NRCS-Colorado Cultural Resource Inventory and Recordation Services

STATEMENT OF WORK FOR NRCS CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND RECORDATION OF FIVE PROJECTS IN WESTERN COLORADO, NRCS AREA 1 Part I: General Information It is the mission of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to provide leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our nation’s natural resources and environment. The NRCS accomplishes this mission by providing technical and financial support through several federal programs. A. Introduction/Background The NRCS is providing federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Bill for five Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) projects in Delta, Gunnison, Ouray, Saguache, and San Miguel Counties Colorado. These projects are undertakings under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its implementing regulations, 36 CFR § 800. Historic property identification and documentation within the respective areas of potential effect (APE) is required under 36 CFR § 800.4. This contract is for pedestrian survey and cultural resources documentation within the APEs of the following undertakings: Area 1 Project 818B052511C is an approximately 88‑acre undertaking located about 20 miles northeast of Creede in Saguache County, Colorado. The project proposes to upgrade roughly 38,165 feet of existing fencing to wildlife‑friendly standards to improve connectivity to wildlife food resources. Two additional practices—Upland Wildlife Habitat Management and Herbaceous Weed Treatment, are also planned on the property. These activities are non‑ground‑disturbing and do not require cultural resources survey. Project 748B05250JK is an approximately 30.3 acre fencing and upland habitat management project in Gunnison, County Colorado. 13,111 feet of wildlife friendly fence will be replaced using light duty trucks, and/or a skid steer with a hydraulic auger and hand tools on a localized scale. Upland habitat management will monitor wildlife with game cameras and photo points to inform the timing, location, and duration of use of forage and calving grounds. Upland habitat management does not require cultural resource survey. Project 748B0524194 is an approximately 9.2-acre project located one mile southwest of Ridgeway, Colorado in Ouray County. The project proposes installing 3,978.8 feet of irrigation pipeline and to install a structure for water control to provide water for a new sprinkler system. Irrigation water management is also planned, which does not require cultural resource survey. Project 748B05251UL is an approximately 214.5-acre project located about twelve miles east of Telluride, Colorado in San Miguel County. The project proposes to thin the forest by using feller bunchers, processors, masticators and potentially some graders for skid trails and landings. Project 748B05240CH is approximately 55.8 acres and is located about 2.5 miles north of -- 1 of 14 -- STATEMENT OF WORK FOR NRCS CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND RECORDATION OF SIX PROJECTS IN WESTERN COLORADO, NRCS AREA 1 Cedaredge, Colorado in Delta County. Work is proposed to improve the forest stand’s health for fire resilience and wildlife habitat. Forest thinning would be implemented with chainsaws, hydro axes, and chippers. B. Scope Contractors will complete pedestrian cultural resource survey of six APEs, approximately 397.8 acres. The table below details the undertaking, acreage, and land ownership of each APE. The APE is the cultural resources inventory area for each project. See the attached maps of these inventory areas. Undertaking Landowner County Acres 818B052511C Private Saguache 88 748B05250JK Private Gunnison 30.3 748B0524194 Private Ouray 9.2 748B05251UL Private San Miguel 214.5 748B05240CH Private Delta 55.8 Total Acres 397.8 Prior to completing the pedestrian inventory, Contractors will secure all required archaeological permits and coordinate with NRCS Colorado to access the survey areas. Before fieldwork, the contractor will also complete a Class I literature review of all previous cultural resources inventories and recorded cultural resource sites within the APE and a mile buffer of the APE. All cultural resources identified within the APE(s) shall be documented and evaluated for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) according to professional standards as listed in I. C below. Contractors will complete and submit to the NRCS all appropriate cultural resource site documentation detailing the results of each inventory. Documentation will include cultural resource inventory reports, site forms, and GIS shapefiles. The reports shall also be completed to professional standards as specified in I. C below. C. Applicable Documents Procedures for complying with the previously mentioned mandates are outlined in the following references: • Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), as amended • 36 CFR 800; Protection of Historic Properties • Archaeology and Historic Preservation: Secretary of Interior’s Standards and Guidelines • Archaeological Resources Protection Act (43 CFR Part 7) • NRCS National Cultural Resources Procedures Handbook • NRCS General Manual 420, Part 401 • NRCS National Environmental Compliance Handbook • Colorado State Antiquities Act (UCA 9-8-301-308) • Colorado Code Annotated 9-8-404; Agency Responsibilities • Colorado Cultural Resource Survey Manual: Guidelines for Identification: History and Archaeology -- 2 of 14 -- STATEMENT OF WORK FOR NRCS CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND RECORDATION OF SIX PROJECTS IN WESTERN COLORADO, NRCS AREA 1 • If applicable, The Bureau of Land Management Colorado State Office Handbook of Guidelines and Procedures for Inventory, Evaluation, and Mitigation of Cultural Resources Information on Section 106 of the NHPA, 36 CFR 800 and the Secretary of Interior’s Standards and Guidelines is available from the following National Park Service website: http://www.cr.nps.gov/linkla…