Do You Have Cultural or Archaeological Resources on Your Property?
Considering Contacting the State Historic Preservation Office
Identifying cultural resources and maintaining the state's inventory of them remains a basic foundation for protecting Illinois' heritage.  Illinois is blessed with a wealth of cultural resources, and our state has one of the strongest records of preserving history in the nation, in part because we have so much of historical value.  Examples include:

• Assets from Abraham Lincoln's legacy .
• The cities of Navoo and Galena.
• Cahokia Mounds, Dixon Mounds, and other Native American sites. 
• Colonial French settlements along the lower Mississippi. 
• The world’ first skyscrapers (Chicago)
• Frank Lloyd Wright and the Chicago School residences.

What Happens If Artifacts Or Cultural Sites Are In Navigator's CO₂ Pipeline Route?
Protecting historic, architectural, and archaeological sites as part of the public planning process is one of the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office’s (IL SHPO) primary responsibilities. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and the Illinois State Agency Historic Resource Preservation Act (Section 707) require state and federal agencies to consider the effects of their actions on historic properties listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Those actions include projects that involve state and/or federal permits, licenses, and funds. Navigator CO₂ Ventures will be seeking federal approval from the Amy Corps of Engineers once they submit their application for approval of their project by the Illinois Commerce .For Navigator’s project, review of known registered sites would focus on wetlands and areas adjacent to stream crossings that are under jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps Engineers. 

However, Navigator’s pipeline could potentially be required to be relocated to avoid other known, registered sites. Therefore, we encourage you to consider determining the significance of cultural resources you may find on your property, particularly if they include pottery shards or other artifacts other than arrowheads. This can easily be accomplished by contacting: 

Illinois State Historic Preservation Office (IL SHPO)
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
1 Old State Capitol Plaza
Springfield, Illinois 62701
Office: (217) 782-4836

Depending on what you have found, the IL SHPO may wish to conduct a Phase I archaeological survey and register your site. While most of the thousands of projects that the IL SHPO reviews every year do not involve places listed in or eligible for the National Register, there are several counties along Navigator’s corridor that are rich with cultural history ad significance.  

Sources:
Illinois State Historic Preservation Office
IAS Submission Guidelines Updated Sep 2021
Illinois Archaeological Site Recording Submission Form 2021

Banner photo: Photo 163362248 / Cahokia Mounds Illinois © Zrfphoto | Dreamstime.com