Step 1

 

The United States Mint will initiate the site selection process by contacting the chief executive of each host jurisdiction (State/District of Columbia/Territory) through a formal letter of request to identify one preferred and three ranked alternative national sites in his or her jurisdiction. The United States Mint will provide resources and access to lists of applicable national sites to each chief executive. National sites for consideration include any site under the supervision, management, or conservancy of the National Park Service, the United States Forest Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or any similar department or agency of the Federal government.

Step 2

 

With due consideration to the requirement that the national site chosen for each host jurisdiction shall be the most appropriate in terms of natural and historic significance, and after giving full and thoughtful consideration to national sites that are not under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior, the chief executive will provide the United States Mint his or her recommendation for the national site to be honored on the respective quarter, as well as three recommended alternative national sites in order of preference.

Step 3

 

The United States Mint will review all the recommendations and will establish a candidate list of the 56 national sites.

Step 4

 

The United States Mint will consult with the Secretary of the Interior to ensure appropriateness of each of the 56 national site recommendations based on their natural or historic significance, and to validate the date on which each recommended site was established as a national site.

Step 5

 

Having consulted with each chief executive and the Secretary of the Interior, and having giving full and thoughtful consideration to national sites that are not under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior, the United States Mint will reconcile all comments and recommend a final candidate list determined to be the most appropriate in terms of natural and historic significance to the Secretary of the Treasury, who will approve the final national site list. The approved list will also establish the order in which each quarter-dollar is released. Quarter-dollars will be released at a rate of five per year beginning in 2010.