Background
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) applies annually for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Funds (PCSRF) from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and awards these funds through various grant programs. These funds are mainly used in restoration and technical assistance projects that benefit salmon and steelhead.
In August 2025, OWEB, the NMFS, along with the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation signed a
Programmatic Agreement (PA) for PCSRF projects, delegating
Section 106 responsibilities of the
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) to OWEB. Section 106 requires federal agencies to consider the effects on historic properties of projects they carry out, assist, fund, permit, license, or approve.
OWEB has historically relied on its grantees to self-report and track permits required for project implementation in the application and grant agreement. Under the PA, OWEB is responsible for ensuring that the grantees are in compliance with Section 106. This includes reviewing projects to ensure alignment with the PA, examining cultural resource reports, and submitting the appropriate documentation to the SHPO and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Under the PA, OWEB is required to review all grants funded by PCSRF, as well as those utilizing Oregon Lottery funds to meet its 33% required match to NOAA. The information below is intended to help OWEB applicants understand these new requirements.
The Programmatic Agreement applies to all land in Oregon that:
- Falls within the
Recovery Domains for Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed Salmon and Steelhead.
- Does not already have another established federal Programmatic Agreement.
- Is not under Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) jurisdiction. THPO jurisdiction has authority in lieu of the Oregon SHPO.
How Does this Impact OWEB Grantees?
OWEB grantees are accustomed to ensuring Section 106 compliance when working with federal funds and working on federal lands; these federal nexuses are triggers for compliance with federal laws. Grantees who are now funded with Oregon Lottery funds but are located within the Recovery Domains for ESA-listed salmon and steelhead will have to plan to demonstrate compliance with Section 106 and budget in technical assistance and restoration applications for cultural resources review.
OWEB understands that building historic property considerations into projects requires technical expertise and can add time and costs to projects. Applicants should consider the following when planning projects:
- Contact a qualified archaeological contractor to identify historic properties early in the project planning process to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts during implementation. The
Oregon SHPO provides a helpful bulletin for individuals and organizations interested in hiring an archaeologist and the
Association of Oregon Archaeologists offers a contractor directory.
- Apply for a
Technical Assistance (TA) grant and budget time and expenses for cultural resources requirements in the TA grant prior to applying for a restoration grant.
- Complete as much cultural resource work as possible during the design phase of the project to reduce delays. If cultural resource work has not begun by the time grantees apply for a restoration grant, the review may note concerns about unknown budget costs and delays in the project timeline.
The activities listed below are categorized based on project types that qualify for PCSRF funding, subject to compliance with the PA. For a more detailed description of these categories and additional information on Section 106, please download a copy of the
Guidance on Cultural Resources Compliance for OWEB Grants.
- Exempted from Section 106 Review.
- Assessed for Exemptions from Section 106 Review.
- Full Section 106 Review.
More Information