10-05 ASRP Unanticipated Discoveries Plan 2025.pdf

Procedures for the Unanticipated Discovery of Archaeological Materials–Alley Sewer Repair Program

This procedure applies to any employee or subcontractor of CONTRACTOR’S FIRM performing ground disturbing activities associated with the CDBG-DR funded Alley Sewer Repair Program in the City of Detroit.

Step 1: Stop Work If any employee or subcontractor believes that they have discovered archaeological materials (refer to HRD Archaeology Handout for definitions) at any point in the project, all work within 100 feet of the discovery must stop. CONSTRUCTION SITE SUPERVISOR is responsible for:

• Placing fencing, flagging, or other protective barrier around the discovery location and a 100-foot radius around it;

• Minimizing the movement of people, equipment, and vehicles in the area around the discovery;

• Preventing any actions that could cause further exposure or disturbance of the discovery;

• Monitoring the discovery location at all times to prevent unauthorized access, looting, or vandalism; and

• Contacting the City of Detroit Archaeological Compliance Specialist (ACS), Samuel Burns.

Step 2: Preliminary Archaeological Assessment Within 24 hours of the discovery, or as soon as practicable, the ACS or another qualified professional archaeologist (the “Project Archaeologist”) will examine the discovery location and determine the appropriate next steps.

• If the discovery is determined to not be significant, the ACS will inform the COMPANY CONTACT that work may resume.

• If the discovery is determined to be significant, the ACS will prepare an avoidance or minimization plan or a study plan for data recovery and will initiate Tribal and SHPO consultation.

Step 3: Tribal and SHPO Notification If the discovery is determined to be significant or if further information is needed to make the determination, the ACS will notify the City’s Tribal consulting partners and the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the discovery and

This procedure does not cover the unanticipated discovery of uncovered human remains, headstones, or burials. For these, see Procedures for the Unanticipated Discovery of

Human Remains.

will manage the consultation process. CONSTRUCTION SITE SUPERVISOR is responsible for securing the location during the consultation period.

If avoidance or minimization measures are recommended, the ACS will request the Approval of SHPO (and the Tribes, if the site holds Tribal associations) for the measures to be implemented. If neither the SHPO nor the Tribes submit any objection to the measures within five (5) business days, the ACS will begin implementation of the avoidance or minimization measures. Once the measures are in place, the ACS will inform COMPANY CONTACT that Project Activities may resume. Depending on site-specific conditions, avoidance or minimization measures may include:

• Placement of protective barriers around or over the site to avoid further disturbance;

• Monitoring of further ground disturbing activities by a qualified archaeologist;

• Minor changes to project activities, such as relocating storage or staging areas;

• Any other measures that are deemed, in the ACS or Project Archaeologist’s professional opinion, to be reasonable and prudent.

If further archaeological work is required, the ACS will manage the process and will inform COMPANY CONTACT when work may resume.

City of Detroit Historic Compliance Team Contacts Samuel Burns Archaeological Compliance Specialist samuel.burns@detroitmi.gov

(313) 439-7463

Tiffany Ciavattone Historic Compliance Lead ciavattonet@detroitmi.gov

(313) 628-0044

CONTRACTOR’S FIRM Contacts (include name and phone number) Construction Site Supervisor(s):

Company Contact:

mailto:samuel.burns@detroitmi.gov mailto:ciavattonet@detroitmi.gov

Procedures for the Unanticipated Discovery of Human Remains–Alley Sewer Repair Program

Discoveries of human remains shall comply with applicable state laws and standards (MCL 750.160; Michigan Attorney General Opinion 6585, “Cemeteries and Dead Bodies”; and Michigan Administrative Code, R325.8051 Rule 1). Human remains are defined as a human body or fetus, or a part of a dead human body or fetus, in a condition from which it may reasonably be concluded that death has occurred” (MCL 333.2803[1]). The term includes human bones, tissue, and organs at any stage of deterioration.

This procedure applies to any employee or subcontractor of CONTRACTOR’S FIRM performing ground disturbing activities associated with the CDBG-DR funded Alley Sewer Repair Program in the City of Detroit.

