A PHASE I CULTURAL RESOURCES SURVEY FOR THE PROPOSED SONNY SOLAR TRACT IN ELBERT COUNTY, GEORGIA

Between May 18 and June 18, 2021, TerraXplorations, Inc. (TerraX), of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, conducted a Phase I cultural resources survey for the proposed Sonny Solar Tract in Elbert County, Georgia. The proposed photovoltaic project would involve the construction of an approximately 399.2-acre utility scale solar farm. The project area will contain solar panels on trackers, and at their highest point, the solar panels will sit approximately 10 feet (ft) above the ground surface. Transformers will also be placed throughout the interior of the solar farm site; the tops of which will be approximately six ft above the ground surface.

The project will maintain a 30 ft vegetative buffer around the entirety of the solar farm site. The cultural resources survey was conducted on behalf of Kimley-Horn, Inc., and the lead federal agency is the United States Department of Agriculture. The Phase I survey was performed by Phoebe Fairbairn, Annabelle Koeber, Chris Dial, Joshua Shiers, Ross Butz, and Will Jackson under the direction of Paul D. Jackson, Principal Investigator. Briane Shane served as Architectural Historian for the survey. The Area of Potential Effects (APE), also referred to as the survey area for this project, included an archaeological direct effects APE and an architectural visual effects APE. The archaeological survey area encompasses the proposed footprint of the solar farm site. The archaeological survey area encompasses a total of 399.2 acres. The architectural survey area was defined by a 0.15-mile radius around the direct effects APE. The archaeological direct effects investigation led to the identification of five archaeological sites (9EB829, 9EB830, 9EB831, 9EB832, and 9EB833) and one historic isolated find (SST-2). The archaeological sites include one mid-nineteenth to early twentieth century house site collocated with a sparse unknown aboriginal lithic scatter (9EB831), two early through late twentieth century house sites (9EB829 and 9EB830), one mid-twentieth century house site (9EB832), and one rock pile site (9EB833) believed to be related to historic field clearing activities. Based on the results of this study, none of the five sites recorded are considered to retain significant data potential and isolated finds are by definition not eligible for NRHP listing. The architectural visual effects survey identified, recorded, and evaluated 12 historic buildings on seven separate properties (Resources 1-7) during this investigation. All seven of these historic resources are recommended ineligible for NRHP inclusion. Based on the results of this cultural resources investigation, the proposed Sonny Solar Tract project is expected to have no effect on any historic or prehistoric resources that are listed in or eligible for listing in the NRHP. Accordingly, TerraX recommends clearance for this project in regards to cultural resource concerns.