College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSS)
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Northeast Information Center
Purpose
- Maintain historical and archaeological records, reports, and maps for our service region
- Provide archived information to state and federal agencies, local governments, consultants, and individuals with responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and the California Environmental Quality Act
- Maintain a list of qualified historical resources consultants
The Northeast Information Center (NEIC) is one of nine regional offices of the California Historical Resources Information System, established by the California Office of Historic Preservation to maintain an inventory of the state’s historical resources. The Information Centers are non-profit organizations each serving a specific geographic area within the State of California.
The NEIC maintains information for Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, and Trinity counties.
The NEIC archives include more than 45,500 historical resource records documenting indigenous and post-contact era sites. We also have more than 15,000 reports, including archaeological investigations, historical studies, evaluations, ethnographic studies, environmental planning documents, and consultation letters.
Services & Fees
The NEIC provides current archaeological, historical, and historic architectural information pertaining to the 11 counties within its coverage area to the following individuals and agencies:
- Qualified professional consultants
- Federal and state agencies
- Planning departments
- Native American representatives
- Landowners
- Scholars and Students
Requesting Record Searches
A CHRIS Data Request Form must be completed to request a confidential records search. Those granted access to confidential information must be an authorized user under a signed Information Access and Use Agreement. Each authorized user must submit an Authorized User Form, Statement of Qualifications, and résumé or curriculum vitae.
To request a non-confidential search, please complete and submit a Non-Confidential Record Search Request form. Minimum fees are $150, unless another agreement is in place. Provide PDFs of maps and aerial photographs, with GIS spatial data if available, for the area to be searched as well as a project description and the reason for the request.
If you are requesting information on behalf of a city or county planning department under our Project Review Program, please submit a Project Review Request form.
The NEIC’s built environment library is currently unrestricted. The public is encouraged to make use of the NEIC’s extensive built environment database in order to learn more about the history of their community (photocopy fees may apply).
Consultants and others receiving confidential information must agree to keep archaeological site content and location information confidential by not disclosing it to unauthorized individuals or including it in publicly distributed documents. (California Government Code Section 6254.10 exempts archaeological sites from the California Public Records Act). Specifically, the locations of archaeological sites are considered confidential and therefore, such information is restricted.
Access to archaeological site information is limited to the following individuals:
Professional Consultants: Consultants must meet the Secretary of the Interior Standards under Archaeology, History, and Architecture.
Landowners: Proof of ownership must be provided, such as deed or current tax statement which clearly links their name with an assessor’s parcel.
Scholars: Access to confidential information is provided to scholars conducting research for unfunded projects who meet the Secretary of Interior Standards or students working under such individuals
For additional information regarding access to the CHRIS, please see the Information Center Rules of Operation Manual.
Fees are charged for all funded projects, whether research is conducted in person of by NEIC staff, and payments are due within 60 calendar days of receipt of billing. Approved by the State Historical Resources Commission (SHRC), set fee rates apply to all CHRIS Information Centers.
See CHRIS Fee Schedule for more information.
The NEIC prefers that resource records and reports be submitted in digital format.
Digital Document Submission- DO NOT SEND CONFIDENTIAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL INFORMATION THROUGH EMAIL.
- Please refer to the OHP Instructions for Recording Historical Resources for standards for completing resource records.
- All documents must be submitted in an unlocked, Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Please follow the CHRIS Standards for PDF submission.
- We accept GIS shapefiles, geodatabases, and kmz/kml files with site and survey data.
- If you are requesting state numbers for multiple records, please include a spreadsheet or list of the temporary identifiers or agency numbers being submitted.
- The NEIC uses Box to securely transfer digital files. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions.
Archives
Cultural Resources Inventory
The NEIC houses the following resources for the 11-county area:
- Historical resource records (45,500)
- Investigation reports (15,000)
- USGS topographic base maps (1,200)
- General Land Office (GLO) survey and Rancho Land Grant plats
- Historical and other topographic maps
- National Register nominations
- Historical resources listings
- State Historic Property Directory
- National Register of Historic Places
- California Register of Historical Resources
- California Historical Landmarks
- California Points of Historical Interest
- Historic Spots in California
- Built Environment Resource Directory (BERD)
- Archaeological Determinations of Eligibility
- Library of historical references organized by county
- Ethnographic references for northeastern California
GIS Conversion
The NEIC is currently in the midst of a comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) conversion program. The goal of this project is to convert location information currently plotted on hard-copy base maps to digital format in ArcGIS. In addition, our database records will be linked to the GIS data, and all site records and reports on file at the center will be scanned so that they can be stored and accessed electronically.
The progress of the NEIC GIS program is tied to availability of funding, usually derived from outside agencies seeking data in a GIS format. Additionally, because of the numbers of maps, records, and reports involved in the conversion program, even with adequate funding, it is anticipated that this project will take several years to complete.
Currently, approximately two-thirds of the NEIC cultural resources base maps and one-half of the NEIC cultural resources investigation reports base maps have been fully digitized. For those areas that have been digitized, records searches are conducted electronically, and customized maps and/or GIS data may be available as part of consultant records search requests. See the CHRIS Electronic Fee Structure for applicable fees.
Student Internships
The NEIC is an important part of the University and the surrounding communities. It offers student internships, public outreach programs, and works with local Native American tribes. For over 20 years, students in anthropology, history, and geography have received training at the NEIC in record keeping, mapping, and research methods related to historical resource management and preservation.
Students are required to spend 135 hours at the NEIC in order to earn internship units towards the cultural resource management certificate (Anthropology) and the public history certificate (Public History). In close coordination with the Department of Anthropology, NEIC staff works with students to familiarize them with archival methods and research techniques relating to historical resource management and preservation.
Students learn to review new site records, assign official site numbers, and map archaeological sites using NEIC base maps. They are also trained to examine historical resource investigation reports, extract key information, map the findings, assign bibliographic numbers, and enter the data into both electronic and paper bibliographies.
After becoming familiar with these procedures, map reading, and the NEIC filing systems, students are trained in conducting record searches. As the NEIC GIS program develops, students will be trained to digitize sites and reports on the computer, populate associated attribute tables, enter data into the linked resource database and report bibliographies, and scan hard copies of records and reports into electronic format.
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSS)
Want to learn more about programs? Contact us for detailed information or to schedule an advising appointment with our dedicated team.