Agenda - 06-18-2013 - 7f - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

76 Triangle Regional if ilr)SJ Project e 11 pm n p of Work our^trrar,•ru:fta'fwcr Terrestrial Archaeology Background Research A records search will be conducted to locate all previously recorded archaeological sites within the Study Area. Background research will be undertaken at the State Historic Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology in Raleigh, NC. These facilities maintain records on the number, location, and characteristics of archaeological sites, cemeteries, standing structures, and other cultural features found within the state. In addition, they have collections of cultural resource studies that indicate the level, results, and scope of previously conducted surveys in the vicinity of the project. Next, other repositories will be consulted in order to identify primary and secondary sources of information on the history, development, and known cultural resources found within the Project Study Area, such as Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, historic USGS quadrangle maps, aerial photographs, and historic maps. Examples of additional repositories include the North Carolina State Archives; libraries at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, and relevant public libraries and courthouses. In addition, environmental data collected will include available data on soils, water courses, geological base mapping, USGS 7.5 minute quadrangles, geomorphological data, digital ortho quarter quads, and other available relevant information, much of which is already digitized and incorporated into the master project database. Field Survey and Reporting Fieldwork will begin with a pedestrian reconnaissance to evaluate the terrain, examine environmental features such as soils, ground cover and drainage, and identify potential areas of previous disturbance. The reconnaissance will provide the basis for making a final assessment of the relative archaeological and historical sensitivity of the project area, and this will then be followed by an intensive survey where needed. The final strategy for the intensive field surveys will be determined by the results of the early agency consultation and will be developed in compliance with North Carolina state guidelines, but it will likely encompass systematic surface inspection combined with the use of systematic shovel test pit transects, with test pits spaced no more than 30 meters apart, when deemed necessary by the cultural resources field crew. After the Phase I field survey studies are completed, a Phase I Survey Report will be prepared to present the results of the literature search and field survey. The report will describe all known sites associated with the project's Area of Potential Effect (APE). If the appropriate agencies agree that the results in the Phase I Survey Report are sufficient to demonstrate that the project will not affect any significant historic properties, then no additional fieldwork will be required. If there are potentially any significant cultural resources that cannot be avoided, the Phase I Survey Report will provide provisional recommendations for avoidance or further evaluation. A summary of this report will also be incorporated into the DEIS. Future Field Studies Following completion of the Phase I field survey to identify the presence/absence of archaeological sites, Phase II evaluation studies may be needed to determine which of the archaeological resources are eligible for the NRHP. Since the number of sites needing evaluation is currently unknown, the scope of these evaluation studies will be defined in future task orders. No time is being included for this task in this Task Order. DUrl'iam- irainge II ight Rail 'rir nslt r3roject J Juine 2013 �4mm11. DRAFT