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J <br />CRAPTERTHREE <br />Atfecte~d Emlironment <br />These surveys have resulted in the discovery and recordation of 48 prehistoric sites, five historic <br />sites, 45 prehistoric isolated finds, and two isolated fossil bone localities. The types of sites <br />recorded during the survey of the Piceance Site included prehistoric open camps, open lithic, <br />sheltered camps and open azchitectural sites, and historical drifr fences and a dugout. The <br />isolated finds are ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) ;rccording to the <br />criteria at 36 CFR 60.4, and so ate the five historic sites. Of the 48 prehistoric sides, seven have <br />been recommended as eligible for the NR1iP, 27 have been recommended as ineligible, and <br />additional data are required in order to determine the NRHP status of the remaining 14. <br />Generally, sites were recommended as eligible because they demonstrated the potential to yield <br />significant information on the prehistory of the region. <br />Concerning paleontological resources, the surface formation exposed in the Piceance Site azea is <br />the Uinta Formation. In the Piceance Basin, this formation has yielded a variety of plant and <br />animal fossils, such as Crocodilia bones, vertebrate bones, turtle shell fragments, and petrified <br />wood specimens. One fossil locality north of the White River Nahcolite Mine le:>se has yielded a <br />Uintathere skull, and remains of a Titanothere skull have been found within the Vdhite River <br />Nahcolite lease azea. A site specific survey for paleontological resources has not been conducted <br />at the Piceance Site. Two localities with "float" bone were documented during tb.e cultural <br />resources inventory of the Piceance Site. These localities represent occurrences where the bone <br />has eroded from its geologic matrix (Conner et al. 1998). Although the "float" bone is not in its <br />original context, there may still be fossil remains in the original matrix. <br />3.11.3.2 Pipeline <br />Studies conducted in the general area of the pipeline route indicate that campsites aze usually <br />situated adjacent to small permanent drainages neaz the confluence of a main stre:un or tributary. <br />The campsites aze found in upstream locations, which assured access to good wat~:r and low <br />potential for flooding. The presence of groundstone at these sites is thought to indicate the <br />processing of vegetal resources (Pioneer ] 994). <br />The majority of the proposed pipeline corridor, specifically the portion between ttie Greasewood <br />Compressor Station and the Pazachute Site, parallels existing pipeline corridors that have been <br />subjected to cultural resources surveys (Bio-Resources 1995; Grand River Institute 1994; <br />Metcalf Archaeological Consultants 1991, 1992, 1994a, 1994b; Pioneer 1994). These surveys <br />indicated the limited occurrence of cultural resources along the existing natural gas pipeline <br />corridor, including one Achaeological site and two isolated fmds near the middle portion of the <br />pipeline corridor south of the southern Piceance Creek crossing (Grand River Institute 1994; <br />Metcalf Archaeological Consultants 1994a; Pioneer 1994; Bio-Resources 1995). All three of <br />these items were located on prominent ridges running north into Piceance Creek. The site was <br />evaluated as needing data in order to make a NRHP recommendation and the isoh.ted fmds aze <br />not eligible. The paucity of cultural resources located in this area by the previous pipeline <br />surveys may reflect more the nature of a linear survey than the actual site density in this azea. <br />A portion of the proposed pipeline corridor between the Piceance Site and the Greasewood <br />Compressor Station would pazallel an existing Colorado Interstate Gas Company pipeline. A <br />previous survey of this ROW resulted in the recordation of one prehistoric site that was evaluated <br />as not eligible for the NRHP (Metcalf Archaeological Consultants 1991). <br />3-06 Cultural and Paleontological Resources <br />