SolarProject_CR_SOW_2015REVISED.doc

Attachment A

Grand Junction FO FY2015 Solar Potential Area Class III Cultural Survey Project

BLM Grand Junction Field Office

PI: Alissa Leavitt-Reynolds (970)244-3035

COR: Jerome Fox (970)244-3084

Proposed Project: The Grand Junction Field Office FY 2015 Solar Potential Area Cultural Survey Project is a Class III cultural resource inventory of an area with renewable energy development potential located on public lands managed by the BLM Grand Junction Field Office (GJFO). The results will help the GJFO plan for possible future renewable energy development which could include solar projects, as well as power lines and other necessary facilities on the GJFO. The Solar Potential Area located in the North Desert, just northwest and north of Grand Junction, in Mesa County, Colorado. The legal locations are: 6th PM, T. 9 S., R. 102 W., Section 13; T. 9 S., R. 101 W., Sections 17, 18, 24-27, 34-36; T. 10 S., R. 101 W., Sections 1-3, 10-14; T. 10 S., R. 100 W., Sections 5-8 and 18; Ute PM, T. 2 N., R. 2 W., Sections 3- 5, 8-11, 13-16, 22-26 and 36; T. 1 N., R. 1 W., Sections 4-6 (see attached map).

Proposed Class III inventory: The Class III cultural resource survey will be between 400 to 1000 acres in the Solar Potential Area within the GJFO. The final project design will be dependent on the cost per acre and the cost per site reevaluation provided by the selected consultant. The block area or areas will be surveyed in 15-20 meter intervals throughout the project area. The Solar Potential Area is located in sparsely vegetated desert scrub at an elevation of 4500 – 4900 feet. Cultural resources in the project area are expected to be sparse and could include prehistoric lithic sites, isolates, historic trash scatters, historic grazing features (stock ponds, fences, enclosures, etc.) and line camps. Site density is expected to be low to moderate in these environmental settings. There are 15 known historic stock ponds/grazing improvements (BLM grazing files: 0133, 0218, 0272, 0320, 0483, 0487, 0537, 0550, 1058, 1106, 1807, 1812, 1813, 1859, 1861) in the Solar Potential Area that, depending on the final design of the survey area, would need to be recorded as cultural resources as a part of this project. These grazing improvements are located within an approximately 17,800 acre landscape, so it is not expected that more than six would be recorded as a part of this project (there could be abandoned or unknown ponds in the project area that would need to be recorded if encountered; age of these resources could be determined based on those visible on USGS Quadrangle maps over 50 years old). Two previously recorded sites are present in the project area—5ME1217 and 5ME17562.1—and if they were within the selected survey area, they would need to be revisited or reevaluated as appropriate. Archival work, including visits to the appropriate county offices to determine more information about historic roads or to the BLM for the use of grazing files, would be expected for documentation of historic roads and stock ponds/grazing improvements. No contract modifications will be provided for unanticipated site density or logistic complexity not considered by the contractor in their bid. Prospective contractors should provide per-acre bids for the following acre ranges: 1) 400 to 600 acres; 2) 600 to 800 acres; and 3) 800 to 1000 acres.

Undertaking: This project ensures compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and with the BLM’s Resource Management Plan that requires the survey of project areas for cultural resources. These surveys will identify and evaluate cultural resources in areas that may be used for renewable energy development within the GJFO. This project will allow the BLM and renewable energy proponents to plan and design future development projects in a way that will avoid direct impacts to sites that are identified during the surveys. Reevaluations will also be completed in the block area as described in a section below. No development projects are currently planned for these areas.

Contract Requirements: This is a three item contract, with deliverables due on the schedule in the reporting section below, and will ultimately result in the reporting on the results of a Class III Cultural Resource Inventory. The required fieldwork and reporting will be completed to meet the report deadlines described below. All reports and supporting documents will meet guidelines established by the Colorado SHPO and BLM, and the GJFO’s current Procedures and Reporting Standards for Cultural Resource Consultants Conducting CRM Projects for the GJFO, BLM (FY13 or newer if one comes out prior to fieldwork). The field crew chief must be on the contractor’s current Colorado BLM Cultural Resource Use Permit (CRUP) of the selected contractor(s), qualified to do cultural work in the GJFO area, and present at all times with crews in the field. Contractors must also follow the current BLM Handbook and CRUP permit procedures including delivery of all site and survey parcel information in shapefiles with supporting tables to support both survey information and site/isolate information. Shapefiles require projection data and must be formatted per the BLM Colorado Digital Data Specifications Guide (last revised 10/2014). It is the contractor’s responsibility to coordinate access, locate the survey area, and conduct the survey in the area as mapped. The Solar Potential Area is not flagged. GPS Shapefiles of the areas will be made available to the selected contractor upon request. A Global Positioning System (GPS) unit is required to locate, plot, and provide UTMs for cultural resources and the surveyed area boundary. The project’s cultural program Principal Investigator (PI) is Alissa Leavitt-Reynolds, aleavitt@blm.gov or (970) 244-3035.

