Phase I Cultural Resource Survey Of The Proposed 9,000-Foot Fifth Runway At Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, Clayton And Fulton Counties, Georgia

From March to June, 2000, Corporate Environmental Risk Management, L.L.C. (GERM), with the support of TRC Garrow Associates, Inc. (TRC) (heretofore referred to as "the Team'), conducted a Phase I cultural resource survey of areas that might potentially be impacted by the proposed 9,000-foot fifth runway and associated improvements at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The proposed construction generally would occur south of the existing airport. This survey involved both archaeological and historic structure investigations; however, the survey areas for the two disciplines varied. For the archaeological survey, two alternative footprints for the location of the 9,000-foot fifth runway and associated improvements were examined. Alternative 1 is a 3,000-foot extension to the east of the previously approved commuter runway (a.k.a. the fifth runway). Alternative 2 is a shift of approximately 1,900 feet east coupled with a 3,000-foot extension to the east of the approved fifth runway. A No-Action Alternative, corresponding to the footprint of the previously approved commuter runway, and a 4-Runway Alternative, corresponding to the footprints of the four existing ATL runways, also were taken into account. The survey located no previously unidentified prehistoric or historic sites. Three historic cemeteries-the Hart, Flat Rock, and Pope cemeteries-were identified. The Hart and Flat Rock cemeteries were addressed as part of the original survey for the commuter runway and are protected under a 1993 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by the City of Atlanta Department of Aviation (DOA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Georgia State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). The MOA contains guidance on the preservation and treatment of the cemeteries. Current plans call for the two cemeteries to be preserved in place. The Pope Cemetery is situated on airport property but lies outside the direct impact area for the proposed 9,000-foot fifth runway. For the historic structure investigation, the survey area corresponded to the project's Area of Potential Effects (APE), which included not only the footprints of the proposed 9,000-foot runway alternatives and associated improvements, but also the projected noise impact area for each alternative (to the 2005 and 2010 65 DNL contours). The footprints and noise impact areas (to the 2005 and 2010 65 DNL contours) for the No-Action Alternative and the 4-Runway Alternative also were taken into account. Federal regulations define an APE as "the geographic area or areas within which an undertaking may directly or indirectly cause changes in the character or use of historic properties, if any such properties exist" (36 CFR 800.16[d]). The 2005 and 2010 65 DNL contours were chosen as the appropriate limits for the historic structure survey in accordance with FAA guidance. In several locations, however, the APE actually was extended beyond the 65 DNL contours, in order to take into account a future expansion of the contours that may or may not occur as a result of project implementation. The historic structure survey identified a total of 264 resources, including 22 historic districts containing multiple resources, that meet the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) benchmark of 50 years of age or older. One previously identified structure, the Ernest E. Hart House, was addressed as part of the original commuter runway survey and is protected under the same 1993 MOA as the Hart and Flat Rock cemeteries; it is not included in the 264-resource total. The Team has analyzed the 264 resources and has determined that 69 individual resources and all 22 of the historic districts meet the NRI-IP eligibility criteria under Criterion A (events) and/or C (architecture). A table with pertinent information on all 264 resources is included in Appendix 2 to this document. Of the 91 total eligible resources, three are railroad corridors and would not be affected by the project. A single structure would be adversely affected under the No-Action Alternative and the 4-Runway Alternative, because it lies within the 2005 and 2010 75 DNL contours for those alternatives. All resources within a 75 DNL contour would be acquired and removed prior to project implementation. Resources between the 65 DNL contour and the 75 DNL contour would not have to be acquired but would be subject to noise abatement measures. The one structure and one of the railroad corridors are the only eligible resources within the 75 DNL contour for any of the alternatives. (As noted, the rail corridor would not be affected by the project.) It is important to note that the adverse effect to the structure would occur solely under the No-Action Alternative (i.e., construction of the previously approved commuter runway) and the 4-Runway Alternative (i.e., continued utilization of the four existing ATL runways). Under Alternatives 1 and 2, the structure would fall outside the 2005 and 2010 75 DNL contours and, thus, would not have to be acquired and removed. A total of 40 of the 91 eligible resources are located between the 65 and 75 DNL contours (2005 and 2010) for one or more of the alternatives. A comparison of existing airport conditions data from 1998-the last year for which noise impact data from existing operations are available with projected 2005 and 2010 data for all four alternatives, indicates that only nine resources (six individual structures and three historic districts) would actually encounter an increase in noise over 1998 levels. The project effect on these nine resources would result in a "conditional No Adverse Effect" if certain conditions were met. By installing proper noise abatement measures at the resources (i.e., introducing soundproofing measures in a way that would not alter the integrity and character of the historic resources), the potential Adverse Effects could be reduced to No Adverse Effects. It should be noted that noise abatement measures have been installed at two of the nine resources (both individual structures) under previous ATL noise abatement programs. Therefore, it is assumed that the project would create No Effect on these two resources. The remaining 31 eligible resources would experience either the same level of noise or less noise over 1998 levels and would not be affected by the project. Moreover, of this group of resources, noise abatement measures have been installed previously at three individual structures and at 23 of 32 contributing structures within five historic districts. The remaining 51 eligible resources-including one of the three railroad corridors-are located outside the 2005 and 2010 65 DNL contours for the four alternatives. As noted above, these resources were surveyed to take into account a possible future expansion of the 65 DNL contours. The survey information on these resources is included in this document; however, the resources lie outside the project APE and would not be affected by the project.