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Agency
Texas Historical Commission
Abstract
On August 8 and 12, 2014, an intensive archeological survey was completed in order to evaluate potential archeological impacts associated with the proposed construction of a new natural gas generation facility within a 98.43-acre (39.8-hectare) parcel in Ellis and Hill Counties, Texas. Melissa M. Green (Principal Investigator) and Bill Bond of Cox|McLain Environmental Consulting, Inc. (CMEC) carried out the survey for Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (BEPC) and the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service (USDA-RUS) under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), as amended. A Texas Antiquities Permit was not required.
Ground surface visibility across the majority of the 98.43-acre area of potential effects (APE) was about 45 to 50 percent, although it was closer to 80 percent in the small wooded area on the south edge of the property. The bulk of the parcel consists of a dormant terraced agricultural field; 8.4 acres are on a wooded ridge above the field. A portion of ONCOR’s Venus Switch to Sam Switch 345kV transmission line right-of-way crosses the property at a slightly northeast to southwest orientation. A combination of intensive pedestrian survey with reconnaissance survey was utilized with the 8.4 acres of wooded ridgeline receiving the intensive survey and the remaining 90.03 acres assessed though reconnaissance. This was due to the intensive disturbances from the terraces, which were as high as 50 centimeters and equally as wide at their tops. Two historic-age domestic archeological sites were recorded from surface scatters identified during the survey. Site 41EL266 is a low-density scatter of glass, ceramic, and metal dating to the late nineteenth/early twentieth century. Site 41EL267 consisted of a large scatter of domestic and farm-related materials dating from the early to mid-twentieth century. Neither site is recommended eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Shovel test units were excavated in order to examine the subsurface at the sites and in the field. No further work is recommended within the APE prior to construction.
No materials were collected during the investigation; therefore, this project generated no archeological materials to be curated. Notes, photographs, administrative documents, and other project data will be made permanently available to future researchers at Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) at the University of Texas at Austin.
If any unanticipated cultural materials or deposits are found at any stage of clearing, preparation, or construction, the work should cease and Texas Historical Commission (THC) personnel should be notified immediately.
The THC concurred with the findings and recommendations of this report on December 8, 2014 (see Appendix A).
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