Step 1: Stop Work If any employee or subcontractor believes that they have uncovered human remains, headstones, or burials at any point in the project, all work adjacent to the discovery must stop. CONSTRUCTION SITE SUPERVISOR is responsible for:

• Immediately calling 911 to report the discovery to law enforcement. Law enforcement will then determine if the remains are human, and whether the discovery constitutes a crime scene.

• Preventing any photography of the remains.

• Covering the discovery with a tarp or other removable and non-destructive barrier, if safely possible;

• Placing fencing, flagging, or other protective barrier around the discovery location and a 300-foot radius around it;

• Minimizing the movement of people, equipment, and vehicles in the area around the discovery;

• Preventing any actions that could cause further exposure or disturbance of the discovery;

• Monitoring the discovery location at all times to prevent unauthorized access, looting, or vandalism; and

• Contacting the City of Detroit Archaeological Compliance Specialist (ACS), Samuel Burns.

Michigan Administrative Code, R325.8051 Rule 1 states, “A person who inadvertently discovers a burial or parts of a human skeleton shall immediately notify the police authority of the jurisdiction where the remains are found.”

Michigan Compiled Code

750.160a(1) states “a person shall not knowingly photograph or publicly display a photograph of all or a portion of a decedent located in a human grave.”

Step 2: Law Enforcement Determination The responding law enforcement agency will determine if the remains are human and whether the discovery constitutes a crime scene.

• If the law enforcement agency determines that the discovery constitutes a crime scene, the remainder of this procedure does not apply. All parties will follow the directions of law enforcement.

Step 3: Preliminary Archaeological Assessment Within 24 hours of the time law enforcement releases the scene, if possible, a qualified professional will examine the discovery to determine if they are Native American or non-Native American and if the discovery is associated with an archaeological site.

Photography of human remains will be limited to that required for forensic examination and criminal investigations and will only be conducted by qualified professionals.

Step 4: Tribal and SHPO Notification The ACS will notify the City’s Tribal consulting partners and the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the discovery and will manage the consultation process. No intentional excavation, public access, publicity, or analysis of human remains, or funerary objects suspected of being Native American in origin will be conducted without first consulting with the Tribes and securing their permission.

Step 5: Disposition of Discovery If skeletal remains are determined to be non-human, the ACS will inform the COMPANY CONTACT that work may resume.

If the skeletal remains are human, the ACS, the Tribes, and SHPO will coordinate to determine appropriate preservation, excavation, and disposition of the remains.

The ACS will inform COMPANY CONTACT of any additional avoidance or minimization measures required. Depending on site-specific conditions, avoidance or minimization measures may include:

• Placement of protective barriers around or over the site to avoid further disturbance;

• Monitoring of further ground disturbing activities by a qualified archaeologist;

• Minor changes to project activities, such as relocating storage or staging areas;

• Any other measures that are deemed, in the ACS or Project Archaeologist’s professional opinion, to be reasonable and prudent.

City of Detroit Historic Compliance Team Contacts Samuel Burns Archaeological Compliance Specialist samuel.burns@detroitmi.gov 313-439-7463

Tiffany Ciavattone Historic Compliance Lead ciavattonet@detroitmi.gov

(313) 628-0044

CONTRACTOR’S FIRM Contacts (include name and phone number) Construction Site Supervisor(s):

Company Contact:

mailto:samuel.burns@detroitmi.gov mailto:ciavattonet@detroitmi.gov

Archaeological Inspection Plan In some areas, archaeological inspection will be required. If this is the case, an Archaeological Inspector will periodically visit work areas and activities to observe and document subsurface conditions. If archaeological monitoring is required, responsibilities will be as follows:

CONSTRUCTION SITE SUPERVISOR is responsible for:

• Communicating up-to-date information concerning crew work locations and activities to the monitor;

• Ensuring that the monitor has access to work locations when it is safe to do so; and

• Enforcing stop-work orders issued by the monitor.

The Archaeological Monitor is responsible for:

• Keeping up-to-date on crew work locations and activities;

• Attending any required safety briefings and complying with all safety plans;

• Conducting observation and documentation of each assigned crew’s work locations and activities at defined intervals;

• Working with the crew to minimize the impact of monitoring on crew activities;

• Communicating with the ACS.

Archaeological Inspection Plan