Guam lawmakers press SHPO and federal partners over draft 2025 programmatic agreement, citing consultation and scope concerns

CHAMORRO — Guam legislators pressed the Guam State Historic Preservation Officer and federal partners on March 18 over a draft 2025 programmatic agreement (PA) intended to streamline Section 106 reviews of Department of Defense undertakings on the island.

Senator Shelly Cabo, chairing the oversight hearing, said the PA aims to reconcile Guam’s role in U.S. defense planning with its cultural stewardship responsibilities and asked whether the draft strengthens protection or merely expedites compliance. "This agreement seeks to streamline compliance with federal historic preservation requirements under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act," she said, framing the committee's review around consultation, mitigation and transparency.

Guam State Historic Preservation Officer Patrick Luhan told the committee the PA remains a draft open to comment and that his office has prioritized public submissions before sending materials to the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Luhan described planned edits — fixing a single-signature typo, adding a stipulation for traditional cultural properties, and improving public notice…