A federal advisory panel aligned with former President Donald Trump is advancing proposed changes to regulations designed to protect historic sites, a move that preservationists warn could undermine decades of safeguards for America’s cultural heritage. The draft revisions, approved in principle by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation this month, aim to streamline the review process for industrial and infrastructure projects by limiting public and tribal input, changes that proponents say will reduce delays and promote economic growth.

The council, a federal agency charged with overseeing historic preservation policy, is largely composed of presidential appointees and administration officials. Supporters argue the current consultation process under the National Historic Preservation Act — a law enacted in 1966 — has become overly complex, causing unnecessary setbacks in federal projects including oil and gas development. “Undertakings are too often delayed by a consultation process that has become far more demanding and complicated than what was contemplated in the statute,” said Kevin Lilly of the Interior Department at a council meeting in June.

If finalized, the new rules would narrow the scope of historic sites subject to review, excluding natural features such as mountains and landscapes, and would remove consideration of “visual, atmospheric or audible” effects caused by development projects. The changes would also reduce requirements for consultation with Native American tribes and state preservation officials, potentially allowing projects to proceed without adjustments typically made to protect historic resources.

Preservation advocates and tribal representatives have strongly criticized the proposal. Brent Leggs, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation—which holds a seat on the council—described the revisions as an effort to “eviscerate the preservation of our shared civic and cultural heritage in the United States.” Ira Matt of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers called the draft rules a “bait and switch,” noting that their organization and other preservation groups had been involved in early discussions about modest reforms but were blindsided by a sweeping overhaul.

The proposed changes have raised particular concerns about their impact on significant sites such as Chaco Canyon in the Southwest. This area, rich with ancient stone and earthen structures tied to Pueblo, Navajo, and other Indigenous cultures, is currently protected under regulations that could be weakened to facilitate oil and gas drilling. Archaeologist Paul Reed expressed alarm over the potential for increased development near the national park, warning that protected landscapes could soon be fragmented by industrial activity.

Several notable projects in Washington, D.C., face review under the existing rules, including the controversial National Garden of American Heroes and a proposed 250-foot arch near Arlington National Cemetery. The Trump administration’s effort to modify the regulations is also linked to broader efforts to reshape the capital’s historic spaces, such as plans to demolish parts of the White House East Wing.

While the advisory council has approved the draft regulations, they remain subject to public comment and further revision. The proposal now awaits review by the Office of Management and Budget, a process that could take weeks or months. A spokeswoman for the council declined to directly address preservationist criticism, instead highlighting the stated goal of creating “greater clarity, consistency, and efficiency” in the regulations while maintaining fidelity to the National Historic Preservation Act.

The debate over the proposed changes underscores a long-standing tension between development interests and historic preservation efforts in the United States, particularly as increasing industrial infrastructure projects intersect with culturally significant sites. Preservationists warn that the emerging rules could diminish protections that have preserved sites of profound historical and cultural importance for more than half a century.