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(a) The Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources shall be the State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Director of the Division for Archaeology and Historic Preservation shall be the Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer for the Virgin Islands. The Division for Archaeology and Historic Preservation shall be the State Historic Preservation Office, which shall be administered by the State Historic Preservation Officer.
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(b) The State Historic Preservation Officer shall be responsible for implementing this subchapter and the National Historic Preservation Act (P.L. 89–665, as amended), and shall adhere to relevant federal and local rules, regulations and executive orders, including the “Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation”, established by the Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior.
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(c) The State Historic Preservation Officer shall implement a plan for the comprehensive survey and identification of all terrestrial and marine archaeological sites, structures, sacred sites, shipwrecks, cemeteries, unmarked human burial sites, ossuaries, objects, artifacts and areas of value in archaeology, history, architecture, engineering and culture of the Virgin Islands, both on land and sea; and maintain a listing of such sites to be referred to as the Virgin Islands Registry of Historic Places; and maintain collections appropriate for the requirements of this subchapter.
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(d) The State Historic Preservation Officer shall develop educational programs for the purpose of making available to the public information pertaining to historic, terrestrial and marine archaeological sites, buildings, shipwrecks, sacred sites, structures, cemeteries, unmarked human burial sites, ossuaries, objects, artifacts and other properties significant to the Virgin Islands.
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(e) The State Historic Preservation Officer shall have mandatory consultation among and between the government and all federally funded government agencies before any agency initiates alterations to or transferals of historic properties or archaeological sites.
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(f) The State Historic Preservation Officer shall receive proposals concerning terrestrial and submerged land undertakings by any person to determine whether there may be an adverse effect on public land.
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(g) The State Historic Preservation Officer shall issue or deny permits for use, access to, and development of property containing historic, cultural or archaeological resources, and for the excavation or removal of any archaeological specimen for cultural exchange, scientific identification or any other purpose.
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(h) The State Historic Preservation Officer shall employ or appoint professionally qualified staff who meet the criteria set forth in 36 CFR, Part 61 to assist in the performance of his duties under this subchapter.