Article Title

One Gas, Inc’s Proposed SH 130 5.2-mile Natural Gas Pipeline Travis County, Texas

Authors

Debra L. Beene

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

ONE Gas, Inc./Texas Gas Service (One Gas) is proposing to construct and operate the approximate SH 130 5.2-mile natural gas pipeline along the east side of State Highway 130 (SH 130) in the north, the west side of SH 130 in the south, the south side of Moore Road, and the east side of Blocker Lane in Travis County, Texas. This proposed Project may require permitting through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (Section 404). In the Desktop Review, Apex biologists identified four potential waters of the United States as part of One Gas’ compliance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. However, all four crossings will be avoided via boring.

Most of the proposed Project is located on Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) right-ofway (ROW) and will be regulated under the Antiquities Code of Texas (TAC). The Texas Historical Commission (THC) reviewed the scope-of-work and assigned TAC Permit No. 8984 to the portions of SH 130 5.2-mile natural gas pipeline project that are adjacent to known cultural resource sites with undetermined boundaries or areas that had not been previously surveyed, hereafter referred to as the Area of Potential Effect (APE) for the cultural resources investigation (Apex Project No. 453242). Locational data of the proposed Project is presented in Attachment A, Figures 1 and 2 on aerial and topographic maps, respectively. See Attachment A, Figure 3 for the survey boundaries (APE), previously recorded sites, and shovel tests locations.

Between January 23 - 24, 2017, Apex Companies, LLC (Apex), at the request of One Gas, conducted an intensive cultural resources survey of the APE. A cultural and environmental literature review was followed by the cultural resources survey to identify archeological and historical resources within the APE. The survey methodology followed the Survey Standards of Texas developed by the Council of Texas Archeologists (CTA) and THC. Moderate to significant impacts associated with agricultural practices, animal burrows, and surface erosion were observed within and adjacent to the APE. Erosional features were walked in an attempt to identify cultural resources. Shovel tests were excavated in areas lacking subsurface exposure due to previous clearing, erosion, and/or burrow mounds. All were negative for cultural materials.

The pedestrian survey and shovel testing in the areas adjacent to sites 41TV2162 and 41TV2166 and the areas that had not been previously surveyed were negative for cultural resources. However, the investigation resulted in the extension of site boundaries at two prehistoric sites (41TV150 and 41TV2163). Although both sites had been previously determined ineligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or listing as State Antiquities Landmarks (SAL), it was established that the sites likely extended beyond their original boundaries.

Site 41TV150 is a prehistoric and historic multicomponent site located on a level to sharply sloping surface and the top of a small hill; it measures approximately 20-acres. The boundary of the prehistoric component, a quarry site, has been extended approximately 872 feet to the north and likely extends beyond the proposed Project to the north. Site 41TV2163 was documented as a prehistoric lithic scatter located on the western slopes of a large hilltop to the east; the boundary of this small site has been extended approximately 276 feet to the south and 385 feet to the north. Both sites consist of quarry materials of mainly raw chert cobbles with a small percentage of cobbles broken in half or showing one flake scar. A few primary flakes were observed, along with one large biface blank and one worked chunk of glass. Shovel tests were not conducted at these two sites as exposures were available within the erosional gullies and animal burrow mounds.

Due to the surficial nature and lack of features or diagnostic cultural material, the extended boundaries of sites 41TV150 and 41TV2166 are recommended as ineligible for listing as SALs or inclusion in the NRHP. Apex recommends that the proposed Project proceed without further cultural resources investigation as the proposed Project would have no effect on cultural resources with the potential for listing as SALs or inclusion in the NRHP.

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