Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
among
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
and
North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
State Historic Preservation Office and Office of State Archaeology (DCR)
and
North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT)

Purpose
The FHWA, DCR, and DOT share a common concern for the potential for transportation projects to impact historic properties of national, state, or local significance. The purpose of this MOU is to establish a framework for cooperation whereby each sponsor commits to improve the current process for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106).

These agencies acknowledge the need for interagency cooperation to strengthen individual agency efforts, achieve program benefits, and facilitate program operations. To this end. the agencies agree, to the extent practicable, to:

• Establish a stable and predictable relationship that allows for the accomplishment of each agency's mission,
• Promote partnership and teamwork through open communication, honesty, and trust,
• Mutually agree on the issues and opportunities that impede the review and compliance process, and collaboratively develop solutions to ameliorate the issues,
• Support a joint process improvement effort that will result in consistent, efficient and predictable decisions, and produce measurable results that benefit both agencies, and
• Implement the improvements developed through the joint process improvement effort and approved by the sponsors of this MOU.

Sponsor Commitment
This MOU sets forth a commitment of reciprocal cooperation that will assist each agency in meeting its individual responsibilities without compromising the other agencies' missions. This agreement will become effective upon signature by the authorizing sponsors. A sponsor may terminate participation in this agreement upon 30-day written notice to all other sponsors.

By our signature, we agree to foster the process improvement effort by removing barriers to progress, demonstrating active and involved leadership, and modeling desired behaviors. We are committed to developing a partnership that allows for the implementation of safe and efficient transportation systems that are compatible with the protection, preservation, and enhancement of North Carolina's cultural resources.

Sponsors Signatures:

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