State Archaeologist is Dr. Rob Whitlam.

DAHP assigns site number (Smithsonian trinomials) for archaeological sites, and maintains a database of over 18,000 archaeological sites in the state.[10] DAHP also regulates archaeological excavation in the state, and issues permits to applicants.[11] As archaeological records are confidential and exempt from public disclosure laws, DAHP also regulates research by archaeological consultants. To expand the ease and streamline construction planning, DAHP has created a pre-contact archaeological predictive model, which will give an overview of the likelihood of finding archaeological resources in any given area of the state.

The agency also features a robust built environment staff who review construction impacts to historic properties. This unit provides some technical assistance in historic preservation standards to local jurisdictions in addition to conducting reviews of historic resources. DAHP keeps track of Washington's properties on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as the Washington Heritage Register[12] and the Heritage Barn Register. The current Washington State Architectural Historian is Michael Houser.

Substitute House bill 2115-2007[13] established the Washington State Barn Preservation program, and charged DAHP with maintaining a Heritage Barn Register and administering grants programs for heritage barn owners. DAHP also staffs a Heritage Barn Preservation Advisory Board, which reviews applicants for heritage barn status.

DAHP was given statutory authority over all non-forensic human remains found in the state by HB 2624-2008.[14] RCW 43.334.075 [15] requires that the State Physical Anthropologist hold a PhD in archaeology or anthropology or have an MD with experience in archaeology. DAHP gained jurisdiction starting in Washington State FY09 (July 1, 2008).

The State Physical Anthropologist's primary responsibility is determining the origin and ethnicity of human remains, and repatriating these remains to the appropriate parties. The position was filled in August, 2008 by Dr. Guy Tasa.