diff --git a/HISTORY.rst b/HISTORY.rst
index c6d83b566f..beb97bd0be 100644
--- a/HISTORY.rst
+++ b/HISTORY.rst
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ Unreleased Changes
       table columns: ``cur_path``, ``fut_path``, and ``base_path`` are meant
       to be file system path strings.
       https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/1455
+* HRA
+    * Fixed an issue preventing the HRA criteria table from loading when the
+      table was UTF-8 encoded with a Byte-Order Marker.
+      https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/1460
 * NDR
     * Fixing an issue where minor geometric issues in the watersheds input
       (such as a ring self-intersection) would raise an error in the model.
diff --git a/tests/test_hra.py b/tests/test_hra.py
index 9e0a7ead45..e30fd799c6 100644
--- a/tests/test_hra.py
+++ b/tests/test_hra.py
@@ -326,6 +326,41 @@ def test_criteria_table_parsing(self):
         pandas.testing.assert_frame_equal(
             expected_composite_dataframe, composite_dataframe)
 
+    def test_criteria_table_parsing_with_bom(self):
+        """HRA: criteria table - parse a BOM."""
+        from natcap.invest import hra
+
+        criteria_table_path = os.path.join(self.workspace_dir, 'criteria.csv')
+        with open(criteria_table_path, 'w', encoding='utf-8-sig') as criteria_table:
+            criteria_table.write(
+                textwrap.dedent(
+                    """\
+                    HABITAT NAME,eelgrass,,,hardbottom,,,CRITERIA TYPE
+                    HABITAT RESILIENCE ATTRIBUTES,RATING,DQ,WEIGHT,RATING,DQ,WEIGHT,E/C
+                    recruitment rate,2,2,2,2,2,2,C
+                    connectivity rate,2,2,2,2,2,2,C
+                    ,,,,,,,
+                    HABITAT STRESSOR OVERLAP PROPERTIES,,,,,,,
+                    oil,RATING,DQ,WEIGHT,RATING,DQ,WEIGHT,E/C
+                    frequency of disturbance,2,2,3,2,2,3,C
+                    management effectiveness,2,2,1,2,2,1,E
+                    ,,,,,,,
+                    fishing,RATING,DQ,WEIGHT,RATING,DQ,WEIGHT,E/C
+                    frequency of disturbance,2,2,3,2,2,3,C
+                    management effectiveness,2,2,1,2,2,1,E
+                    """
+                ))
+
+        # Sanity check: make sure the file has the expected BOM
+        # Gotta use binary mode so that python doesn't silently strip the BOM
+        with open(criteria_table_path, 'rb') as criteria_table:
+            self.assertTrue(criteria_table.read().startswith(b"\xef\xbb\xbf"))
+
+        target_composite_csv_path = os.path.join(self.workspace_dir,
+                                                 'composite.csv')
+        hra._parse_criteria_table(criteria_table_path,
+                                  target_composite_csv_path)
+
     def test_criteria_table_file_not_found(self):
         """HRA: criteria table - spatial file not found."""
         from natcap.invest import hra