VAFB-2020-39: Archaeological Investigations Supporting Section 106 Compliance for the Blue Origin Orbital Launch Site Project, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, California

This document is a Section 106 report as part of environmental studies for the Blue Origin Orbital Launch Site (OLS) Project, which includes construction of a proposed new launch facility and associated infrastructure (collectively, the project) on Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB) in Santa Barbara County, California. Background research indicated that all areas within the ASA have been systematically surveyed for cultural resources and identified 14 archaeological sites and 10 isolated artifacts within the ASA. In consultation with Vandenberg AFB cultural resources staff, no further work was conducted at six of the sites (CA-SBA-539/H, -670, -1119, -1678, -2148, and -2836) and five of the isolated artifacts (VAFB-ISO-128, -641, -643, -963, and -970) because they had been previously determined ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or because no project ground-disturbing activities are proposed within the sites or isolated artifact locations. Of the eight remaining sites, five (CA-SBA-534, -549, -578, -680, and -682) were previously determined eligible for listing in the NRHP and three (CA-SBA-934, -2147, and -2835) had not been evaluated. To assist with the project’s Section 106 compliance requirements, Æ tested and evaluated the NRHP eligibility of CA-SBA-934, -2147, and -2835 and excavated test units at the locations of five isolated prehistoric artifacts (VAFB-ISO-229, -631, -633, -635, and -1009). Applied EarthWorks also excavated test units at the location of one isolated artifact (VAFB-ISO-1100) discovered during this fieldwork. The NRHP eligibility of the archaeological sites was evaluated because they are plotted within the proposed development footprint. The locations of the isolated artifacts were tested due to their proximity to project elements or position within the proposed development footprints. Applied EarthWorks also excavated test units at the five sites that were determined NRHP eligible (CA-SBA-534, -549, -678, -680, and -682) to assess if the project would adversely affect these sites. Finally, Æ performed subsurface survey (buried site testing) of the project’s facility footprint, access road corridors, and firebreak corridors. Subsurface survey within the facility footprint found one previously unrecorded archaeological site (CA-SBA-4178); Æ subsequently excavated test units at this site and evaluated its NRHP eligibility. The results of testing at CA-SBA-534, -549, -678, -680, and -682 indicate that the proposed project will not have an adverse effect on these historic properties. The results of testing at CA-SBA-934, -2147, -2835, and -4178 indicate that none of these sites appear eligible for inclusion in the NRHP and, as a result, the project would have no effect on these resources. Testing did not yield archaeological materials associated with any of the isolated artifacts. As a result, it is Applied EarthWorks’ opinion that none of the isolated artifacts within the ASA have the potential to be a larger archaeological resource. Isolated artifacts are not eligible for the NRHP.