Article Title

An Intensive Cultural Resources Survey of a Rerouted Alignment of Plains All American Pipeline, LP’s Proposed Earthstone Benedum CTP to Tie-In Line Project Located on UT Land in Upton County, Texas

Authors

Russell K. Brownlow
Jesse O. Dalton

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

On 30 September 2020, Horizon Environmental Services, Inc. (Horizon) conducted an intensive cultural resources survey of a rerouted alignment of Plains All American Pipeline, LP’s (Plains) proposed Earthstone Benedum CTP to Tie-In Line Right-of-way (ROW) Project located on University of Texas property (UT land) in southeastern Upton County, Texas (Project Area). Overall, the proposed rerouted alignment on UT land measures 3.4 miles (5.5 kilometers [km]) long by 100.0 feet (30.5 meters [m]) wide, with a total area of approximately 41.2 acres. However, as the majority of the rerouted alignment follows the same general path as the original alignment, the Texas Historical Commission (THC) indicated that only the southeasternmost portion of the rerouted alignment where it extends away from the original project terminus would require a cultural resources survey. As such, the new Project Area measured approximately 1.2 miles (1.9 km) long by 100.0 feet (30.5 m) wide within an overall area of approximately 14.5 acres. The cultural resources survey of the Project Area was conducted under Texas Antiquities Committee (TAC) permit number 9616 in compliance with the Antiquities Code of Texas (ACT). The purpose of the survey was to determine if any archeological sites were located within the Project Area and, if any existed, to determine if the project had the potential to have any adverse impacts on sites considered eligible for formal designation as State Antiquities Landmarks (SALs).

The cultural resources survey resulted in entirely negative findings. No cultural materials were observed on the surface of the Project Area or within any of the 23 excavated shovel tests. Based on the negative survey results, it is Horizon’s opinion that the construction of the rerouted alignment of the proposed Earthstone Benedum CTP to Tie-In Line Project across UT land will have no adverse effect on significant cultural resources designated as or considered eligible for designation as SALs. Horizon therefore recommends that Plains be allowed to proceed with the construction of the proposed pipeline relative to the jurisdiction of the ACT.

All records produced during the investigations have been curated at the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) in accordance with the TAC Permit-Terms and Conditions and the Texas Administrative Code Title 13, Part 2, Chapter 26.C.26.17.

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