An Intensive Cultural Resources Investigation for a Proposed Communications Tower for the Altahama Electric Membership Corporation, Stanley Site, Toombs County, Georgia

In December of 2015 and January of 2016, Archaeological Consulting of Savannah, LLC (ACS)

conducted a Phase I cultural resources assessment in advance of a proposed telecommunications

tower for the Altamaha Electric Membership Corporation (AEMC), on behalf of T.R. Long

Engineering, P.C. at the Stanley site in south central Toombs County, GA. The location of the

proposed tower property is approximately 16 miles south-southeast of the town of Vidalia, GA

and approximately 0.7 miles north-northwest of the junction of U.S. Highway 1 and Cedar

Crossing Rd. /State Rte. 147, in south-central Toombs County, (Figures 1.1 and 1.2).

Specifically, the proposed tower site is located 240 meters west of U.S. Highway 1 along a

gravel access road adjacent to an existing AEMC power substation and high-voltage power line

transmission corridor (Figures 1.3). The property which is proposed for the new

communications tower currently has an approximately 150-foot free-standing tower that the

proposed tower is to replace (Figure 1.4). Within a 0.75-mile radius of the proposed project site,

the area is sparsely populated residentially and is primarily agricultural and silvicultural. The

small fenced area which will contain the proposed tower is adjacent to an existing substation and

transmission corridor, a small pond and wooded areas (Figure 1.5-1.8).

 

The proposed tower is to be a self-supported/free-standing lattice tower, 250-feet in height with

associated appurtenances that will bring the total height of the tower to 260 feet. Construction of

the tower will involve the excavation a central footer, upon which the tower will be constructed

as well as one small pad for a generator (Figure 1.9). The existing service structure will be

repurposed for use with this tower. The area within the existing chain link fence is heavily

disturbed from the construction of the existing facilities.

 

To assist in determining the potential for adverse effects to historic properties that could result

from the construction of the communications tower, ACS conducted an intensive cultural

resources survey of the area to be impacted by the proposed construction of the tower (the area

of direct effect), as well as an examination of the area of indirect effect (or Area of Potential

Effect [APE]) associated with the proposed tower construction to locate potential historic

properties that might be adversely impacted from the proposed undertaking. Based on the

proposed height of the tower (260’), the APE for historic properties to be considered was

established as a 0.75-mile radius around the site, as per the Federal Communication

Commission’s Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for Review of Effects on Historic

Properties for Certain Undertakings Approved by the Federal Communications Commission

(2004) (Figure 1.10). Adverse effects to historic properties by such an undertaking are defined

within the above referenced Programmatic Agreement (2004:II;A;5 and more specifically

2004:VI;A;1 and 2) as those that result in the “alteration to the characteristics of a Historic

Property qualifying it for inclusion in or eligibility for the National Register [of Historic Places

(NRHP)]. Additionally, the APE is defined under 36 CFR Part 800.16 as “the geographic area or areas within which an undertaking may cause changes in the character or use of historic

properties, if any such properties exist.”

 

Research to locate historic properties within the APE included review of the Georgia Natural,

Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS), research

of tax records with the Toombs County Tax Assessor’s office, and review of requisite files held

by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division (GDNR/HPD),

to locate historic properties that might be listed on, or eligible for inclusion on the National

Register of Historic Places (NRHP), pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic

Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. More specifically, this cultural resources review is

directed by federal laws and guidelines (Code of Federal Regulations [CFR], Title 36, Chapter

VIII, Part 800 [36 CFR 800]). The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA), as

amended, requires cultural resource assessments on all projects that involve federal assistance,

licensing, and/or permitting. The effect of a project on cultural resources must be taken into

consideration, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation must be afforded an

opportunity to comment on such effects.

 

As a result of this cultural resources review no archaeological sites were located in the area of

proposed construction for the tower. Archaeological survey was not conducted within the area

of direct effect due to the obvious ground disturbance resulting from the existing facilities as

well as the likelihood of encountering buried transmission lines within that area. Additionally,

five structures 50-years old or greater were located during review of the Toombs County Tax

Assessor’s database and examined for possible adverse effects by the proposed project. No

potentially NRHP eligible historic properties were identified within the proposed project’s APE

as a result of examining resources held or maintained by the Georgia Department of Natural

Resources/Historic Preservation Division or GNAHRGIS. As a result of examination of these

five historic structures in the field and utilizing GIS software, it was determined that the

proposed project will not pose any adverse effects to these historic properties. The proposed

project should be permitted to proceed without further concern regarding cultural resources as

defined in the NHPA.

 

Archaeological and architectural field assessment survey was conducted by Angus Sawyer.

Background research was conducted by Angus Sawyer and Brian LaBrie. Angus Sawyer served

as principal investigator for the project.