30-Day Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment on U.S. Nominations to the World Heritage List and Potential Additions to the U.S. World Heritage Tentative List

This is a first notice for the public to comment on the next potential U.S. nominations from the U.S. World Heritage Tentative List to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List, and on possible additions to the Tentative List. This notice complies with 36 CFR 73.7(c). The U.S. World Heritage Tentative List (formerly referred to as the Indicative Inventory) appears at the end of this notice. The current Tentative List was transmitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre on January 24, 2008, and includes properties that appear to qualify for World Heritage status and which may be considered for nomination by the United States to the World Heritage List. Any property nominated to the World Heritage List must have been on the Tentative List for at least a year prior to its nomination, according to the Operational Guidelines of the World Heritage Committee. The preparation of the Tentative List provides multiple opportunities for the public to comment on which sites to include, as part of a process that also included recommendations by the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, a Federal Advisory Commission to the U.S. Department of State. The U.S. Department of the Interior is now considering whether to nominate any of the properties on the Tentative List to the World Heritage List. The Department will consider public comments received during this comment period and the advice of the Federal Interagency Panel for World Heritage in making a final decision on future nominations. Comments may also be made on suggestions for additions to the Tentative List, although the Department is not required to make additions to the List.