New Hampshire: Proposed bill aims to protect buried history

From Seacoastonline.com: Proposed bill aims to protect buried history PORTSMOUTH — A proposed Senate bill would require historic district commissions to adopt regulations to protect and preserve “subsurface archeological deposits” found within historic districts. The bill was introduced Jan. 4 and if passed would require historic commissions to adopt archeological preservation regulations by Dec. 31, 2013. The proposed legislation is currently being studied by the Public and Municipal Affairs committee. It’s sponsored by Senators Nancy Stiles and Amanda Merrill and state representatives Terie Norelli, Jacqueline Cali-Pitts, Laura Pantelakos and Jeffery St. Cyr. Related Stories * African Burying Ground park organizers updating councilors * African Burying Ground Committee to speak before City Council * African Burying Ground donations, pledges at $675K * Popovers supports African Burying Ground with donation Wednesday Pantelakos said the discovery of the African Burying Ground during construction on Chestnut Street serves as a lesson about the significance of subsurface archeology. “A lot of people are destroying things we should keep,” she said. “I’m hoping this is something that will make them look at it.” A debate about archeological preservation became heated last year during construction at the Portwalk site, after which local historian J. Dennis Robinson called New Hampshire’s preservation laws “weak” with minimal oversight.