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Agency
Texas Historical Commission
Abstract
On September 23 and 24, 2017, Advanced Archaeological Solutions (ADAS) conducted a linear right-of-way (ROW) survey of two separate segments of overhead electric transmission line corridor area that total 2.23 miles (11,780 linear feet) located within the City of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas (Figures 1-3).
The Project consists of two parallel single circuit transmission lines in El Paso County, Texas and Doña Ana County, New Mexico. The first segment is located just west of the University of Texas at El Paso Main campus and measures 6,910 linear feet (Figure 2), the second segment is located slightly north of this segment and west of Interstate Highway 10 and measures 4,870 linear feet. Each of the two segments measures roughly 150 feet wide to cover the proposed improvement/ construction corridor (50 feet) as well as a 50 foot buffer to either side for a total survey ROW buffer area of 150 feet. The proposed project will include the design to rebuild each line with new, taller, double-circuit, self-supporting, steel tangent and/or dead-end structures. Several segments of the Project have been previously permitted and constructed. The Project is a combination of a rebuild on existing right-of-way (ROW) and new construction.
All existing structures are steel monopoles, wooden H-frames, or three-pole dead ends. Replacement structures and new construction will be steel monopoles or two-pole structures. The new structures will be 70 to 105 feet tall, which is approximately 30 to 50 feet higher than the existing structures. The ROW width for the project varies, but will be approximately 150 feet. Impacts to the ROW are expected to include heavy machinery traffic and drilling at proposed transmission structure locations. Foundations of the existing structures will be cut down below grade and backfilled.
Beginning on the north end of the Project, portions of proposed Structures 16 to 21 B and 22 A/B to 31 A/B are on Parcel 1 owned by TxDOT. The State-owned Parcel 1 has been largely disturbed by concrete production and concrete waste disposal activities. This property was also historically quarried as visible on the Smeltertown U.S. Geological Services topographic map (see attached EP Electric project maps).
The Project crosses two parcels owned by the City of El Paso Water Utilities. These City-owned properties are the site of a water reclamation facility. However, there may be undisturbed portions of the ROW within these parcels and ADAS recommends survey of these parcels.
Parcel 3 includes Structures 51 A/B to 56 A/B. Most of this parcel that intersects the project has been graded and developed into parking lots for UTEP. Only undeveloped and ungraded portions of the ROW in this south area are recommended for survey. It is this section of the line that also intersects site 41EP497. Little is known about this site from Texas Atlas, but it is located in a UTEP parking lot and presumed to be disturbed. Your office has requested construction monitoring of proposed Structures 55 A/B because they are in close proximity to the site location. The remaining six parcels at the south end of the Project are owned by UTEP and are developed. These parcels are not recommended for survey for archeological resources.
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