A Phase I Cultural Resources Survey for the Proposed Silicon Ranch Solar Farm Project in Clay County, Georgia

Between August 16 and October 1, 2021,TerraXplorations, Inc. (TerraX), of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, conducted a Phase I cultural resources survey for a proposed solar farm project in Clay County, Georgia. The project would involve the construction of a utility scale solar farm. The project area will contain solar panels on trackers, and at their highest point, the solar panels will sit approximately nine feet (ft) above the ground surface. Transformers will also be placed throughout the solar farm site; the tops of which will be approximately seven ft above the ground surface. The cultural resources survey was conducted on behalf of Silicon Ranch, and the lead federal agency is the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District. The Phase I survey was performed by Joshua Shiers, Meagan Olmedo, Kenny Pearce, Heather Froshour, Aren Heitmann, Logan Renfroe, Michael Miracle, and Patricia Arnett under the direction of Paul D. Jackson, Principal Investigator. Britta Anderson served as Architectural Historian for the survey. 

The Area of Potential Effects (APE), also referred to as the survey areas for this project, included an archaeological direct effects APE and an architectural visual effects APE. The direct effects APE, totaling 381.8 acres, consists of six discrete land tracts identified as Areas 1-6 in this report. The architectural survey area was defined by a 0.15-mile radius around the direct effects APE. 

The archaeological survey led to the identification of 11 archaeological sites (9CY282, 9CY283, 9CY284, 9CY285, 9CY286, 9CY287, 9CY288, 9CY289, 9CY290, 9CY291, and 9CY292), 11 isolated finds (SR-06, SR-07, SR-08, SR-09, SR-11, SR-12, SR-14, SR-15, SR-20, SR-21, and SR-22), and the revisit of two previously recorded sites (9CY229 and 9CY244). Sites 9CY285-9CY292 all represent light density, unknown aboriginal lithic scatters considered to lack research value and thus are recommended ineligible for NRHP inclusion. The isolated finds consists primarily of unknown aboriginal lithic finds but for one isolated piece of historic glass. Isolated finds are by definition not eligible for NRHP listing. 

The two previously recorded sites (9CY229 and 9CY244) and three of the newly recorded sites (9CY282, 9CY283, and 9CY284) are all considered to hold significant research value and thus are recommended potentially eligible for NRHP inclusion. These sites consist of aboriginal artifact scatters containing various cultural components including Terminal Archaic and Middle Woodland (9CY229), post-Archaic (9CY244 and 9CY284), and unknown aboriginal (9CY282 and 9CY283). Avoidance of these five sites is suggested; however, if that is not possible, TerraX recommends Phase II testing to better assess the eligibility status of each site for listing in the NRHP. 

The architectural survey identified two historic resources (Resource 1 and HR-1) considered eligible for NRHP listing and one historic resource (Resource 2) with an NRHP eligibility status considered to be unknown. It is the opinion of TerraX that the proposed project will have no effect on these resources due to a shield of vegetation between the resources and the proposed project area. However, TerraX does recommend that a vegetative buffer be established around the boundary of the proposed solar farm project area in the vicinity of these resources to ensure that they remain shielded from any visual effects associated with this project.