VAFB-2019-22: Results of Archaeological Subsurface Survey Excavations in Support of N4 Manholes and Conductor Replacement, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

Summary

This letter reports the results of an archaeological study supporting the proposed replacement of two manholes and the intervening conduit and conductor associated with the N4 electrical circuit on Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB) in Santa Barbara County, California. In this report, replacing the manholes and the associated conduit/conductor is referred to as the Project. The Project area is on the east side of Coast Road, between the South Base Power Plant and the Gaseous Nitrogen Production Plant. The Project would entail excavation of two large pits to install new precast concrete manholes, or vaults, plus excavation of a trench up to 5 feet deep to install the conduit between the two manholes (Figures 1–3). Vandenberg AFB determined that the Project is an undertaking subject to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. Furthermore, the base determined that the undertaking is in proximity to previously recorded archaeological site CA-SBA-1145/H. To support Section 106 compliance requirements, the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron, Installation Management Flight, Environmental Section, Environmental Assets (30 CES/CEIEA) at Vandenberg AFB retained Applied EarthWorks, Inc., to review of the site record and excavation reports for CA-SBA-1145/H; conduct an archaeological surface survey of a 15-meter-wide corridor centered on the proposed trench center line; complete an archaeological subsurface survey at the two vault locations and along the proposed trench line to assess whether subsurface archaeological deposits exist; and prepare a letter report documenting the effort and the results.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) - Cultural Resource Report

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB); Roscoe Loetzerich

Landowner(s): Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB)

Repository(s): 30 CES/CEVPC Vandenberg Space Force Base

Record Identifiers

Project ID(s): 813-17-001

VAFB Document Number(s): VAFB-2019-22

File Information