GTC Project Number: p84827, Hoboken 115/25 kV Substation, Bratley County, Georgia

This letter serves as the phase one archaeological report for the proposed expansion of the existing Hoboken Substation from 69 kV to 115 kV high-side operation with increased capacity to 25 MV A. The existing substation is located immediately east of Hoboken, Georgia in Brantley County (Figure 1). It is situated on the south side of Georgia Highway 520 and U. S. 82 (mislabeled as U. S. 84 on the USGS Quadrangle map). The Area of Potential Effect (APE) consists of approximately 2.8 acres south of the existing substation. A search of the Georgia Archaeological Site Files on NAHRGIS showed no previously recorded archaeological sites within one mile of the Area of Potential Effect. The Hoboken East USGS Quadrangle Map first published in 1966 and revised in 1988 shows a structure where the existing substation is situated and another in the APE. The archaeological APE is wooded with tall pines and an under-story of palmettos, sweet bay, and other typical under-story vegetation. Figure 2 illustrates the conditions at the time of the survey. There is a small woods road running through a portion of the APE. This road has been used for numerous episodes of refuse dumping of building materials (vinyl siding and concrete slabs) and household garbage. The area immediately south of the existing substation is highly disturbed with large earthen berms pushed up, probably a result of constructing the substation. Field work was conducted on February 10th and 13th , 2009 by W. Dean and Karen G. Wood (Registered Professional Archaeologists) assisted by Matthew Wood and Sean Norman, archaeological field technicians. Shovel tests were dug at 30 and 6o meter intervals and soils were screened through one-quarter inch hardware mesh. A total of 14 shovel tests were excavated to a depth of 100 centimeters below surface. Figure 3 shows the location of the shovel tests across the APE. The soil stratigraphy was almost identical in all shovel tests. The upper 15 centimeters consisted of dark grayish brown loamy sand which changed to very pale brown sand that continued to the ending depth of the shovel tests at one meter below surface. The archaeological survey of the proposed expansion of the Hoboken Substation found no previously recorded or newly discovered archaeological sites. All shovel tests were sterile to a depth of one meter below the surface. There was no evidence of either of the structures shown on the USGS Quadrangle map. The construction of the existing substation is believed to have removed any evidence of them. It is my opinion that there will be no effect to any significant archaeological resource from the proposed expansion of the Hoboken Substation.