Historical/Archaeological Resources, Wildlife and Endangered Species Assessment for a New Wastewater Treatment Facility Heard County, Georgia

The City of Franklin, Georgia is located in the central western area of the State of Georgia in Heard County at the intersection of State Road 1(US Highway 27) and State Road 34 (Figure 1). The Heard County Water Authority provides all sewer service within the county primarily to businesses and residents in or near the City of Franklin. The existing wastewater treatment plant was built in 1964 and needs to be improved due to the condition of the plant; the location of the existing plant being in a flood prone area; the plant's inability to handle peak rain events; and the fact the plant is reaching its capacity. A new plant is proposed on a new site adjacent to the existing plant. The existing plant will be decommissioned. The new plant will be more efficient, produce cleaner effluent, and will have capacity to accommodate the existing flow, including peak rain events. The plant will be constructed to be expanded as demand increases in the future.

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the historical/archaeological resources, wildlife and endangered species for a proposed wastewater treatment plant site.

The existing plant is located approximately one half mile off South River Road near the Chattahoochee River within a flood prone area. In the South River Road area, there are some residents and a retirement home. The existing treatment plant is surrounded by one private land owner, the Chattahoochee River and Corps of Engineers. The surrounding land use is primarily forested along the Chattahoochee River within the Corps of Engineers property and previously timbered and replanted pine trees, approximately 10 years old, within the private landowner's property adjacent to the existing plant. The site for the new plant will be adjacent to the existing plant, away from the Chattahoochee River, out of the flood prone area. The land will be acquired from a private landowner.

There will generally be little to no negative impact from the proposed project. Since the project will build a new plant and decommission the existing plant, the net impact is minimal. The new plant will be more energy efficient and will not be located in the floodplain or wetland areas.