XIV. CULTURAL RESOURCES

1. b,c) Site reconnaissances of the substation site and power line corridors were performed by PG&E’s cultural resource specialist and an information search was performed within a half-mile radius of the project area by the Sonoma State University, Cultural Resources Study Center. The examination revealed no evidence of cultural resources in the area of the proposed project. No previous studies or recorded cultural resources sites or artifacts, other than prehistoric site CA-SCL-485 which is reported to be about 1/2 mile north of the Nortech Substation site, were revealed from the information search (PG&E, 1998 PEA). The Agnews Developmental Center West Campus, adjacent to the project, was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

   Due to the potential for the site to contain cultural resources, PG&E proposes to incorporate mitigation measures into the project. The measures are as follows:

   • Prior to the initiation of construction or ground disturbing activities, all construction personnel will receive environmental training. This training will include discussion of the possibility of buried cultural remains, the importance of the site, and the procedure, detailed below, that is to be followed if buried cultural remains are encountered during construction.
   • Prior to the initiation of construction or ground disturbing activities for the Nortech Substation site, subsurface exploration will be conducted to determine the presence or absence of buried site deposits. Should a buried, subsurface archaeological deposit be encountered, further research will be conducted to determine the depth, size, integrity, and potential eligibility of the site for the California or National Register of Historic Places.
   • If buried cultural materials, including prehistoric and historic resources, are discovered in the project area:

   1. Work in the immediate area of the find will be halted.

   2. PG&E’s archaeologists will be notified.

   3. PG&E’s archaeologists will identify the find, then make the necessary plans for treatment of the find.

   4. PG&E’s archaeologist will evaluate the find and if it is found to be "important" per CEQA (Appendix K), determine appropriate mitigation measures.

   • If buried human remains are encountered during construction:
   1. Work will halt in that area.
   2. PG&E’s archaeologist and the coroner will be immediately notified.
   3. If the remains are determined to be Native American, then the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) will be notified within 24 hours as required by Public Resources Code 5097. The NAHC will notify designated Most Likely Descendants who will provide recommendations for the treatment of the remains within 24 hours. The NAHC will mediate any disputes regarding treatment of remains.
   • During construction and operations, personnel and equipment will be restricted to areas surveyed for archaeological resources.
   • If project plans change to include areas not surveyed, additional archaeological surveys will be conducted.

   Because the project is proposed to incorporate the above mitigation measures, the project is not anticipated to have an effect on paleontological, archaeological, or historical resources.

   d) No unique ethnic cultural values are attributed to the project site. Therefore, the project would not have an effect on ethnic cultural resources.

   e) The project site is not being used for religious or sacred purposes. Therefore, the project would not have an effect on religious or sacred uses.

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