Results of the 2006 Phase I Cultural Resources Survey and Archaeological Inventory of the Proposed Elba Express Pipeline Project in Effingham, Screven, Jenkins, Emanuel, Burke, Jefferson, Glascock, Warren, Mcduffie, Wilkes, Elbert and Hart Counties, Georg

Between March and October of 2006, R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc., performed a Phase I cultural resources field survey for the Elba Express Pipeline Project, a proposed 305.8 km (190.0 mi) long,42-inch and 36-inch outside diameter natural gas pipeline. Elba Express Company, L.L.C. plans to construct approximately 304.6 km (189.3 mi) of this pipeline and associated work areas within Chatham, Effingham, Screven, Jenkins, Emanuel, Burke, Jefferson, Glascock, Warren, McDuffie, Wilkes, Elbert, and Hart Counties, Georgia. The remaining approximately 1.1 km (0.7 mi) of the proposed natural gas pipeline will be constructed within Anderson County, South Carolina. This report is also being submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as an appendix to Resource Report #4. The standard corridor investigated within the Georgia portion of the proposed undertaking measured 91.4 m (300 ft) in width and it was assessed through a combination of pedestrian survey and shovel testing. While the total land area to be affected during the proposed operations is anticipated to be approximately 1,200 ha (3,000) acres, surveys of the pipeline corridor and some project facilities were increased in size to allow for minor modifications to the project footprint, if needed. The total area surveyed for cultural resources was in the order of 3,000 ha (7 ,500 ac ), including approximately 148.1 km (92.0 rni) of proposed 42-inch pipeline corridor,127.1 km (79.0 mi) of proposed 36-inch pipeline corridor, 0.5 km (0.3 mi) of proposed meter station lateral line, 6.9 km (4.3 mi) of pipeline route variations, 87 access roads, 680 additional temporary workspaces (including haul-around locations), five pipe yards, seven contractor yards, four rail siding sites, two potential compressor station sites, and five potential meter station sites. A total of 16,323 of 16,272 (95.6percent) planned shovel tests were excavated successfully during the survey of the pipeline segments. An additional 1,393 of 1,412 (98.6 percent) planned shovel tests were excavated successfully during the survey of the associated assessed ancillary facilities. Approximately 88 percent of the proposed 42-inch pipeline right-of-way was examined for cultural resources during the 2006 investigations. Of the remaining 12 percent, a total of 3 percent (4.7 km I 2.9 miles) was represented by properties that were not assessed due to a lack of survey permission, while the remaining 9 percent(15 .6 km I 9.7 miles) of the proposed pipeline right-of-way was assessed during the previous Phase I survey completed in 2005 for the Cypress Pipeline project (Lackowicz 2005). For the proposed 36-inch pipeline, approximately 95 percent was surveyed, with 5 percent (6.6 km / 4.1 miles) not surveyed due to landowners denying access. The Phase I cultural resource investigation resulted in the identification of 295 new or previously identified cultural resources, including110 non-site cultural resources loci, 147 newly recorded archeological sites, five historic cemeteries, five previously recorded archeological sites, and 28 historic standing structures. Of the 295 identified cultural resources, a total of 281 (95.3 percent) were found to not possess the qualities of significance as defined by the National Register of Historic Places Criteria for Evaluation (36 CFR 60.4 [a-d]). This number includes 108 of the cultural resources loci, all 28 identified historic standing structures, and 145 of the archeological sites. No additional testing of these areas is recommended. A total of eight of the cultural resources have not been assessed in terms of their potential National Register significance. These primarily are represented by actual or potential historic cemetery sites (9JF332, 9GL15, 9MF931 ,9WS365, 9EB748); Elba Express Company will either avoid these sites through route deviations or will erect fencing to ensure that impacts do not occur during construction. One subsurface historic artifact deposit (9EB729) could not be assessed due to a landowner revoking access to their land after the initial discovery of the site. Finally, two non-site cultural resources loci (ASA-MF-01 and ASA-MF-02) were not assessed as Elba Express Company L.L.C., altered the pipeline route and excluded these locations from the Area of Potential Effects, prior to site delineation. The remaining six archeological sites:9SN223, 9BK144, 9BK435, 9BK444, 9JF329and 9EB739 were found to be potentially significant when applying the National Register of Historic Places criteria of evaluation (36 CFR60.4 [a-d]). Either avoidance or additional archeological investigations are recommended for these areas.