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Georgia DOT Archaeological Resource Protection Workshop (01/18/06)
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) anticipated that looting would be a problem during archaeological data recovery at the Leake Site, a regionally important site dating to the Middle Woodland Period. The site will be affected by a road expansion project in Bartow County.Before the data recovery started in the spring of 2005, GDOT and its partners at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR) and the Federal Highway Administration-Georgia Division sponsored a seminar with local law enforcement agencies entitled “Archaeological Resource Protection and Looting Workshop.”GDNR and GDOT staff taught law enforcement officers how to identify unauthorized excavation, removal, damage, and defacement of archaeological resources. Instruction also included information on the laws protecting archaeological resources and on the “culture” of archaeological site looting. Data recovery at the Leake Site has been completed; however, during the excavations an individual was arrested while looting the site and the arrest was made by one of the officers who attended the workshop. For more information about this successful training program contact Eric Duff at Eric.Duff@dot.state.ga.us.

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The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site Education Program
In a unique partnership, the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site Education Program is working with the Federal Highway Administration Georgia Division (FHWA) and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to co-sponsor a program to help kids better understand their history as told through archaeology. The goal is to use archaeology as a tool to stimulate creativity and interest in learning about cultural heritage. Students in Sumter and Schley Counties will be provided a hands-on introduction to archaeology field methods and excavation on an FHWA and GDOT-sponsored archaeology project in Sumter County. Get more information.

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Minnesota Department of Transportation's Deeply Buried Archaeological Site Testing Protocol Project
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) recently contracted with Commonwealth Cultural Resource Group, Inc. to develop a deep testing protocol for locating and evaluating deeply buried archaeological sites. The project assessed the efficacy and cost efficiency of three methods traditionally used for discovering deeply buried sites.  These methods included 1) geophysical surveys (resistivity, magnetometry, and ground penetrating radar); 2) coring and augering; and 3) backhoe trenching.  Six different geological and archaeological settings within the state were tested by separate and independent field teams and the results produced by each method were then subjected to a cost/benefit analysis.  In addition to site identification, Mn/DOT’s deep site testing project evaluated each method for its utility in determining the National Register eligibility of deeply buried archaeological sites. 

The findings suggest that each method has its strengths and weakness but that the costs per acre were similar.  Overall, backhoe trenching was the most effective and cost efficient for both site discovery and site evaluation.  Of note, the excavation of test units off trench side walls did not produce significantly more information about archaeological deposits than the trenching itself. Coring and auguring were less effective at deep site discovery and, when used as the sole method, were not helpful in assessing site eligibility.  Geophysical techniques were found to be the least effective method for site discovery and evaluation. 

Mn/DOT used the results of this study to develop a state-wide protocol for locating deeply buried archaeological sites and evaluating the National Register eligibility of these sites. This protocol involves the use of both earth and archaeological sciences.  The report on this deep site testing protocol may be accessed on the Minnesota DOT Web site at  the following link: Deep Site Testing Protocol Project Report.

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Stillwater Lift Bridge Management Plan (May 2006)
The Lift Bridge Management Plan and Repair Project is a key stipulation in the 2006 Amended Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the St. Croix River Crossing Project (Stipulation III).  The Lift Bridge also is one of 24 bridges identified by Mn/DOT for long-term preservation as part of Mn/DOT’s statewide June 2006 Historic Bridges Management Plan.

To implement these, Mn/DOT’s Bridge Office, Cultural Resources Unit, a consultant team and Stillwater Lift Bridge Advisory Committee will be completing a condition assessment and a bridge operations and maintenance manual for the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge and its concourse.   An approved Operations and Maintenance Manual will then be used to develop the Stillwater Lift Bridge Management Plan.

The Stillwater Lift Bridge Management Plan will describe how the Stillwater Lift Bridge is to be managed during its interim vehicular use and after its conversion to pedestrian/bicycle use.  It will also establish the priorities for a repair project in order to allow the Stillwater Lift Bridge to function with the proposed Loop Trail.