Access: The survey area is accessible from maintained public roads on BLM managed lands. The Solar Potential Area is approximately 6-12 driving miles northeast of Fruita, Colorado.

Literature Review and Field Inventory: The purpose of the file search documentation is to develop a context to discuss the results of the contractor’s survey in the report. The contractor will be responsible to check the GLO maps, quadrangle maps, aerial photos, grazing records, and Land Patents for historic site potential, and the BLM GJFO site and project files, and Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation files and/or COMPASS database to identify previous surveys and recorded sites within a one mile radius of the boundary of the project area. GLO information, grazing records, and survey notes are available at the GJFO and State BLM office. Aerial photos can be obtained both in the GJFO and online at the Mesa County GIS webpage. Information from aerials, grazing records and GLO records, including maps, must be included in site records and the Final Report where historic features are extant (i.e. roads, trails, ponds, or structures) or where historic artifact scatters are spatially associated with historically mapped features. The GLO records and land patent (homestead) records must be checked by the contractor and all roads, trails and stock ponds, etc. over 50 years old will be mapped (if extant) and recorded as part of the cultural survey. Historic roads that likely have been obliterated by the modern transportation system (based on alignment on GLO maps) must be recorded. This requirement will be discussed in detail during the pre-work file search.

An in-office, Grand Junction BLM literature review (file search) must be conducted prior to starting fieldwork. The Contractor must contact the PI at least a week in advance to schedule the BLM file search, and the Fieldwork Authorization will constitute the Notice to Proceed. A BLM GJFO archaeologist must be present during the Grand Junction BLM file search as the pre-work meeting and notice to proceed will be issued at that time.

A 100% pedestrian survey at transect intervals not exceeding 15-20 meters for the survey areas will be conducted to identify and record all cultural resources in the block areas. All fieldwork and documentation shall be performed to DOI NPS, BLM, Colorado SHPO, and other applicable professional standards. Aboriginal wooden features and historic well pads require the use of an additional component form (form to be provided by Grand Junction BLM).

Reevaluations will be performed on up to two previously recorded sites (5ME1217 and 5ME17562.1). New management data and component forms will be filled out for previously recorded sites that have the older site form versions. This is an area of high recreational and grazing use and site conditions are expected to change. If the site has not changed and was recorded post-2005, a revisit form can be used. Additionally, the contractor will be expected to record visible “nuisance” sites that can be observed from the block areas if noticed. Sites such as rockshelters, alcoves and rock art are likely to attract users and thus impact the cultural resources that may be located there. Nuisance sites are limited to what can be walked to in about five minutes by a casual hiker. Sites that are bisected by the block survey boundary must be recorded to their full extent. Linear sites crossed by the survey must be mapped at least 100 m on each side of the survey or to their extent.

It is anticipated that neither vegetation density nor slopes greater than 30 percent will limit the area to be surveyed. If these conditions are encountered, standard inventory methods are not required but slopes and rim edges within the project area must be inspected for potential rock shelters, crevice caches, and rock art, and these narrow survey sections must be mapped as such. Large areas not surveyed must be mapped as such. The site maps and descriptions will include any recent disturbances or intrusions to the site, including but not limited to intrusions such as: previous mechanical disturbance or vegetation manipulation, trash dumping, artifact collector piles, unauthorized excavation, off road vehicle activity, test pit locales, cattle trampling or trailing, or erosion. Intrusions that have the potential to impact the integrity of Need Data or Eligible sites should be discussed on the site forms and in the report narrative.

