Archeological Survey of Three Distribution Lines for Amicalola EMC, Gilmer County, Georgia

The Amicalola EMC wishes to replace sections of three distribution lines in northeast Gilmer County, Whitepath Springs, Blue Ridge-Cherry Log and Lucius Road, by slightly rerouting the lines. All three projects involve erecting new wooden poles mostly within the rights-of-way of two-lane roads and removing, by sawing off, the old poles that are mostly in off-road corridors. Some existing poles will be reused. The projects will require review by the federal Rural Utilities Service, and part of the RUS review process involves an assessment of potential effects of the project on significant archeological resources in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. Southeastern Archeological Services conducted a Phase I archeological survey of the area of potential effect for each of the lines, which consists of the pole locations and a 30-ft wide corridor between them. Archival research showed no previously recorded sites within or close to the three lines. The goal of the survey was to locate and to the extent possible assess the significance of any archeological sites within the projects’ area of potential effect. The area of potential effect consists of the locations of the new poles and the 30-ft wide corridors for the new distribution lines. Most of these corridors are within paved roadway or graded road right-of-way, and many of the pole locations are in graded road right-of-way or on deeply filled embankments. The survey was conducted from May 7-9, 2018 and no archeological sites or resources were encountered. Roadside litter, principally bottle glass, was observed but was not considered archeological. We recommend that the proposed projects, the construction of three distribution lines on new location, will not affect significant archeological resources and should be granted clearance to proceed.