1. Acquisition of Scenic Easements and Scenic Historic Sites
2. Historic Preservation
3. Rehabilitation and Operation of Historic Transportation Buildings, Structures, and Facilities
4. Archaeological Planning and Research

Can TE funds be used for every type of historic preservation project?
TE funds can only be used for historic preservation projects that have a clear link to transportation. If you want to repair the floors and interior walls of a historic courthouse building then your project would not be considered eligible, because there is no immediate link to transportation—the public travelling by this building would not benefit from the interior restorations. However, if the same repairs were proposed for a historic bus station they would likely be considered eligible for TE funds, as this facility is a transportation-related building. To determine whether or not your project would be eligible for TE funds, contact David P. Kelly (contact information below) at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History (SCDAH).

My community has been awarded a TE grant for a historic preservation project. What role will SCDAH play in the process of bringing the project to fruition?
If your project has been awarded funding and involves historic resources, or has the potential to affect historic resources, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) will forward your application to SCDAH for review. SCDAH will then request further information (such as architectural plans, photographs, etc.) from the grant recipient to determine the level of effect the project will have on historic resources. If necessary, SCDAH will begin a consultation process with the grant recipient to address any concerns raised during the review. The grant recipient must receive a SCDAH letter of approval for the project, signifying the successful completion of the review process, before any work can begin.

What guidelines will SCDAH follow in reviewing TE projects, and are these guidelines available to the public?
SCDAH follows the recommendations of The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings when reviewing any historic preservation-related project. There are two National Park Service (NPS) websites that provide information on these guidelines:

Two other NPS websites of value when considering any historic resource rehabilitation project:

My community has a wonderful TE project planned that we know SCDAH would love. Will SCDAH write a letter of support for our project that we can include with our grant application?
As one of the regulatory agencies responsible for reviewing TE grants that receive funding, SCDAH is prohibited from making any comment on TE projects before they have received SCDOT approval. SCDAH can, however, provide guidance and information to help in preparing the application. For guidance on the TE application, contact David P. Kelly (contact information below) with any historic resource-related questions.

If you are submitting a PIF to SCDAH to determine eligibility, please inform SCDAH that you are interested in determining eligibility for TE grant purposes. SCDAH will keep the time concerns of the grant cycle in mind when considering your eligibility request.