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(a) Each Government agency having direct or indirect jurisdiction over a proposed governmental or government assisted or approved undertaking shall, in accordance with government policy and prior to the approval of the expenditure of any state funds for the undertaking, consider the effects of the undertaking on any historical, cultural or archaeological property that is included in, or eligible for inclusion in the Virgin Islands Registry of Historic Places. Each such agency shall afford the State Historic Preservation Office fifteen (15) working days to comment and make recommendations with regard to such an undertaking, and shall cooperate with the State Historic Preservation Office in the investigation, recording preservation, or mitigation of adverse impact upon such properties. Each Government agency shall, as early in the planning process as possible, consult with the State Historic Preservation Office to determine if its proposed undertaking will adversely affect any property listed in or eligible for listing in the Virgin Islands Registry or National Register.
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(b) Each Government agency shall immediately present to the State Historic Preservation Officer, both verbally and in writing, a full professional report citing the finding of any historical, cultural or archaeological property (including human burial sites or remains) discovered on lands belonging to the Government.
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(c) Each Government agency shall assume financial and administrative responsibility for the preservation of all historical, cultural and archaeological properties under its control, including appropriate regular maintenance, and shall exercise caution to ensure than any historic, cultural or archaeological property under its control is not advertently or inadvertently transferred, sold, significantly degraded, substantially altered, or destroyed.
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(d) All Government agencies shall comply in full with the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and the “Standards and Guidelines for Historic Preservation,” established by the Secretary of the United States Department of Interior, whenever they engage in any undertaking for which there is federal involvement.