00 RGA Marcellus Utica Profile Cover 2014.09.04.Cdr
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SERVICES FOR THE MARCELLUS AND UTICA SHALE GAS INDUSTRIES Cultural Resource Consultants DBE/WBE/SBE Certified RGA, Inc. Cultural Resource Consultants www.rgaincorporated.com RGA, Inc. (Richard Grubb & Associates) was established in 1988 as a full-service cultural resource management firm and has since grown to become one of the largest independent archaeological and historic preservation consulting companies in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. The firm is DBE/WBE/SBE certified and has 39 full time professionals on staff. RGA has successfully completed over 450 energy sector projects in compliance with federal and state regulations for new substation and electric transmission lines, natural gas pipelines, and for Marcellus and Utica shale gas gathering lines and facilities. RGA Projects: Over 5,000 in 17 states RGA Energy Projects: Over 450 in 8 states RGA has developed innovative systems to effectively manage concurrent surveys and reporting for large-scale, time- sensitive energy projects. Presently our team of experts continues to support one of the largest mid-stream Marcellus shale gas companies in northeastern Pennsylvania. Our regional expertise in Marcellus and Utica shale gas infrastructure projects is broad and includes comprehensive knowledge of the natural and regulatory landscape, Native American and historic contexts, geomorphology, logistical challenges, and landowner and municipal concerns. Please contact us at one of our locations or e-mail Alice Domm at [email protected]. New Jersey (Headquarters): Pennsylvania: Maryland: Ohio: 259 Prospect Plains Road, Building D 1480 Hilltop Road PMB 157, 861 Washington Avenue 140 Gross Street, #123 Cranbury, New Jersey 08512 Chester Springs, Pennsylvania 19425 Chestertown, Maryland 21620 Marietta, Ohio 45750 609-655-0692 484-202-8187 410-420-7422 740-434-0302 KLEINFELDER MARCELLUS SHALE MIDSTREAM INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS: NORTHEAST REGION OF PENNSYLVANIA CLIENT: Kleinfelder PROJECT SPONSOR: Major Natural Gas Operator REVIEW AGENCY: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission DURATION: 2010-Present Since 2010, RGA has been providing cultural resource management services to PROJECT STAFF: Kleinfelder in connection with Section 106 requirements for Marcellus shale gas Michael L. Young infrastructure projects in Pennsylvania. RGA has conducted desktop reviews, and Principal Senior Archaeologist Phase I and II archaeological investigations for gathering lines, well lines, access Michael J. Gall roads, and associated facilities. The projects are located in the rugged, rural terrain Senior Archaeologist throughout the northeast region of Pennsylvania, where careful logistical Philip Hayden and coordination between field teams, land agents, and project managers is necessary. Michael Tomkins Senior Historians RGA services included: x Section 106 guidance x Research and context development x Archaeological sensitivity assessments x Geomorphological assessments x Historic map georeferencing x GPS navigation x Phase I and II archaeological surveys x Artifact analyses and curation x Reporting x Consultation RGA works closely with project managers to expedite the investigation of individual route changes and project additions, respond to landowner issues, and develop feasible alternatives to avoid and minimize impacts to archaeologically sensitive areas. RGA has consulted with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission on behalf of the proponent, and has achieved cultural resource clearances needed for US Army Corps of Engineers permitting within schedule. STANTEC UTICA AND MARCELLUS SHALE MIDSTREAM INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS: EASTERN OHIO AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CLIENT: Stantec Consulting Services Inc. PROJECT SPONSOR: Major Natural Gas Operator REVIEW AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh and Huntington Districts DURATION: 2012-Present PROJECT STAFF: Since 2012, RGA has been working with Stantec to streamline and complete Michael L. Young and various due diligence and compliance studies for Utica and Marcellus shale gas Mary Lynne Rainey infrastructure projects in Ohio and Pennsylvania. In Ohio, RGA developed an Principal Senior Archaeologists innovative Process Flow document to help guide project schedules. A GIS-based archaeological sensitivity corridor map is prepared for the engineering and environmental routing team to utilize during initial field surveys. For each project, desktop cultural resource reports are prepared in accordance with US Army Corps of Engineers, Nationwide Permits. Field teams are then mobilized to complete surveys in archaeologically sensitive areas, evaluate the significance