Phase I Cultural Resources Survey of the Georgia Portion of the Proposed Southern Natural Gas Company Cleveland Branch Line Meter Station Project

This report presents the results of Phase I cultural resources survey of the 12.8 km (8 mi)long Georgia portion of the proposed Southern Natural Gas Company Cleveland Branch Line Meter Station Project pipeline corridor. Survey was conducted by R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc., between September 1994 and May 1995. The proposed project corridor extends north from an existing Southern Natural Gas Company pipeline corridor located east of Sugartown in Catoosa County, Georgia, through the northeast corner of Whitfield County, Georgia, back into Catoosa County, and to the Georgia-Tennessee state line. From that point, the Tennessee portion of the pipeline extends north-northeast through Hamilton County and into Bradley County, where it terminates at an existing East Tennessee Natural Gas Company pipeline that runs west of the town of Cleveland, Tennessee. The entire Southern Natural Gas Company Cleveland Branch Line Meter Station Project, as designed, measures approximately 32.5 km (20.2 mi) in length. The fieldwork for this project was completed in two phases. Approximately 8.8 km (5.5 mi) of the proposed 12.8 km (8 mi) Georgia right-of-way was surveyed for cultural resources during September and October 1994. In addition, a possible 0.6 km (0.3 mi) reroute in Catoosa County, Georgia, also was examined at that time for cultural resources. However, right-of-entry was not available to approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) of the Georgia portion of the proposed pipeline corridor. Access to the unsurveyed portions of the proposed pipeline corridor subsequently was received, and fieldwork was completed during March through May 1995. This fieldwork also included the survey of two access roads and a 137 x 137 m (450 x 450 ft) expanded work space. The area encompassed by this Phase I cultural resources survey totals 1,426 ac (577 ha). Fieldwork consisted of pedestrian survey augmented by the systematic excavation of shovel tests along transects spaced 11 m (36.1 ft) apart. During survey, three previously recorded archeological sites (9CT7, 9CT8, and 9CT9) were revisited, and 22 newly identified cultural resources (17 prehistoric loci and five historic/modern loci) were identified within this portion of the proposed pipeline corridor. Intensive pedestrian survey and shovel testing of Sites 9CT7 and ACTS failed to produce cultural material or any evidence that they extend into the current project area. While cultural materials were recovered from Site 9CT9, the site was assessed as not significant. Only five of 22 cultural resources loci (four prehistoric loci and one historic locus) were awarded archeological site status. Of the sites recorded, only one of the newly identified archeological sites (9CT42) was assessed as potentially significant. However, the portion of Site 9CT42 located within the proposed pipeline right-of-way does not possess the qualities of significance as defined by the National Register of Historic Places (36 CFR 60 [a - d]). Therefore, no additional evaluatory testing of that portion of Site 9CT42 located within the proposed pipeline right-of-way is recommended.