Project Overview
ESE Partners was engaged to provide Cultural Resources Services for the western reaches of a ~319-mile
fiber communications line extending from Patricia, Texas to El Paso, Texas. The project crossed lands under
both state and federal jurisdiction, requiring compliance with multiple regulatory authorities, including
the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), National Park
Service (NPS), Texas Historical Commission (THC), and the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA). All work was conducted under Texas Antiquities Committee Permit No. 31976, with
field records curated at the Fort Bend County Museum. The investigation adhered to the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Archaeological Resources
Protection Act, and THC/CTA survey standards.
Scope Of Work
The scope of work began with a preliminary review and probability mapping using the THC Atlas, USGS
maps, TxDOT Potential Archeological Liability Maps (PALM), and NRCS soils data. Initially, 36 percent of the
alignment was identified as high probability and 49 percent as moderate probability for cultural deposits. A
windshield survey refined these estimates to 16.7 percent high, 35.5 percent moderate, and 47.8 percent
low. Field investigations were conducted between October 2024 and January 2025 and included 166.4
miles of pedestrian survey within moderate and high probability areas, 303 shovel tests, and 32 backhoe
trenches in areas of deep, stratified soils such as the sandhills between Andrews and Kermit, the Pecos
River terraces, and Salt Creek. Standard site documentation was completed throughout.
Key Challenges
During fieldwork, seven previously documented sites were revisited. Four remain eligible for the National
Register of Historic Places (NRHP) but occur outside of the current right-of-way, while three were deemed
ineligible. Two new archeological sites were documented: site 41HZ887, a lithic scatter determined
ineligible for NRHP listing, and site 41CU986, an aboriginal open campsite with intact deposits and ash
features. Site 41CU986 was recommended as eligible under NRHP Criterion D and will be avoided during
construction through horizontal directional drilling. Six isolated artifacts were also encountered but did not
represent significant cultural occupation.
Results
The Phase One survey concluded that no significant cultural resources will be impacted provided that site
41CU986 is avoided and monitoring is conducted in sensitive areas. The level of effort exceeded THC
minimum survey standards, and with these measures in place, the fiber line project is cleared to proceed
without anticipated adverse effects to cultural resources.
