The Laboratory provides support to the DOE to implement the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) through a Programmatic Agreement with the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Office and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The Programmatic Agreement guides the management, preservation and protection of cultural resources at the Laboratory through the NHPA. Based on the NHPA, federal agencies are subjected to inventories and evaluation of the impacts of federally funded projects on cultural resources. Each year, hundreds of projects undertaken at the Laboratory are reviewed for NHPA compliance.

OUR MISSION

Our role is to support the mission of the Laboratory while being good stewards of the natural and built environment. This includes ensuring that the Laboratory complies with regulations such as the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires us to identify, evaluate, record, and protect eligible historic properties older than 50 years. We are most effective in ensuring compliance during project planning, so be sure to involve us early in your project and use the Integrated Review Tool system. We are here to help!

Cultural resources at the Laboratory encompass more than 10,000 years of human history. The remote and restricted nature of this Laboratory, with over 75 years of continuing mission, has provided for the preservation of over 1,900 archaeological sites and traditional cultural properties, and over 400 historic-age facilities. Parts of the Laboratory have even been included in the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The past belongs to us all, so we build trusting partnerships and share our knowledge of cultural resources with our neighbors, stakeholders, and the public.

Nake'muu Pueblo

Nake’muu Pueblo was occupied by ancestors of the Pueblo de San Ildefonso from approximately AD 1200 to AD 1325. It is believed to have served as a refuge for the San Ildefonso people during the late 17th century Pueblo revolt.