Edwards-Pitman, Inc. (EP) is pleased to submit this testing plan to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to conduct Phase II archaeological testing of site 9RH96. The site was identified during a Phase I survey for a proposed bridge replacement on County Road (CR) 160/ Hangman Road at Cemochechobee Creek in Randolph County, Georgia (GDOT PI No. 0018270). Site 9RH96 is a large Precontact-era site with a small Historic period component. Recovered diagnostic artifacts suggest a Late Archaic and general Woodland and/or Mississippi period component. The site eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) remains unknown based on the results of EP’s recent Phase I archaeological survey. EP recommended Phase II testing to aid in the understanding of the site’s significance and integrity for further determination of eligibility for the NRHP under Criterion D.
The site and survey area are located in Randolph County, Georgia, approximately 1.6 kilometers (km) (1 mile [mi]) south of the town of Coleman (Figure 1). The existing right-of-way (ROW) along CR 160/Hangman Road for this project is approximately 24.4 meters (m) (80 feet [ft]) in total width. No additional ROW would be required as part of the proposed project. The portion of the site within the project area of the proposed undertaking is located on both the western and eastern sides of CR 160/Hangman Road in the northern half of the Environmental Survey Boundary (ESB), also referred to as the survey area. Site 9RH96 is situated on a planted pine-covered ridge slope that descends south toward Cemochechobee Creek. The site encompasses most of the northern portion of the survey area.
This Phase II testing is being conducted to assist the Georgia Department of Transportation in complying with the Georgia Environmental Policy Act (GEPA) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in complying with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). This project is currently state-funded. The USACE is issuing a permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for a discrete portion of the project (Figure 3). The USACE area of potential effect (APE) in accordance with Section 106 of the NHPA consists of impacted Waters of the United States (WOTUS) and immediately adjacent uplands. The portion of the survey area that is outside of USACE jurisdiction is subject to GEPA compliance.
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