The Green Future and the Golden Past: Issues and Approaches Regarding the Sustainability of Historical Structures and Sites

Abstract

This Article illustrates the harmonies and conflict between historic preservation and environmental law in the context of urgently meeting climate change challenges. The Article presents an overarching analysis of the relationship between historic preservation and environmentalism, discerning unifying aspects and modern conflicts through statutory laws and case studies. It begins with detailing the parallel goals between the two causes, drawing on key similarities between the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, the main tools for ensuring federal review for each field, and highlighting sustainable refurbishment as a prime example on achieving both ends with the same means. The Article then shifts towards their increasing conflict in the context of climate change action, looking at, for example, the friction between the rapid energy transition and historic preservation federal review. Because deceleration caused by federal review is not feasible in meeting current ambitious emission goals, the Article posits streamlined solutions that can be implemented to ensure each set of goals are met efficiently. This Article concludes with an analysis of these solutions within these unreconciled areas.