While the US celebrates its history during America250, archaeology in this country is in crisis like never before. We are not talking about a single site at risk; we are talking about the dismantling of the entire system created by the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act that protects and preserves sites, monuments, historic neighborhoods, battlefields, sacred tribal landscapes, and main streets across the country.
The proposed Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA) is designed to expedite data centers and privilege mining and fossil fuel interests at the expense of our communities. This act strips away the power of local, state, and tribal governments to have a voice when development is planned. The Senate will vote on this on November 9th. We must speak out now to retain our ability to protect our neighborhoods and the places that matter to us.
In 1906, Congress chartered the Archaeological Institute of America to promote archaeology in the United States and around the world. Now with 150,000 subscribing members, and as the largest archaeological preservation organization in the country, our message to Congress is this: Defeat this bill.
Because the Archaeological Institute of America sees this as a critical threat to the field we were founded to protect and advance, we will be sharing updates and action items regularly for the next few weeks. Most updates will be short action items you can act on to help. About once a week, we will provide a longer update with more resources and analysis of the situation.
We’re sure you have a lot of questions. Here’s a start:
Talk to your friends and share with your community. Encourage everyone you know to make calls too.
Keep checking your emails for more opportunities to take action.
How bad is it?
Imagine:
Archaeological sites destroyed without ever studying what might be lost
Bulldozers arriving on main streets without consultation with local communities
Highways dividing neighborhoods
Burial grounds disturbed without accountability, respect, or a plan
Sacred landscapes developed beyond recognition
Data centers prioritized over historical monuments
All of this is possible if the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA) passes and the protections granted through Section 106 of the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act are stripped away.
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