Section 106 Application
Why It's Important
Preserving historic landmarks, sites, and buildings across the state is one of the main goals of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) was written as a foundational safeguard for the preservation of cultural sites across the United States. Due to these statutes, all federally funded projects within Mississippi must be reviewed and approved by MDAH to ensure they do not affect historic and/or archeological sites. The Geospatial Group developed the Section 106 application to help streamline this review process and provide a user-friendly interface for the public.
Section 106 Application
The Section 106 Application was developed for MDAH as a streamlined tool for reviewing potential building sites for compliance with Section 106 regulations. Using Esri's JavaScript API and web maps, this system optimizes submission and review processes for both MDAH and the public. Additionally, it creates a more sustainable workflow for archiving project material in MDAH's Historic Resources Inventory. This added efficiency gives MDAH greater confidence in enforcing compliance while helping project planners avoid costly delays. Most importantly, the tool plays a vital role in protecting and preserving cultural sites across the state.
User Interface
User-Friendly Form
When an external agency is ready to submit a new request for a building or ground-disturbing project, they are directed to complete a Cultural Resource Assessment (CRA) Form on the Section 106 Application. The form page contains a series of fillable fields that allow the user to provide all necessary project information, including a point of contact, agency name, project description, and project location. A short questionnaire drills into specific details of the request, such as known landmarks, registered historic sites, materials, and site photographs for the requested project. Requiring this level of detail from the user prior to submission streamlines the review process, providing MDAH with all of the necessary information to make an informed decision and reduce potential delays.
Location Accuracy
Correctly indicating where a potential building site is located is important for an efficient review process. An integrated map viewer in the CRA Form assists users in accurately pinpointing the geographic location of their site. After entering the desired address, users can "Launch Map to Locate Project," to visually verify their proposed site. The map will automatically zoom down to the address, allowing users to then confirm the property location. After confirmation, additional detail fields are automatically populated from the georeferencing, such as latitude/longitude, county, township, section, and range. This feature saves the user from having to search and enter the additional location information manually and provides the reviewer accurate details to continue the process efficiently.
Status Information
Once users have submitted a project for review, they receive a confirmation number and email for tracking purposes. At any time, submitters can log into the CRA Portal and view the status of their submission. This view provides them details such as project ID, name, submission date, and the current stage of MDAH's review process. This dashboard-style status view is especially valuable because it provides clear, real-time insight into where a project stands, reducing uncertainty and the need for follow-up inquiries. By centralizing all project details and review updates in one place, users can easily monitor progress, anticipate next steps, and stay informed throughout the entire process.
Administrative Features
Convenient Review Dashboard
After an external user has submitted a project, MDAH staff is notified to begin the review process. This workflow involves several tiers of review from different MDAH departments, to ensure the project is reviewed by any and all relevant parties. The administrative dashboard conveniently displays which section and user the project is assigned to, the status of the review, and all of the details provided by the external submitter. This layout provides a comprehensive overview of all submitted projects, so that MDAH staff can streamline the review process and avoid backlogs or delays.
SharePoint and Active Directory Integration
A modernized SharePoint structure was built to store and manage project file attachments submitted by users. Files are broken out by year and project, accessible to MDAH staff. All access is managed by the agency's active directory. User roles and permissions are managed through a centralized SQL Server system, ensuring both internal staff and external users are authenticated consistently. Once logged in, users are granted access to specific features based on their assigned roles, with staff added by administrators and external users able to self-register.