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North Carolina DOT Consensus Eligibility and Effects Process (01/18/06)
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and the Federal Highway Administration’s North Carolina Division Office, have established an innovative, cost effective and rapid means of achieving concurrence on National Register eligibility and effect determinations for all Section 106 undertakings that may affect historic buildings or structures. In the past, normal consultation among the three agencies involved passing paper for review from one agency to another. Under the new process, NCDOT and its partners have bi-monthly "concurrence" meetings during which staff members collaboratively make decisions on eligibility and effects. The meetings, which last several hours, are scheduled for an entire year in advance so there is never any need to juggle dates and times. The process increases predictability, reduces time delays and allows compliance reports to be completed after the essential decisions on eligibility and effects have already been made. Disagreements are rare and when they occur, they are worked out through this eligibility and effects determination process, if not at one meeting then at the next. With concurrence achieved, the parties sign a statement for each undertaking under review. This concurrence statement is then used for National Environmental Policy Act compliance. The “concurrence’ meeting format works so well that NCDOT is considering expanding this process to include archaeological sites. For more information, contact Rob Ayers at rob.ayers@fhwa.dot.gov.

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Ohio DOT Programmatic Agreement
On July 17, 2006, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) entered into a Programmatic Agreement (PA) with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) governing Section 106 compliance for the Federal-aid Highway Program in Ohio.  The PA authorizes ODOT to act for the federal agency in all aspects of the Section 106 compliance process for the purposes of streamlining historic preservation planning for transportation projects.  It reduces the SHPO’s project-by-project review role by giving ODOT the authority to make determinations of National Register eligibility and effect without prior SHPO consultation.  Tribal consultation is retained as a responsibility of the FHWA; however, ODOT will assist in these government to government consultations.  A list of activities exempted from Section 106 review is included as an appendix.  The agreement lays out the standards and qualifications that ODOT personnel must meet in carrying out the terms of the PA.  It also includes provisions for innovations in historic preservation planning listing 12 specific projects and programs for the future.  This PA is more that a simple delegation agreement; it is a comprehensive restructuring of the relationship among the FHWA, ODOT and the SHPO giving ODOT day-to-day control over the process while recognizing the agency’s ultimate responsibility. For more information contact Paul Green at (614) 466-5099 or via email at Paul.Graham@dot.state.oh.us.

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Ohio DOT Cultural Resource GIS
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Ohio Historical Society/State Historic Preservation Office (OHS/SHPO) have been working together over the last nine years to develop and operate a comprehensive GIS database on cultural resources.   A working version of the GIS database was up and running in 2000.  On-line capability became available in 2004.  As of 2006, the database contains records on over 90,000 historic buildings and 40,000 archaeological sites, as well as 3,500 National Register properties and 400 historic districts.  Users from SHPO and ODOT, as well as other state and federal agencies, can view information on the nature and location of cultural resources against hundreds of data layers on the environment in any combination as needed.  The GIS system has dramatically streamlined the process by which decisions are made regarding the potential impacts of any transportation project in the state and the process by which consultation under Section 106 and NEPA now occur.   For more information on accessing this award winning GIS cultural resources database, contact Paul Graham at (614) 466-5099 or via e-mail at paul.graham@dot.state.oh.us.

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Section 106 Process Programmatic Agreement (2006)
In compliance with 36 CFR Part 800.14 of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation=s current regulations,  the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the  Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO),  and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) have consulted on the development of this programmatic agreement.   

This agreement is a very important environmental streamlining measure and has been in development for 5 years.  Under this agreement FHWA and SHPO have delegated most of the responsibility for the Section 106 process and the implementing regulations at 36 CFR Part 800 to ODOT’s Office of Environmental Services. As such the Office of Environmental Services will be making determinations of  National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility of historic resources,  NRHP boundary determinations,  as well as all levels of  project effect under 36 CFR Part 800.   This agreement also provides considerable latitude to the agencies on how they may conduct consultation on any given project.

This agreement will streamline hundreds of ODOT projects.  For example, ODOT processes over 200 submittals to SHPO every year (250 estimated for SFY 2006).  Currently each of these submittals takes approximately 30 days.  This equates to over 7,500 yearly project days associated with SHPO's review of our Section 106 reports.  With this agreement, it is expected that only 15% will still require some degree of SHPO review.  In addition, this 15% is subject to a 15 day objection period instead of the normal 30 days for review and comment.  This has potential to have significant time savings to ODOT's project development process.

