Phase II Archaeological Testing of Site 9GO394, Dalton Expansion Project, Gordon County, Georgia

Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company, LLC (Transco) is seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience

from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) pursuant to Section 7 (c) of the Natural Gas Act

for the construction and operation of a 111.7-mile natural gas pipeline (the Project) in northwestern Georgia.

An initial report of archaeological survey for the Project was submitted to the Georgia Historic Preservation

Division (HPD Project # HP-140603-005) and filed with Transco’s FERC application in March 2015 (FERC

Docket No. CP15-117-000).

The Project consists of a new lateral pipeline, the Dalton Lateral, beginning at Transco’s Compressor

Station 115 in Coweta County, and ending near Dalton, Georgia. The line would extend through eight

counties in northwest Georgia to Murray County. The Project will consist of 111.7 miles of new natural gas

pipeline in three continuous segments (Dalton Lateral Segments 1, 2, and 3) and a new 2.0-mile natural

gas lateral pipeline spur (the AGL Spur). A new compressor station and three new meter stations also will

be constructed, and modifications and supplemental odorization equipment will be installed at existing

facilities as part of the Project.

Between June 2014 and October 2015, Cardno conducted Phase I survey of the Project within Georgia.

Cardno identified 127 archaeological sites and 62 isolated finds (IFs) within the project’s area of potential

effect. This report presents the results of Phase II archaeological site testing at a site located in northcentral

Gordon County, 9GO394. Cardno conducted the Phase II investigation between April 26 and May

4, 2016. The purpose of the current archaeological investigation was to determine if site 9GO394 meets

the minimum requirements for inclusion in the NRHP. Archaeological deposits would be eligible for inclusion

in the NRHP under Criterion D if they have the potential to yield significant data relating to the prehistory or

history of the region.

Phase I testing at 9GO394 identified a subsurface artifact scatter yielding almost exclusively historic

artifacts and which included a domicile, a barn, and a well pad and dated to the very late nineteenth through

twentieth centuries. The site retained a relatively high degree of integrity and archaeological deposits

appeared intact and seemed to represent a discrete domestic refuse disposal area, suggesting that the

overall level of subsurface integrity is very high. Given this, Cardno recommended that 9GO394 is eligible

individually for the NRHP under Criterion D and also as a contributing resource to the Harlan McDaniel

house. Avoidance of the house, barn, and archaeological site extents described in the Phase I testing report

was recommended. Cardno also recommended additional archival research mapping and testing in order

to complete an evaluation of the historic sites’ eligibility for the NRHP and to assess negative effects.

During Phase II testing at 9GO394, additional work included the excavation of two test units along with

eight shovel tests and additional metal detection survey. Following the Phase II investigation, the site

boundaries have been expanded to include three spatially distinct site areas. From east to west the site

areas include (1) the dilapidated structures and midden within the Phase I boundary of 9GO394, (2) the

diffuse scatter of agricultural debris in the lawn east of the Harlan-McDaniel house, and (3) the Harlan-

McDaniel house and associated structures. Although the historic structures at the Harlan-McDaniel property

have been well documented during Cardno’s historic resources survey (Jones 2016), their assessment as

components of an archaeological site must be considered unknown, because they are outside the limits of

the survey corridor. Following HPD guidance, they are therefore included within an unknown archaeological

site boundary, depicted in dotted green on Figure 21 (Chapter 6, site excavations).

Of the three site areas described in this Phase II report, Area 1 (the farmstead and midden on the east of

the site) and Area 3 (the Harlan-McDaniel structures in the west of the site) are both considered to retain

Phase II Archaeological Testing of Site 9GO394

Dalton Expansion Project, Gordon County, Georgia

July 2016 Cardno Executive Summary

GO394PhaseII integrity and the potential for additional data recovery. Therefore, the site as a whole is

recommended eligible for the NRHP. Aside from the aforementioned artifact scatter possily related to a

structure, the portion of Area 2 impacted by construction was found to lack integrity and data potential.

The area around the artifact scatter in Area 2 has been designated as a culturally sensitive area and

barier fencing will be erected to protect from constructioin-related damage. Please see Section 6.1.4 of

this report for a more thorough discussion of these findings. Because both the structures at Area 3 and

the archaeological remains and structures at Area 1 are outside of Project workspaces, neither will be

impacted by a direct effect of construction. They will be protected by indirect effects of construction

activity by fencing around workspaces (Figure 1). An archaeological monitor will be present during the

time of construction. Therefore the Project will have no adverse effect on the properties as currently

designed.