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8/4/2019 Logan Law Offices Legal Opinion - Letter to Senator David Vitter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/logan-law-offices-legal-opinion-letter-to-senator-david-vitter 1/8
LOIGAN LAW OFFICES
ATTORNEYS AT LAW APROFESSIONALLIMITEDLIABILITYCOMPANY TELEPHONE
504.522.5900
FAX504.522.5998
1010 COMMON STREET. SUITE 2910
NEWORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70112JAMES R. LOGAN. IV
September 16, 2011
VIA E-MAIL TRANSMISSION ONLY
rachae1rnason(2I)vittcr.senatc.gov
The Honorable David Vitter
UNITED STATES SENATE
516 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Attention: Rachael L. Mason
Re: National Register of
Historic Places Nominationfor Levee Breach Sites
Our File No. 075.1318
Dear Ms. Mason:
I write this letter at the request of Sandy Rosenthal with Levees.org to clarify what
a listing in the National Register of Historic Places does or does not do, and especially to address
your concerns about future improvements or modifications to the levee system.
First, there are certain key definitions within the National Register program
administered by the National Park Service that must be considered for a proper understanding ofwhat a nomination to, and ultimate listing on, the National Register means. There is a common
misunderstanding that only buildings or other manmade structures can be included in the National
Register, but this overlooks the fact that sites or historic places can be listed too - after all, it is
named the National Register of Historic Places. IAccording to NPS regulations,
a site is the location of a significant event, a prehistoric or historic occupation or
activity, or a building or structure, whether standing, ruined, or vanished, where the
location itself maintains historical or archeological value regardless ofthe value
of any existing structure.
36 CFR §60.3(l) (emphasis supplied). On the other hand, a "structure" is defined as "a work madeup of interdependent and interrelated parts in a definite pattern of organization. Constructed by man,
1 Although perhaps not as commonly recognized, there are at least 41 "sites" in Louisiana
already listed on the National Register; a printout of them from the Louisiana SHPO's website is
attached for your reference.
8/4/2019 Logan Law Offices Legal Opinion - Letter to Senator David Vitter
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LOGAN LAWOFFICES
Ms. Rachael L. Mason
September 16, 2011
Page -2-
it is often an engineering project large in scale," 36 CFR §60.3(p), while "a building is a structure
created to shelter any form of human activity ...." id. at §60.3(a). The simple but important point here
is that a site, as an historic place, can be included in the National Register in its own right,independent of and not tied to any building or structure.
Within this background definitional context, it must be emphasized that the
submission from Levees.org only seeks to place the site of the levee breaches on the National
Register, not the levees or floodwalls themselves. The application is very clear on this point and
carefully makes the distinctions found in the NPS regulations: its Summary Paragraph explicitly
states that "[r[he nominated areas include only the locations of the actual breach sites; they do
not include the levees and flood walls themselves; the adjacent land, the canals, or the city-wide
drainage, flood protection, and navigation systems of which the sites are a part." In sum, and as
expressly provided for in the National Register regulations, the levee breach sites stand alone for
purposes of National Register nomination and any listing of them on the Register really has nobearing on the levees and floodwalls.
I also suspect that some broader concerns about National Register listing stern from
another common misunderstanding about the effects of a listing. The National Register is mainly a
planning tool used by federal agencies to indicate what historic properties should be considered for
protection from possible destruction or impairment brought about by federal actions; it also opens
the door to various grant programs and federal tax incentives. See gen. 36 CFR §60.2(a)-(d). But
importantly there simply are no restrictions put on the use of any historic properties listed on
the National Register.
Again the regulations are clear that listing in the National Register "does not prohibitunder Federal law or regulation any actions which may otherwise be taken by the property owner
with respect to the property." 36 CFR §60.2. Similarly, a "Myths and Facts" sheet about the
National Register Program published by the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development, Division of
Historic Preservation, copy attached for your reference, specifically emphasizes that a National
Register listing "DOES NOT restrict the use of the property. (For example, an owner can continue
to live in a listed, convert a listed property to another use, continue to farm ground where a listed
archeological site may be located, conduct new construction on the site, etc.)." (emphasis supplied).
