Cultural Resources Survey and Assessment of Effect of the Sea Point Industrial Complex

Between May 11 and 15, 2020, Brockington completed a cultural resources survey and an Assessment of Effects (AOE) for the SeaPoint Industrial tract in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia. This survey was carried out for Sligh Environmental Consultants, Inc., on behalf of SeaPoint Industrial Terminal Complex (SeaPoint) in partial fulfillment of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 (as amended through 2006). The proposed project includes redevelopment of the SeaPoint project tract into a general-purpose marine terminal, which would include a waterfront to accommodate multiple types of cargo vessels. This investigation includes both an archaeological and a historic architectural component. The archaeological area of potential effect (APE) consists of the entire 191-acre project tract, where all proposed ground-disturbance will occur. The architectural APE includes the project tract and its potential viewshed, which is approximately 0.5 mile (0.8 kilometer [km]). Due to hazardous conditions within portions of the project tract (i.e. – industrial waste ponds), typical Phase I archaeological survey with excavated shovel tests was not appropriate to safely identify cultural resources. Therefore, following previous recommendations of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Historic Preservation Division (HPD), we conducted pedestrian reconnaissance survey instead of excavated shovel tests in hazardous areas to safely identify resources and determine the likelihood of additional resources located within the project tract. Our field investigation identified that the entire project tract had been heavily disturbed by industrial development. Many areas contain both in-use and abandoned industrial structures and buildings. Areas of soil fill are prevalent throughout the project tract, particularly in areas containing the industrial waste ponds. Other areas of the project tract were situated in the surrounding saltwater marsh. It is highly unlikely that intact subsurface cultural deposits of artifacts remain given the extensive disturbance and filling of displaced soils. Therefore, based on the observable conditions and documented disturbances of the project tract, it is unlikely that any National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-eligible archaeological resources would be identified on the tract if subsurface examination of the property were even safely possible across the entire tract. In addition, no evidence for the previously recorded Site 9CH730 could be identified at low tide during our investigation. The crib pilings may be erroneously mapped in Georgia's Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNARHGIS), or they may no longer exists. We documented one historic resource within the architectural APE, the American Cyanamid plant. This plant, which owned and operated on the property from 1952 to 1985, included 12 industrial buildings and structures related to the production of titanium dioxide. Due to changes to the overall complex, including demolition of significant components and the addition of non-historic infill, the property does not possess sufficient physical integrity to reflect its historic period of operation (1955 to 1970 [SO-year cutoff]) and does not qualify as an NRHP-eligible historic district. Our investigation also included an assessment of any potential visual effect to Fort Jackson, a National Historic Landmark (NHL) located approximately 2,300 feet (0.4 mi) from the project tract. The Fort James Jackson NHL will not be physically affected by the proposed project. No construction, temporary or permanent, will occur within its legal properly boundaries. Due to the existing treeline, we determined that no elements of the proposed project would be visible from the southeastern, southern, or western edges of the physical structure. The northeastern/ eastern bastion of the fort is most likely to have a direct line of sight to project construction closest to the shoreline. However, we determined that the proposed project will not have a negative aesthetic effect on the existing setting of the NHL, nor will it alter the visual character. In addition, the proposed project will not have the potential for any secondary effects such as new activities or change in use of the property. No additional management considerations for this project are warranted.