of identified cultural resources, and work toward minimizing project effects to potentially significant sites. RGA has also prepared Standard Operating Procedures for Unanticipated Discoveries during construction. In Pennsylvania, RGA’s depth of experience working within the regulatory framework of shale gas infrastructure projects in consultation with agency reviewers has been an advantage to Stantec project managers. Taken together, these Ohio and Pennsylvania projects are sited across the rugged, rural terrain of the Appalachian Plateau Province where RGA’s exceptional field operations, project management, and real-time reporting are critical. TRANSCO LEIDY NATURAL GAS PIPELINE EXTENSION MONROE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA CLIENT: Niclaus Engineering Corporation PROJECT SPONSOR: Pocono Mountains Industries REVIEW AGENCY: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission DURATION: 2010 RGA completed a Phase I archaeological survey for the 12.3-mile, 8-inch PROJECT STAFF: diameter Transco Leidy Natural Gas Pipeline Extension project. The project, Michael L. Young funded by the US Department of Agriculture, was completed in compliance with Principal Senior Archaeologist Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Jesse Walker Senior Archaeologist RGA services included: x Research and context development x Geomorphological assessments x Archaeological sensitivity assessments x GPS Navigation and mapping x Phase I archaeological field testing in x Artifact analysis high sensitivity areas x Phase I survey reporting The principal survey challenge was navigating crews and equipment across the rugged and remote Glaciated Pocono Plateau to complete sampling along nine archaeologically sensitive sections of the project corridor. RGA recommended a portion of the route be shifted into an existing roadway that effectively resolved a landowner conflict. In order to mobilize the survey, RGA’s GPS specialists georeferenced the engineer’s plans to create a digital centerline and survey corridor, which was then imported into GPS field survey equipment. The geomorphological study determined that the Pocono Creek floodplain had no potential for deeply buried archaeological resources. SHOAF COMPRESSOR STATION GERMAN AND MENALLEN TOWNSHIP, FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA CLIENT: Herbert, Rowland, and Grubic, Inc. PROJECT SPONSOR: Burnett Oil Co., Inc. REVIEW AGENCIES: US Army Corps of Engineers; Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission DURATION: 2011- 2012 RGA conducted a Phase I archaeological survey for the proposed Shoaf PROJECT STAFF: Compressor Station in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The survey was conducted Michael L. Young, RPA in support of a permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Principal Senior Archaeologist Pittsburgh District. Sean McHugh Senior Archaeologist RGA’s services included: x Section 106 guidance x Geomorphological investigation x Archaeological sensitivity assessment x Phase I archaeological testing x Historic map georeferencing x PHMC Consultation x GPS navigation x Preparation of a PHMC Negative Survey Form The Phase I archaeological survey did not identify any archaeological resources within areas possessing high sensitivity; therefore, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s (PHMC) Negative Survey Form was prepared. The PHMC concurred with the recommendation that no further archaeological investigation was required within the USACE archaeological permit area. SUSQUEHANNA GATHERING SYSTEM: SOUTHERN SEGMENT SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA CLIENT: JHA Companies, LLC PROJECT SPONSOR: Laser Northeast Gathering Company, LLC REVIEW AGENCY: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission DURATION: 2011 RGA completed geomorphological and archaeological assessments for the Susquehanna Gathering System, South Segment in Pennsylvania. This segment is PROJECT STAFF: an element of Laser Northeast’s Marcellus shale midstream infrastructure Michael L. Young, RPA development in Susquehanna County to transport natural gas from wells into the Principal Senior Archaeologist Millenium Interstate Pipeline in Broome County, New York. Scott Wieczorek, RPA Senior Archaeologist RGA services included: x Research and context development x GIS Mapping x Phase IA archaeological sensitivity x Consultation assessment x Phase IA survey reporting x Geomorphological assessment The Phase IA archaeological survey was carried out in response to the project requirements for a US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 404 Water Quality Permit, and were completed in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The geomorphological assessment found all floodplain areas to exhibit evidence of flood scouring associated with historic deforestation,