To refine National Register eligibility recommendations, evaluative testing units (shovel or trowel) will be conducted at all sites where the contractor has any question as to the potential of the site to be National Register Eligible (sites that could be considered as Need Data). This testing during field recording should be used to determine the potential for subsurface cultural deposits, the nature of possible datable thermal features, and the site boundary, as needed. This level of testing is not expected to require the retrieval of artifacts for further analysis or testing, but that decision is left to the judgment of the crew chief.

This level of testing should not be conducted in a manner that impacts or destroys information that contributes to the site’s eligibility. If eligibility recommendations for a site rely solely on the presence of a potentially datable thermal feature, all thermal features (features identified as potential hearths such as ash stains or fire cracked rock for example) must be tested to identify them as cultural features. All test locations will be identified on the site sketch map and test holes will be filled after testing.

Reporting:

A.

Item 1 payment will be made based on acceptance of a letter report with the results of the Class III survey. The letter report is due to the BLM no later than two weeks after completion of fieldwork or no later than September 11, 2015, whichever comes first, and will contain, at a minimum:

1) Brief description of each site, which will include site type, temporal or cultural affiliation, and the NRHP eligibility recommendation. This information can be in table format.

2) Draft or field sketch site plan map including standard archaeological site information (all relevant references to nearest road or trail, diagnostic artifacts, features, UTM datum, north arrow and scale) for each site.

3) Copy of a 7.5' topographic map showing the project survey boundary and site locations.

The PI’s review of the letter report and verbal notification of acceptance of the results to the contractor within 10 days of receipt constitutes completion of this item of the contract.

B. Reporting for Payment of Item 2 - A single unbound copy of a draft Final Report, an email to the PI containing the GPS shapefiles of the sites, isolated finds and surveyed areas, and a single stapled copy (or an electronic copy- preferred) of the site and/or isolate forms must be submitted to the BLM for review within six weeks of completing the fieldwork, or no later than October 23, 2015, whichever comes first. The consultant’s editor is strongly encouraged to review the draft before submission to correct grammatical and factual errors.

The draft report and all required survey and site forms and shapefiles will meet the guidelines established by the Secretary of Interior’s Standards (and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation), the BLM Colorado Handbook (including the BLM Colorado Digital Data Specifications Guide), the Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation Guidelines and the current BLM GJFO Procedures and Reporting Standards for Cultural Resource Consultant. The contractor is encouraged to review the OAHP survey report checklist to be sure their submissions meet the OAHP requirements. A complete list of the previous surveys and complete site and isolate numbers found during the literature search are expected to be included in an appendix to the report, in addition to their discussion in the text. All sites must have a minimum of one photograph showing the general site location with a horizon. Reevaluations of sites should also include the above photo specifications and if the reevaluated sites have previous photos, care should be taken to try to replicate the location of the original site photos if possible.

The final report will evaluate the sites and recommend National Register eligibility, as well as address the impacts that may need to be considered from a standpoint of renewal energy development. Those evaluations should be made in the context of previous investigations and findings in the general area, and management issues for the region. All sites brought forward in the final report as Need Data will include a detailed discussion of how field testing was conducted and why field testing was inconclusive, and specific recommendations for evaluative testing to determine eligibility. Discussion of disturbances or intrusions observed while conducting the field work that are currently or have the potential to impact Need Data or Eligible sites should be included in recommendations for site management.

Any artifacts collected during the survey will require a discussion in the final report as to the purpose of collecting the artifact specific to the criteria for collection and the information that may be retrieved by future research (BLM Colorado Handbook 2011). All collected material is to be curated according to standards provided in 36CFR79 and deposited at the Museum of Western Colorado in Grand Junction.

The BLM will provide a response to the draft Final Report within one month of receipt. If substantial editing is required, all documents will be returned with general comments, or tagged corrections. The final submission will include three copies of the report and three copies of the site and isolate records and three copies of a CD with the project shapefiles and PDFs of the report and site forms. If minimal changes are required, specific corrections will be identified in the response and individual corrected pages may be submitted. Minimal changes or acceptance of the report and forms with no changes will require two additional bound copies of the final report, an additional two sets of site and isolate records, and three CDs with the project shapefiles and PDFs for the BLM’s submittal to the SHPO and Tribes. Removable binding and two-sided printing of the report is preferable.

C. Delivery of the Final report and supporting records (Item 3) is required no later than December 4, 2015. BLM will notify the contractor of acceptance of the Final Report within two weeks which constitutes completion of the contract.