Article Title

A Cultural Resources Investigation For The Ramsey North Residue Line Project, Reeves And Culberson Counties, Texas

Authors

Cherie K. Walth
Kimberly Parker
Meaghan Trowbridge
Adrian Martinez

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

This report details the results of an intensive archaeological survey by SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) for the proposed Ramsey North Residue Line (Residue Line). The 51-cmdiameter (20-inch-diameter) Residue Line will be located in Reeves and Culberson Counties, Texas (2.35 and 7.21 km [1.46 and 4.48 miles], respectively) and Eddy County, New Mexico (4.83 km [3.0 miles]). The line will start at the Ramsey Gas Plant in Reeves County, Texas, and then run northwest for approximately 14.5 km (9 miles), largely following existing rights-of-way (ROWs). The Residue Line will be constructed in a 15-m-wide (50-foot-wide) ROW. The 15-m (50-foot) ROW in Texas and New Mexico will consist of 6 m (20 feet) of temporary ROW to be used only during construction and 9 m (30 feet) of permanent ROW. The pipeline will be strung along the pipeline route as it arrives at the site, so there will be no additional staging areas needed. Five horizontal direction drills (HDDs) are anticipated at two county road crossings, the crossing of the Delaware River, crossing an historic ditch, and at an abandoned railroad grade. In addition to proposed pipeline, there is also a proposed surface facility that will be located on a 61 × 61–m (200 × 200–foot) (approximately 1-acre) site with a short (75 m; 245 feet) access road. The surface facility will include a coalesce separator, a measuring station that will meter the gas prior to the tie-in with the KM lines, and a temporary diesel generator until a permanent power source is available. This report includes the findings of the cultural resources investigations within the Texas portion of the project.

Sound Environmental Solutions, Inc. selected SWCA to conduct an intensive pedestrian archaeological survey of the area of potential effect (APE) to aid in complying with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The fieldwork was completed between February 11 and 19, 2015. The Texas portion of the project is entirely on private lands with the exception of one small segment that crosses state lands. The project will be permitted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as well as the Texas Historical Commission (THC) (Antiquities Permit #7262), which is mandated by the inclusion of public lands within the project APE.

The SWCA archaeological investigations were conducted within a 45.7-m-wide (150-foot-wide) corridor totaling approximately 9.56 km (5.94 miles) of the overall project length within Texas. The Texas portion of the project area is depicted on the Red Bluff and Screw Bean Draw NE U.S. Geological Survey 7.5-minute topographic quadrangles. The survey in Texas recorded one newly discovered archaeological site (41CU804). The site is an abandoned railroad grade with an associated historic assemblage and is recommended undetermined for the National Register of Historic Places. The site will be avoided by boring under the site, and there will be no impact to the site. No further management is recommended for this site associated with this project.

In accordance with 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 325, Appendix C, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (36 CFR 800.4), SWCA has made a reasonable and good faith effort to identify historic properties within the proposed project area. Based on the results of the current effort, it is SWCA’s opinion that the proposed Texas portion of the project would have no adverse effect on significant cultural resources within the investigated project area. As such, SWCA recommends no further archaeological investigations within the investigated project area and that the project be allowed to proceed.

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