Local reservations gain historic state and tribal preservation grants

From U.S. Department of the Interior

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of the Interior announced it awarded National Park Service historic preservation grants to all of Montana’s Indian reservations including Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.

 U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt with the National Park Service announced the distribution of $339,030 in historic preservation grants to Montana as well as $235,189 for historic preservation grants to seven Tribal Historic Preservation Offices in the state.

The department awarded Fort Belknap Indian Community $32,541 and Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy’s Reservation $28,872.

“These grants highlight the department’s, and the National Park Service’s, commitment to preserving U.S. and tribal history and heritage,” Bernhardt said.

“Through valuable partnerships, we are able to help communities and tribes protect the diverse historic places, culture and traditions unique to our country for future generations.”

This funding, part of $25.5 million going to states and tribes across the country, represents a total of $58 million that the National Park Service has invested in the preservation efforts to every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, and partnering nations this year.

Administered by the National Park Service, these funds are appropriated annually by Congress from the Historic Preservation Fund. The HPF funds preservation programs at State Historic Preservation Offices and ensures local involvement by passing 10 percent of state funding through competitive subgrants to certified local governments. All funding to the states and the District of Columbia requires a 40 percent nonfederal match, which leverages state, local, and private dollars to do even more with the federal HPF investment. Tribal grants do not require a match, although all tribes supplement their funding to accomplish their tribal preservation office mission.

Since its inception in 1977, the HPF has provided more than $1.2 billion in historic preservation grants to states, tribes, local governments and non-profit organizations. Funded at $80 million in 2017, the HPF is supported by Outer Continental Shelf oil lease revenues rather than tax dollars.

Other tribal historic preservation offices in Montana receiving funds include Blackfeet Nation, $35,046; Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian Nation, $34,571; Crow Tribe of Indians, $36,440, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, $36,125; and Northern Cheyenne Tribe, $31,594.

For more information about the National Park Service historic preservation programs and grants, people can visit http://www.nps.gov/stlpg.