I also want to point out that even if, for whatever reason, the levee breach sites were
not formally listed in the National Register, the federal review requirements of the National Historic
Preservation Act would nonetheless still apply to the sites, because they have already beenrecognized for their historic significance and thus would be considered as National Register
"eligible" sites. In other words, NHP A 106 review procedures must be undertaken by federal
agencies when dealing with historic properties that are either already listed in the National Register
or are considered to be eligible for listing.
8/4/2019 Logan Law Offices Legal Opinion - Letter to Senator David Vitter
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LOGAN LAW OFFICES
Ms. Rachael L. Mason
September 16, 2011
Page -3-
We appreciate your consideration of this important National Register nomination, and
I would be happy to discuss these matters in greater detail with you or answer any specific questions
that you have.
Best regards,
JRLiv/alb
Enclosures
8/4/2019 Logan Law Offices Legal Opinion - Letter to Senator David Vitter
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http://www.crt.state.la.us/hp/ na ti o n a l r eg i s te rl n h ll s ea rc h l i st in g s
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Catahoula 9/6/2005
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8/4/2019 Logan Law Offices Legal Opinion - Letter to Senator David Vitter
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9/16/201110:21
8/4/2019 Logan Law Offices Legal Opinion - Letter to Senator David Vitter
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8/7/2001
3/2/1995
6/22/2000
6/17/1977
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9116/2011 10
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yths & Facts about the National Register Program http://www.crt.state.la.us/hp/national register/facts _my
CRT HOME
CULTURALDEVELOPMENT
HISTORICPRESERVAllON
NATIONALREGISTER
SECTION 106REVIEW
TAX INCENllVES
TAXABATEMENTS
GRANTS
HISTORICBUILDING
RECOVERYGRANTPROGRAM
LOUISIANAARCHITECTURE
HANDBOOKON STYLES
CERTIFIED LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
MAIN STREET
HERITAGEEDUCAllON
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RESOURCESMAP
STAFF
NATIIONALPARKSERVICE
PLANNING& SURVEY FUNDS
LOUISIANALANDTRUST
NOllCES
LA HISTORICSTANDING
STRUCTURESSURVEY
LOUISIANASTATEPLAN
(SHPO)
EMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNITES
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• PROVIDES recognition of a property's significance in history, architecture, archaeology or engineering.
• PROVIDES a moral obligat ion, although not a legal one, to preserve the property.
• PROVIDES limited protection when a property is endangered by a federally funded or licensed act ion. The
following web site provides more information about this process: , " , ' .' 1 ' ." . ' .' • . • • . z. • .. • '• .• • " "' . • , c.: ' . ,. , ••" ' ••. , . . .• . . .• . .• .•. . .• . ..• .. . .. . , .
• PROVIDES the owner of income producing property (commercial or rental residential) the opportunity to
receive Investment Tax Credit for "Certified Rehabilitation."
• PROVIDES the owner of a private residence with the opportuni ty to apply for a Louisiana Homeowners Tax
Credit on state taxes, if a rehabil itat ion is certi fied.
• PROVIDES the owner the opportunity to apply for the Louisiana Department of Economic Development 's
Restoration Tax Abatement Program.
• PROVIDES the owner the opportunity to apply for matching grants-in-aid for restoration/rehabil itat ion (when
funding is available).
• DOES NOT restr ict the use of the proper ty. (For example, an owner can cont inue to live in a listed house,
convert a listed property to another use, cont inue to farm ground where a l isted archaeological si te may be
located, conduct new construction on the site, etc.)
• DOES NOT restr ict the sale of a property; unless under the jurisdiction of a federal agency.
• DOES NOT require continued maintenance of private property.
• DOES NOT require that any speci fic guidelines be followed in a rehabili tation (unless the owner is using
federal funds or receiving the Investment and/or Homeowners' tax credit ). (For example, the owner of a
listed property may paint his building any color he chooses.)
• DOES NOT require the owner to give tours of the property or open it to the public.
• DOES NOT guarantee funds for restorat ion.
• DOES NOT require or guarantee perpetual maintenance of the property.
• DOES NOT provide a National Register plaque or a state historic marker for the property (al though
property owners are eligible to acquire such markers at their own expense).
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yths & Facts about the National Register Program http://www.crt.state.la.us/hp/nati onalregister/facts _my
TOURISM I PARKS I MUSEUMS I CULTURE I LIBRARIES I MEDIA
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