Phase I Cultural Resources Survey of Proposed Access Roads and Contractor Yards for the Dalton Expansion Project

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) is seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) pursuant to Section 7 (c) of the Natural Gas Act, authorizing the construction and operation of the Dalton Expansion Project (Project) (FERC Docket No. CP15-117-000). The Project is a proposed 111.1-mile natural gas pipeline that will consist of three continuous segments (Dalton Lateral Segments 1, 2, and 3) in Coweta, Carroll, Douglas, Paulding, Bartow, Gordon; Murray, and Whitfield counties, Georgia. An additional 2.0 miles of 16-inch pipeline (AGL Spur) will connect the Dalton Lateral to the proposed Murray Meter station, in Murray County, Georgia. Transco contracted Cardno, Inc. (Cardno) to perform a Phase I cultural resources survey to locate, identify, and evaluate any archaeological or historic properties within the Project's Area of Potential Effect (APE). This study was conducted in compliance with the provisions and stipulations of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. § 470), and the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. § 479). The NHPA requires projects involving a federal agency (including FERC) to identify historic properties within the project APE, and evaluate their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Phase I survey was conducted within a 600-ft. corridor surrounding the proposed centerline and workspace for the Project. The results of the mainline survey are reported in the Phase I cultural resources survey report (Lewis 2016). The Phase I survey report was filed with the FERC and the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office (GA SHPO) in April 2016. In order to access and construct the pipeline and ancillary facilities, the Project will also require the construction and improvement of access roads, consisting of 118 individual segments, as well as six contractor yards. Cardno began a Phase I cultural resources survey of these areas in July 2015. As of May 1, 2016, Phase I archaeological survey had been completed for over 99 percent of all Project access roads including 42.02 miles of access road in 102 individual segments. An additional 7.02 miles (mi.) of access road (16 individual segments) will not be subject to subsurface disturbances (road improvements) during the course of this project, and do not need to be surveyed archaeologically. Also surveyed during the current project were 109.4 acres in six Contractor Yards (CY). The current survey has resulted in the discovery of 23 cultural resources, including 12 archaeological sites and 11 isolated finds (IFs).