Eligibility Recommendations: Testing & Documentation

The requests were/are intended to: expedite POD processing reduce paperwork prevent repetition comply with confidentiality requirements protect the resource Contractors and Operators have done a good job of working together during the last year

Use the information provided to you by cultural contractors to design the POD. Have contractors perform block inventories whenever possible. Communicate POD layout changes to contractors as early as possible. Everything on the map submitted with the cultural report that is labeled as “proposed” must be inventoried or identified as being in an area of previous inventory. Do not submit cultural reports within a POD, APD or sundry package – send them separately. Do not put site locations on map D or any other map submitted with POD books. Do use operator base maps.

POD Design Infrastructure in eligible sites: Relocate/Avoid Discuss Mitigation

Make sure the title of the report accurately reflects the name of the undertaking (as best you can). Do not put copies of the formal WYCRO file searches in reports. Please do not send BLM a report that describes a files search that determined the entire project area was covered by previous inventory. Please do not ask Buffalo BLM for copies of the BLM base maps. Do not leave pin flags on sites.

CRM Tracker Issues Survey Area & Adequacy Eligibility Recommendations Testing Contributing/Non-Contributing Integrity Documentation, Documentation, Documentation…

Requirement: Print off two (2) copies of the CRMTracker cover page and site page. Include these with your submitted reports. Reason: Searching for a specific report in CRMTracker can be difficult. We can search by DBI number. This is the easiest way to find your report to review and create a DBU from.

Request: Make sure that you enter all pertinent information into CRMTracker (i.e., sites). Reason: CRMTracker is intended to streamline reporting on your end and on ours. The CRMTracker pages are intended to replace your coversheet. Make sure that any information that no longer is on the cover appears elsewhere in your report. Your CRMTracker entry is used to produce our DBU – if you don’t include information we have to enter it later.

Request: When you submit a Fieldwork Authorization Request please indicate location in the cadastral page. Reason: We are habituated to looking for the location of your project on this page. If you hide the location in a text field we have spend extra time finding it.

News: We will be getting a contributing/not contributing field. This should help when discussing effects.

Request: The Buffalo BLM would generally prefer block inventory; however, where corridor inventory is used please consider corridor widths of 200’. Reason(s): 1. A corridor width of 100’ often barely covers the initial project footprint. This does not allow adequate consideration of sites immediately adjacent to the project. 2. Additional utilities are often added to corridors as sundries. These sundries may require additional inventory depending on initial inventory width.

Request: Please discuss field conditions (i.e., visibility) in your report; use maps and photographs as appropriate. Reason: Field conditions can change throughout the field season. Vegetation and weather conditions (e.g., snow) can restrict visibility. When adverse conditions to finding sites exist, additional measures may be required (e.g., monitoring).

Request: Please discuss soil deposition. Reason: Although many contractors are including NRCS soil descriptions, these don’t really describe soil deposition. Make sure that you discuss deposition (e.g., alluvial, colluvial…). Note: A training on geoarchaeology may be scheduled in the (near) future, stay tuned.

Request: Please make note of materials that you find but are not required to record as formal sites (PA). Reason: In the interest of reducing redundant work, document why you choose not to formally record historic materials. We do not need to duplicate or reconstruct work. Providing information on these locations also helps us have confidence in your fieldwork. Examples: abandoned roads, can scatters

Request: Document conditions that may reduce need for shovel tests. Please use “enough” shovel tests to adequately test the site. Discussion: 1. Document your thought process! 2. Use your best professional judgment. 3. Conditions may reduce need for testing (e.g., deflation to bedrock, cut banks, obvious features). 4. Test locations that seem “high” probability.

STDatum Activity Area Road 50 Meters

A single flake in a shovel test does not make a site eligible. Lack of cultural materials in a single shovel test doesn’t render a site not eligible. Place shovel tests where you expect to find materials. Record information on soils. Place shovel tests where infrastructure may be placed (e.g., near roads) atch1.pdf

Request: Please attempt to determine contributing and non-contributing portions of a site if infrastructure may cross it. Discussion: Pre-existing roads sometimes run through sites. Operators often want to improve and use these roads. If there is an “unavoidable” eligible site consider trying to determine contributing and non- contributing portions of the site.

What is the current soil/surface condition along the road? Width? Road Feature 1 ST

What is the condition of the site along the road? Road Feature 1 ST

Seven Aspects of Integrity: Location Design Setting Materials Workmanship Feeling Association Recommending an historic site as eligible should involve addressing aspects of integrity. Visual impacts require some integrity of setting/feeling. Discuss how aspects may be compromised (e.g., pre-existing development in area).

Request: Consult historic documents & visit with landowners. Discussion: You can use many sources to help document historic sites and to strengthen recommendations of eligibility: Library Courthouse Contexts

News: SHPO is going to be issuing new guidance on re- recording/updating site forms. Discussion: SHPO will post proposed guidelines for comment. Guidelines will probably require #1-7 of site form. Please start turning in re-records/updates including sections 1-7 and map. Re-recording or update will generally be required if no GPS position was previously recorded. Re-record if there are significant differences. Condition reports are generally for monitoring/agency use.

Request: Record associated isolates on a single form. Discussion: Isolated resources are defined as: 14 associated prehistoric artifacts (without features) 49 associated historic artifacts (without features) Use one form for a cluster of artifacts. This group of artifacts only receives a single IR#.

BFO Archeologists: Clint Crago Buck Damone BJ Earle Leigh Grench Wendy Sutton BFO Assistant Field Manager: Buddy Green