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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Rep. Bradley T. Johnson is trying to eliminate the state archaeologist's post and move authority over excavating land with archaeologic resources from the state Antiquities Section to the Public Lands Policy Coordination Office.
"I do believe really strongly that we need to protect the archaeological resources of the state, but there are some out there, be it chippings or whatever it is, that we probably don't need every one of these minor sites," Johnson said.
His bill also would require the state's historic preservation officer consult with the policy coordination office on any comments about projects affecting historic property.
Supporters of the bill contend it would expedite energy development in Utah.
Last year, the Aurora Republican's proposal to transfer the state archaeologist and staff out of the Utah Division of State History and into the Division of Wildlife Resources failed.
But this year's bill, HB139, "State Antiquities and Historic Sites Amendments," has been endorsed by the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee.
The bill would eliminate the position of state archaeologist and shift the oversight of projects with cultural and archaeological issues from the Division of History's Antiquities Section to the Public Lands Policy Coordination Office.
HB139 state that a project's "principal investigator ... may allow other individuals to assist ... in a survey or excavation." The assistant must have a graduate degree in anthropology, archaeology or history or "experience equivalent to a graduate degree" and have a year of supervised experience in archaeology.
State law currently requires that archaeological projects, such as clearances for highway construction, be carried out by registered professional archaeologists. That's a higher standard than the equivalent of a graduate degree in history and some experience.
Another provision is that before spending money or approving archaeology projects, state agencies must take into account their costs. If the Antiquities Section doesn't like what's going on, it can complain to the Public Lands Policy Coordination Office.
Members of the Utah Professional Archaeological Council overwhelmingly oppose HB139, says a letter signed by the council president, Lori Hunsaker.
"The permitting process and standards outlined in HB139 appoint a new and separate committee that currently lacks any archaeological expertise," it said.
It also said the coordination office is "poorly suited to evaluate the quality of work and experience" of would-be permittees.
"Historical and archaeological resources are irreplaceable remains of our cultural heritage that provide our community with tourist dollars, as well as information about what happened in the past and insight into our everyday existence," it said.
Hunsaker said Sunday that archaeologists and supporters of archaeology and ancient rock art were contacting their legislators about the bill.
"Many, many members (of the council) have expressed concern" about people who are inexperienced in archaeology, or who are pro-development, having the say on permits, she said.
The bill would make state laws on managing archaeological resources "more lax, making them more development-friendly than federal law," she said.
Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, said he had e-mails from archaeologists both opposing and supporting the measure.
John Harja, assistant director of the coordination office, said he helped put together the current law 14 years ago, "But the landscape was a lot different back then. There weren't nearly as many companies doing archaeological or historical work as today. And some of that is starting to strain the structure."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
