OrleansMonitoringReport_SOW-2009-9-18.doc

September 18, 2009

SCOPE OF WORK

Reporting for Archaeological Monitoring of FEMA Funded Demolition of Residential Structures in Orleans Parish as a Result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

I. OBJECTIVE

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded demolition of damaged private residences and debris removal as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Orleans Parish. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) led operations from June 2006 through September 2007. The City of New Orleans (the City) managed field operations for FEMA funded demolitions from December 2007 through April 2009.

In 2006, FEMA negotiated a Secondary Programmatic Agreement specific to demolition of these properties (2PA, excerpt below) with the City, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and other consulting parties. This 2PA details FEMA’s obligations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (NHPA), and specifies guidelines for archaeological monitoring.

Excerpt from the Secondary Programmatic Agreement Among The Federal Emergency Management Agency; The Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer of The Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism; The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; The City of New Orleans; and The United States Army Corps of Engineers Regarding the Demolition of Privately Owned Residential Buildings Within Orleans Parish Damaged as a Result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (executed May 31, 2006), Section VIII Archaeology, Part B:

B.

FEMA shall verify compliance with the Lower-Impact Demolition Stipulations contained in Appendix C. FEMA’s oversight activities shall be guided by the boundaries delineated in the preliminary Archeological Probability Zone Map for Orleans Parish of May 3, 2006 (Map), currently utilized by FEMA and SHPO, which is contained in Appendix D. FEMA shall provide electronic copies of the Map to signatory and concurring parties. Upon request, FEMA shall also provide 48-inch by 36-inch paper copies of the Map. The boundaries indicate areas of low, moderate, and high probability for the presence of archeological resources. In anticipation that adverse effects may not always be avoidable, FEMA shall be responsible for any refinement of the Map pursuant to Appendix B (B)(4).

1.

Prior to demolition, FEMA historic preservation staff shall conduct cursory inspections of demolition sites in the high probability zone to identify readily visible archeological features. If features are located, archeologists shall document the features and immediately notify USACE Quality Assurance/Quality Control Monitors (QA/QC Monitors) so that demolition crews may implement adequate measures to avoid impacts to the features.

2.

The oversight (field inspections) shall be conducted at 25 percent of the demolition sites on the List. The allocation of this 25 percent sample shall be as follows: 47 percent in the high probability zone, 37 percent in the moderate probability zone, and 16 percent in the low probability zone. The archeological probability zones are illustrated on the Map in Appendix D.

3.

If FEMA observes violations of the Lower-Impact Demolition Stipulations, FEMA shall request that the USACE official on-site cease demolition activities until the effects of the Undertaking can be assessed through intensive visual inspection. If adverse effects are observed, FEMA shall consult with SHPO and other consulting parties, as necessary.

4.

If during the course of work, FEMA archeological monitors observe significant or potentially significant findings as a result of activities associated with the Undertaking, the FEMA archeological monitors shall treat the findings as stipulated in Section VIII.D. If a FEMA archeological monitor determines that a findings assessment will require a discontinuation of work greater than one hour in duration, the archeological monitor is responsible for promptly notifying the USACE official on-site regarding the delay. If after the initial one hour findings assessment, the archeologist has determined more evaluation time will be necessary at this location, the archeologist shall promptly convey this to the USACE official on-site.

5.

At demolition locations potentially involving asbestos materials, USACE contractors shall establish a safety perimeter beyond which archeological monitors shall not be permitted to cross without first obtaining the appropriate training and personal protective equipment (PPE). Archeologists shall have formal asbestos training, a pulmonary fitness examination, and may be required to wear a full respirator and a Tyvek suit. If an archeological monitor needs to cross the safety perimeter, the monitor shall approach the USACE official on site and notify them of the need to access the demolition site. The USACE official on site shall have all equipment inside the work zone stop work so that the archeologist may conduct a brief inspection. If the archeologist observes no significant findings, then the archeologist will leave the restricted zone and the work may resume. If the archeologist determines significant or potentially significant findings are present, they shall be treated in accordance with Stipulations VIII.B.4. and VIII.D.

The Section 106 oversight provided by FEMA as per the 2PA included archaeological monitoring of approximately 841 specified demolitions in Orleans Parishes. FEMA recorded 170 archaeological sites and has submitted all site forms to SHPO. FEMA collected a total of 2,706 artifacts associated with the newly recorded sites which are presently located in FEMA’s Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office (TRO) at 1250 Poydras, New Orleans, Louisiana.

To fulfill FEMA’s Section 106 responsibilities, a monitoring report and associated curation of forms, notes, photos, and artifacts must be completed and submitted to SHPO’s Division of Archaeology using FEMA’s records of these activities. The contractor shall conduct background research, synthesize all notes, site forms, literature and records compiled during the monitoring effort, analyze and curate the collected artifacts, edit site forms as necessary and produce demolition monitoring report.

II. SERVICES

The contractor shall perform all work required to provide the following services and products:

Background Research

The contractor shall conduct background research as necessary. At a minimum, background research will include an examination of the records on file at the Louisiana Division of Archaeology and the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation, property records, historic maps, and archive research.

Data Analysis The contractor shall synthesize all notes, monitoring forms, site forms, literature and records compiled during the investigations. All of the approximately 841 individual monitored demolition and private property debris removal events have associated monitoring forms and other documentation that will provide the basis for data synthesis and analysis.

Artifact Analysis and Curation

All collected artifacts shall be curated in compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation as well as those guidelines stipulated by the Louisiana Division of Archaeology. All collected artifacts shall be analyzed and prepared for curation. Artifacts must be labeled and packaged for permanent curation and submitted to the Louisiana Division of Archaeology or a state approved Deputy Custodian for long-term curation.

Site Form and Report Preparation

Complete technical reports of the archaeological monitoring in Orleans Parish will be produced by the contractor. This report will be written in accordance with the standards and guidelines set forth by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation (Federal Register 48(190) 1983:44716-44737) and as the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Division of Archaeology monitoring report standards (http://www.crt.state.la.us/archaeology/REVIEW/MonRep.shtml).

The report shall, at a minimum, include a description of the study area; equipment used; observed demolition techniques; relevant historic documentation, maps and background research; the field studies/investigations; all field observations; a discussion of the methodology; analyses and results illustrated with appropriate tables, charts, and graphs; an evaluation of the investigations in terms of the goals and objectives of the investigations; an eligibility determination if appropriate; management recommendations; a bibliography; and updated site forms.

Deliverables and Schedule

The contractor shall begin the background research within five business days of the award of this task order (the Start Date). Not later than 6 weeks after the Start Date, 6 copies of a draft report and a digital copy on CD shall be submitted to FEMA TRO Historic Preservation Department at 1250 Poydras Street. Following a review and comment by FEMA and the Louisiana SHPO of the drafts, contractor will incorporate recommended changes into a final report. Submission of final reports shall occur not later than two weeks from the date contractor receives comments from the State and FEMA. Six copies of a final report and a digital copy on CD will be submitted to the Historic Preservation staff at FEMA.

Upon submission of the final report, in form and substance satisfactory to FEMA, all artifacts collected and processed as a result of the monitoring, and in the same condition as originally received, shall be submitted by the contractor for curation. Contractor shall provide FEMA with written evidence of the proper transfer of all artifacts to the appropriate permanent curation with the State of Louisiana.