In addition, this agreement continues ODOT's commitment to provide Section 106 training, requires an annual evaluation of ODOT's performance and use of the agreement, establishes a commitment to encourage SHPO, FHWA and ODOT to explore innovative programs (state wide models, development of contexts and other programmatic ways of doing business), and has created a list of exempt undertakings, activities, and project types.

ODOT, SHPO and FHWA will continue to work cooperatively under this agreement, as there are a number of stipulations in the agreement that provide for our working on initiatives of mutual interest.  

For information, contact:
Timothy M. Hill 
Administrator
Office of Environmental Services
614-644-0377
Tim.Hill@dot.state.oh.us 

Paul Graham
Assistant Administrator
Office of Environmental Services
614-466-5099
Paul.Graham@dot.state.oh.us

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Pennsylvania Cultural Resources GIS
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's (PennDOT's) Planning & Research Bureau and Design Bureau launched a Cultural Resources Geographic Information System (CRGIS) in January 2005. CRGIS provides citizens, researchers, and teachers with instant electronic and visual information about Pennsylvania's archeological and historic resources. In addition to providing up-to-date information regarding over 150,000 recorded historic structures and 20,000 archeological sites, the website includes an "Ask REGIS" feature that assists new users with CRGIS data searches. CRGIS won a 2005 American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Pennsylvania Chapter Diamond Award for Engineering Excellence. Get more information.

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Pennsylvania DOT Cultural Resource Management Website
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) website on its Cultural Resources Management (CRM) program informs and educates the public about the CRM program and its activities.  The website is divided into individual pages according to subject including: Archaeology, Buildings and Bridges, each of which describes these kinds of cultural resources and explains PennDOT’s responsibility for their management.  Additional pages take the viewer to information on PennDOT’s historic bridge survey, the results of interesting CRM projects, state and federal historic preservation law and regulations, tribes and tribal consultation, activities and resources for kids and teachers, items in the news, and staff contacts.  One page is devoted to additional links for children, teachers, researchers, and the general public and provides access to multiple sites on historic preservation in Pennsylvania.  The PennDOT CRM website is very popular providing a wealth of information on history, archaeology and architecture within the context of Pennsylvania’s transportation program.  The website in updated on a monthly basis to provide new information on items of interest to the public.  To learn more about this successful public outreach vehicle contact Joe Baker at 717-705-1482 or via email at josebaker@state.pa.us. 

To access the website go to www.penndotcrm.org.

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Rhode Island Personnel Resources for Narragansett Indian Tribe
To streamline and enhance coordination and consultation between the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the Narragansett Native American Tribe, RIDOT is funding new staff positions within the tribal government offices. The new staff will assist with transportation planning, cultural resources management consultation and monitoring, and disadvantage business support. To pay for these positions, RIDOT is using funds from the FHWA’s streamlining initiative program. Get more information.

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Preservation Success on US Route 77, Texas
Despite the discovery of more than 175 historical burials in the project right-of-way, a highway improvement project on US Route 77 (US 77) in Refugio, Texas, was completed with minimal delays. Proper planning, prompt response, sensitive archaeological investigation and construction, and continuous stakeholder involvement helped make the project a success. For more information, see FHWA’s August 2003 Successes in Streamlining Newsletter.

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Texas DOT Potential Archeological Liability Map (PALM)
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) uses an innovative planning tool for conducting archaeological evaluations within the Houston area. This tool is the Potential Archeological Liability Map (PALM) GIS database.   The Houston-PALM predicts areas where highway projects are likely to encounter prehistoric archeological sites with sufficient integrity to make them eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.  The model uses data on soils, landforms and modern disturbances, to stratify the landscape into areas of higher or lower sensitivity for intact archaeological deposits.  Houston-PALM provides DOT project managers in Houston with a means of evaluating project alternatives for impacts to archaeological sites early in the planning stages and to anticipate the potential time and costs involved in regulatory compliance.  The Texas Historical Commission (SHPO) was involved in developing Houston-PALM over a three year period and supports its use.  While only one of many information sources used by the Houston district in project plan, Houston-PALM works by reducing the uncertainty inherent in road design and construction.  The model is so successful that a PALM data base is being developed for the Fort Worth area. To learn more about Houston-PALM and the Houston Historic Overlay contact Jim Abbott at 512 416-2758 or via e-mail at jabbott@dot.state.tx.us.

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