§312503 Survey and recovery by Secretary

Summary

The Secretary must act when a federal or state agency, or an approved historical or archaeological authority, sends a written notice saying important scientific, prehistoric, historic, or archaeological information is being or might be lost because of a federal or federally assisted or licensed project. If the Secretary finds the information is significant and could be lost, and after giving reasonable notice to the agency that funds or licenses the project, the Secretary must survey and investigate the area and must recover and preserve the data, including analyzing and publishing it when needed for the public interest. Work is not required if the head of the responsible agency says it would interfere with emergency projects, including disaster response. The Secretary must start the work within 60 days of the notice, unless another schedule is agreed. Unless there is a written agreement saying otherwise, the Secretary must pay any person, group, or public body harmed by construction delays or by temporary loss of use of private or nonfederal land.