An official website of the State of Maryland.

Maryland.gov Translate

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Maryland Historical Trust

Public Participation in Project Review

A park ranger and consultants review a large map together during an outdoor site visit.

Public participation is an important part of project review. Comments and input from interested members of the public, local governments, Indian tribes, and other stakeholders are encouraged when projects could affect Maryland’s historic properties and archaeological sites. Members of the public can participate in the project review process in a variety of ways.  

Project review does not determine a particular outcome. Agencies, through consultation with MHT and the public, must balance multiple and often conflicting concerns to make sound project planning decisions. Your participation can help ensure the best possible future for historic properties at risk. 

Who can participate 

Anyone may take part in project review, including: 

  • Local governments and planning offices
  • Preservation and community organizations
  • Indian tribes and Indigenous communities with cultural or historic interests in Maryland 

Members of the public who have a demonstrated legal, economic, or cultural interest in a project or its potential effects may request to be a consulting party. 

Participation ensures that multiple perspectives are considered when planning projects that affect Maryland’s heritage.  

How to participate 

If you are concerned about a project’s impact on historic properties, the first step is to find out whether it has state or federal agency involvement. To do this, you can: 

  • Search MHT's Compliance Log to see if a project has been submitted for review
  • Contact state and federal agencies that might be involved
  • Contact your local planning office to learn more about the project and what reviews might be required
  • Attend any public meetings that may be held by the state or federal agencies 

If you have trouble determining whether a project has state or federal involvement, email [email protected].   

Request to become a consulting party 

You or your organization may want to be more involved in reviewing a project if it affects your legal or financial interests, your property, your business, or a group you belong to, such as a neighborhood or preservation organization. 

To request consulting party status, you must write to the state or federal agency that is funding or authorizing the project. Your written request should: 

  • describe your interest in the project
  • outline any concerns about the project’s effects on historic properties 

When you send your request to the state or federal agency, you should send a copy by email to MHT at [email protected]. 

The state or federal agency, in consultation with MHT, will decide whether to grant consulting party status. 

Consulting parties receive updates, draft findings, and opportunities to comment before final decisions are made. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s Citizen's Guide to Section 106 Review - PDF (available in English or in Spanish - PDF ) provides helpful guidance to citizens who wish to participate in the project review process. Please note that, although the guide refers specifically to federal project review (called “Section 106”), the process is the same for state project review in Maryland. 

When you can participate 

Opportunities to participate depend on where a project is in the review process. 

  • Early planning: Provide information about known historic sites or cultural places in the project area.
  • During consultation: Comment on draft findings of effect or National Register eligibility.
  • When adverse effects are identified: Suggest ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate harm. 

You can learn more about the steps of the project review process on the understanding project review page. 

Participating as an Indian tribe or tribal organization 

If a project could affect places of religious or cultural importance to federally recognized or state-recognized Indian tribes, those tribes have the right to participate in the public review process and (if federally recognized) may request government-to-government consultation. 

If you are a member of an Indian tribe or tribal organization and wish to participate in the project review process, please follow the steps in “How to participate” (above) and contact the relevant state or federal agency to notify them about your interest in the project.  

To learn more about tribal consultation in the project review process, visit the understanding project review page.