Overview:

The Chukchansi Indian Housing Authority (CIHA) requested a cultural resources protocol study for their 64-acre United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) multi-family housing project with funding expiring in two months.  Soar Environmental prepared Phase I and Phase II Cultural Assessments, identifying an archaeological site unknown to the tribe and completed the permitting within the 2-month timeline, allowing for project funding and completion.

• Archaeological Resources
  • Archaeological surveys & monitoring
  • Site documentation and recording
  • AB 52 Tribal Consultation
  • Section 106 compliance
  • National Register of Historic Places Evaluations
  • CEQA/ NEPA Archeological Documentation

Project Scope

Soar Environmental provided a NEPA Environmental Assessments under a Housing and Urban Development funded project to promote the rehabilitation and modernization of 22 current rentals, construction of 14 new multi-family units and 4 single-family residences for the Chukchansi Indian Housing Authority. The Project was conducted to determine presence or absence of tribal cultural resources and to identify any issues that would impede the construction of multi-family units on the Project sites.

Description of Services

Soar Environmental determined key issues of the Project site and established parameters for the Project to follow conformance with NEPA and HUD requirements. In addition, our Registered Professional Archaeologist researched all existing environmental data of the site, conducted Phase I and Phase II archaeological surveys, and consulted with the State Historic Preservation Officer in accordance with Section 106 requirements.  During the process, Soar Environmental consulted with the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the federally recognized Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians.

Results

While conducting field activities, our archeologist discovered previously unidentified prehistoric cultural resources despite two other firms conducting historic surveys on the properties.  We informed the Picayune Rancheria Tribal Council, who were ecstatic about the new findings!  Due to these finds, we successfully implemented avoidance and mitigation measures to project the significant cultural and historical resources within the study area, and worked with the developer to design the project using the new finding as a focal point and gathering area for the new community.