Contact:
Charissa Wang Durst, AIA
President
Hardlines Design Company
4608 Indianola Avenue
Columbus, OH 43214
Phone: 614-784-8733
Fax: 614-784-9336
E-mail: cwang@hardlinesdesign.com
Web: www.acra-crm.org

Membership Information
Individual members may join as associates if they are students or employees of a government agency or other nonprofit group. For-profit firms join ACRA according to their size: small, medium, or large. For the membership form, please see our Web site.  

Brief Summary of the Organization and Its Mission
The American Cultural Resources Association (ACRA) was incorporated in March 1995, to serve the needs of the cultural resources industry. The cultural resources industry in the United States is estimated to be made up of more than 500 firms employing more than 10,000 people working in a wide variety of fields, including historic preservation, history, archaeology, architectural history, historical architecture, and landscape architecture. No other association addresses the business needs of this diverse community.
Our mission is to promote the professional, ethical, and business practices of the cultural resources industry, including all of its affiliated disciplines, for the benefit of the resources, the public, and the members of the association by

• Supporting the business needs of cultural resources practitioners
• Promoting professionalism in the cultural resources industry
• Providing educational and training opportunities for the cultural resources industry
• Influencing public policy
• Promoting public awareness of cultural resources consulting and its diverse fields

Initiatives in the Past Year Illustrating the Focus and Direction of the Organization
1. In February 2006, ACRA submitted comments on the NEPA Task Force recommendations to “modernize NEPA implementation.” ACRA voiced the concerns of the thousands of people it represents who work in the cultural resources industry. The letter commented on 21 task force recommendations, with suggestions for modifications based on real world experience.

2. Since August 2005, ACRA has followed continued efforts to limit the application of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Section 106. During ACRA’s national conference in Washington, D.C., in November 2005, attendees went to Capitol Hill and informed their local representatives of the importance of Section 106. As a result of ACRA’s action, draft legislation from both the House and the Senate no longer limits the ability of existing legislation from protecting cultural resources.

3. ACRA member archaeologists Terry Klein of SRI Foundation and Ian Burrow of Hunter Research were part of the almost 500 invited preservation specialists who participated in the Preserve America Summit, held October 18-20, 2006, in New Orleans.

Preservation Issues that are of Particular Concern to Your Organization
Education
Almost all CRM firms have noted that most recent university graduates have been trained for an academic career, and thus possess major deficiencies in working as a professional in the CRM industry. Since at any time the number of graduates far exceeds the number of available academic positions, most graduates apply for positions in CRM firms. ACRA has been working with academic organizations to develop CRM-related coursework to better prepare their graduates for work in the “real world.”

Recognition of the CRM Industry
The next five years will bring formal recognition of the CRM industry by the establishment of a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for cultural resources. ACRA has been largely responsible for the visibility and credibility of our industry among lawmakers and agency staff in Washington. The Small Business Administration may formally recognize our industry in upcoming regulations. If so, the Census Bureau sometimes follows, and it is the Census Bureau that manages the NAICS system. Continued work by ACRA in Washington, and petitions to the Census Bureau, will allow the CRM industry to receive official industry status in the United States.

Government Relations
ACRA keeps a close eye on federal appropriations and proposed rules that may affect the CRM industry. These have included Interior Appropriations Historic Preservation Fund, SAFETEA Highway Reauthorization, Archaeological Initiative of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), and Reauthorization of the ACHP.

Preservation Trends/Opportunities that Your Organization Views as Advancements or Potential Advancements in the Field of Historic Preservation at Large and/or Advancements in Historic Preservation within Your Organization
Compliance Streamlining and Legislation Changes
For the next year, ACRA sees ongoing review of proposed changes to environmental and cultural resources legislation by members of Congress in order to “streamline” the process due to perceived “stumbling blocks” experienced by some agencies. ACRA’s role will be to ensure that any proposed changes do not result in loss of protection for the nation’s cultural resources.

Ways the AIA/HRC and Its Members Can Be Supportive of Your Organization
1. Encourage AIA firms that conduct cultural resources management work to join ACRA.
2. Encourage AIA firms that work with cultural resources management firms to work with firms that are members of ACRA.
3. Form alliances regarding preservation issues of concern to both the AIA and ACRA.
4. Provide links to ACRA on the AIA/HRC Web page.
5. Provide information on ACRA’s conferences and events on AIA/HRC’s Web page.