Appendix 5 Cultural and Paleontological Resources Technical Report (Public Version) CULTURAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT FOR THE DEL SUR SOLAR FACILITY, GEN-TIE AND COMMUNICATIONS LINE ROUTES, CITY OF LANCASTER, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC VERSION Prepared for: Aspen Environmental Group 5020 Chesebro Road, Suite 200 Agoura Hills, CA 91301 Authors: Desiree Martinez, Kim Scott, Ian Scharlotta, and Holly Duke With contributions by Andre Simmons and Megan Wilson Principal Investigator: Sherri Gust Registered Professional Archaeologist and Qualified Principal Paleontologist March 2015 Revised May 18, 2015 Cogstone Project Number: 3223 Type of Study: Cultural Resources Phase I Survey and Paleontological Literature Search Localities: None known within the PSA USGS 7.5’ Topographic Quadrangles: Del Sur Total Area of Impact: 725 acres Key Words: Quaternary alluvium- PFYC 2 low sensitivity, Younger alluvial and alluvial fan- PFYC 3a moderate; patchy, CA-LAN-4245, P-19-189928 1518 West Taft Avenue Field Offices cogstone.com Orange, CA 92865 San Diego • Riverside • Morro Bay • Sacramento Toll free 888-333-3212 Office (714) 974-8300 Federal Certifications 8(a), SDB, 8(m) WOSB State Certifications DBE, WBE, SBE, UDBE Del Sur Solar Project Cultural and Paleontological Resources Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... iii INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 PURPOSE OF STUDY .................................................................................................................................................... 1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................................................... 2 PROJECT LOCATION .................................................................................................................................................... 2 PROJECT PERSONNEL .................................................................................................................................................. 2 REGULATORY SETTING ........................................................................................................................................ 6 CULTURAL RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................................. 6 California Environmental Quality Act ................................................................................................................... 6 California Register of Historical Resources and Significance Criteria ................................................................ 6 Human Remains ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................ 8 Public Resources Code Section 5097.5 ................................................................................................................. 8 Professional Guidance on Fossil Significance ...................................................................................................... 8 METHODS ................................................................................................................................................................... 9 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES RECORDS SEARCH .................................................................................................. 9 CULTURAL RESOURCES RECORDS SEARCH AND FIELD SURVEY ................................................................................ 9 Records Search ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 Field Survey ......................................................................................................................................................... 10 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................................................ 11 GEOLOGIC SETTING .................................................................................................................................................. 11 Holocene Alluvium .............................................................................................................................................. 11 Holocene Dunes ................................................................................................................................................... 11 Holocene Alluvial Fan ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Younger Alluvium ................................................................................................................................................ 11 Younger Alluvial Fan ........................................................................................................................................... 12 PREHISTORIC SETTING .............................................................................................................................................. 14 Mojave Desert Cultural Systems by Time Period ................................................................................................ 14 ETHNOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 HISTORIC SETTING ................................................................................................................................................... 19 Early Historic Setting (before 1796) ................................................................................................................... 19 Mexican Period (1821-1848) ............................................................................................................................... 20 American Period (After 1848) ............................................................................................................................. 20 Project Site History.............................................................................................................................................. 20 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Paleontological Records Search Results ............................................................................................................. 21 Cultural Resources Records Search Results ........................................................................................................ 23 Native American Consultation ............................................................................................................................. 29 CULTURAL RESOURCES SURVEY RESULTS ............................................................................................................... 29 Survey Area A ...................................................................................................................................................... 29 Survey Area B ...................................................................................................................................................... 34 Survey Area C ...................................................................................................................................................... 35 Survey Area D ...................................................................................................................................................... 37 Survey Area E ...................................................................................................................................................... 38 Survey Area F ...................................................................................................................................................... 44 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................... 45 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................. 45 CULTURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................................ 45 Cogstone i Del Sur Solar Project Cultural and Paleontological Resources Assessment REFERENCES CITED ............................................................................................................................................. 47 APPENDIX A. QUALIFICATIONS ....................................................................................................................... 52 APPENDIX B. PALEONTOLOGY RECORD SEARCH .................................................................................... 59 APPENDIX C. NATIVE AMERICAN CONSULTATION