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ARCHAEOLOGICAL
RESOURCES TECHNOLOGY'S
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT
DO YOU MEAN BY "CULTURAL RESOURCES"?
With
the exception of environmental professionals, When people
think of "culture," they often think of the
arts, such as theater and music. "Cultural resources,"
however, refers specifically to history and events that
occurred before the written word, or "prehistory."
These resources vary in size and significance, from
evidence of an Indian village to a building more than
45 years old. In prehistory, we study Indian or Native
American cultural remains, such as rock art, tools,
and the soil upon which they lived. These sites also
include burial grounds and other sacred landscapes that
contain a high cultural value.
Historical
sites range from early European dwellings to important
20th Century architecture. Historical remains include,
for example, items from early trash dumps (found often
in wells and privies), building foundations, and transportation,
agriculture, and mining remains (such as bridges, irrigation
canals, and shafts). Protected for their religious and
economic importance to native peoples, Traditional Cultural
Areas are locations used for ceremony and resource gathering.
 WHY
ARE CULTURAL RESOURCES IMPORTANT?
By
providing insight to our identity and to the complex
relationship between people and our environment, cultural
resources are valuable, limited, and non-renewable.
These resources are protected by a number of laws that
acknowledge their importance on local, state, and national
levels.
WHICH
LAWS PROTECT CULTURAL RESOURCES?
On
a federal level, Section 106 (CFR 800) of the National
Historic Preservation Act, signed in 1966, contains
regulations that govern the treatment of cultural resources.
In the federal process, sites are evaluated for their
cultural significance, and a determination is made regarding
their eligibility for listing on the National Register
of Historic Places. These requirements are mandated
when a project requires a federal permit, uses federal
funds, involves the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or
when projects are partially funded by the Office of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
For
city and county permits, the California Environmental
Quality Act or CEQA (Appendix K) guides treatment of
cultural resources. Similar to federal guidelines, CEQA
mandates that potential effects to cultural resources
be studied and, if the resources are considered adequately
important, mitigated. Environmental Impacts studies
and reports (EISs/EIRs) are prepared for both federal
and state projects. In addition, ordinances have been
passed by some counties and cities to protect specific,
important sites that are not necessarily protected by
larger governing bodies.
 WHY
ACT NOW?
With
the assistance of environmental specialists, advance
planning almost always benefits the project applicant.
Costly delays can be avoided by taking the impacts to
existing resources into consideration during project
design. If applicants fail to comply with environmental
requirements by neglecting to consult with a cultural
resources specialist, they may even suffer legal penalties.
When dealing with permit requirements, the applicant
(or developer) should inquire at the planning department
about cultural resources requirements.
HOW
DO I CONSULT WITH A CULTURAL RESOURCES SPECIALIST?
If
the local planning department does not carry a list
of qualified archaeologists, one can be obtained from
the appropriate California Historical Resources Information
System. Contact information for selected centers is
provided below. Archaeologists listed with these centers
are certified members of the Register of Professional
Archaeologists (ROPA).
Here
is a complete list of California
Historical Resources Information System Centers.
HOW
LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Ranging
in complexity, archaeological research projects usually
result in written reports and consist of the following
efforts:
Archival
Research (or "Records Search"):
1 to 2 weeks after Notice to Proceed;
Foot Reconnaissance/Field Survey (Phase I):
1 to 2 weeks after Notice to Proceed;
Test Excavations/Field Sampling (Phase II):
1 to 6 weeks after Notice to Proceed;
Excavation/Data Recovery (Phase III mitigation efforts):
approximately 2 weeks to 1 year after Notice to Proceed.
Here
is a more detailed discussion of the management
phases.
HOW
MUCH DOES AN ARCHAEOLOGIST COST?
Early
identification and project redesign are often the best
methods of achieving two important goals: treating cultural
deposits appropriately and saving the applicant money.
Large consulting companies charge high hourly figures
for the efforts of a Principal Investigator or Senior
Archaeologist (up to $200 per hour), whereas small companies
such as Archaeological Resources Technology maintains
fewer overhead costs as passes these savings to its
clients. Principal Investigators are billed at less
than one-half of that figure, or about $80 per hour.
Other specialists such as archaeological field technicians
and monitors cost only $30 to $40 per hour. Again, applicants
save a great deal of time, money and frustration by
being proactive and consulting with a cultural resources
specialist during the initial planning stages. More
information and a cost estimate can be provided by calling Carolyn Losee at 415/626-3143.
IS ART A WOMAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE?
Archaeological Resources Technology is a fully certified Woman Business Enterprise.
Review ART's state certification
Review ART's San Francisco listing
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