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Manti-LaSal National Forest, 599 W. Price River Drive, Price,
Utah 84501, 801 637-2817
Vice-President, Membership/Ethics: Nancy Coulam
Canyonlands
National Park, Box 813, Moab, Utah 84532. 801-259-3911 ext-2134
Vice-President Government Affairs/Research: Signa Larralde
Bureau
of Reclamation, 125 S. State, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102.
801-524-3684,
FAX
801-524-5499, EMail: slarralde@uc.usbr.gov.
Secretary:
Marian Jacklin
Dixie National Forest, P.O. Box 580,
Cedar City, Utah, 84720.
Treasurer: Kenny Wintch
Office of Trust Lands Administration,
675 E. 500 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, Utah 84102c.801-538-5100.
Newsletter Editor: Jerry D. Spangler
Uinta Research, 6400 E.
Emigration Canyon Road, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108. 801-582-2900.
Utah Archaeology Editor: Kevin Jones
Division of State
History, 300 Rio Grande, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101. 801 533-3524, FAX 533-3503.
SUBMISSIONS: UPAC News welcomes all submissions by Utah archaeologists and others working in Utah archaeology or related fields. Issues of relevance to UPAC News readers include ongoing research, education and preservation efforts, ARPA investigations, new hires, conferences and symposia, etc. Please submit to Jerry D, Spangler, 6400 E. Emigration Canyon Road, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108 (801 582-2900). Whenever possible, please submit in Word Perfect 5.1 format. The deadline for the winter issue is Jan. 15, 1998.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
At the spring meeting, UPAC members voted to form a committee to review 1996-97 fire rehabilitation projects and cultural resource protection efforts in the BLM Richfield District and to provide recommendations for improving consideration of cultural resources during the planning and implementation of fire rehab efforts. The committee is composed of UPAC members Bill Fawcett of Utah State University and David Madsen of the Utah Geological Survey.
The minutes from the Spring Meeting provide a summary of the discussions on this subject at the meeting; I'll try and augment those notes without reiterating too much of that discussion or those of the previous Fall 1996 UPAC meeting.
Between 1994 and 1996, BLM-Richfield District in central Utah experienced several1arge scale wildfires. Wildfires were especially extensive in 1996. In response, the BLM proposed several treatment methods including chaining and drill-seeding to revegetate burned areas. Approximately 35,000 acres were proposed for chaining and 20,000 acres were proposed for aerially seeding.
As was reported at the 1996 UPAC fall meeting; sampling methods were employed on many of the project areas. Approximately 20,000 acres were intensively inventoried. Survey coverage on some proposed chainings is reported to be approximately 2 percent. Approximately 386 sites were located during the surveys.
To implement remaining proposed action(s), BLM pursued a programmatic agreement to satisfy Section 106 requirements. The PA was signed in February 1996 by BLM and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and is being implemented.
The PA stipulates the BLM complete a long-term plan to monitor the effects of rehabilitation efforts versus avoidance for the "purposes of designing more informed and responsive management decisions." While all but 20 of the 386 known sites were avoided by 1996 projects, the PA allows many areas to be treated and sites to be affected with apparently very limited survey.
SHPO declined signing the PA. UPAC, which expressed concerns with the PA as
drafted, supported Utah SHPO's position in not signing the PA, and suggested
that the Advisory Council reconsider their signing of the PA.
My concern with the PA is the potential precedent that is set by the PA in
allowing areas not to be surveyed that have a reasonable likelihood of containing
significant cultural resources. This potentially allows numbers of undocumented/unevaluated
sites to be subjected to adverse effects, the damages to be monitored afterwards.
The rationale for this strategy is that sites which have
Bear in mind that NHPA grants land managers authority to proceed consciously in consultation with SHPO and the Advisory Council with projects having adverse effects on significant sites in an effort to balance site preservation needs with other resources and other values. The PA is thus reflective of the conscious decisions of BLM management with the concurrence of the Advisory Council to alter and damage cultural resources in an effort to meet the needs of other resource values and to implement the project within planned schedules. These needs appear 10 have overshadowed the preservation or cultural resources. Such decisions are the challenge of land mangers who must make decisions in a multiple-use environment. Finding appropriate ways to mitigate adverse effects to sites is the challenge to preservation regulatory agencies such as SHPO and Advisory Council. However, I believe there are better ways to make decisions than was done in the past --ways that will provide for more effective consideration and protection of cultural resource values.
Just prior to the spring meeting, UPAC offered to assist BLM in improving this decision-making process related to consideration of cultural resources in fire rehab projects. I hope this will lead to increased preservation of cultural resources when BLM is confronted with similar large scale fires. The results should be applicable to other areas and agencies as well. BLM State Director William Lamb accepted UPAC's offer to assure that BLM's inventory and evaluation efforts “employ the best and most efficient practices available.” The director emphasized that BLM must retain authority to “make decisions balancing cultural resources against other resource needs. Whenever possible, we will protect and preserve cultural resources for the benefit of all citizens.”Stan McDonald*
UPAC President
*The opinions I express here are my own personal opinions, not of any position or opinion of my employer.
ELECTION RESULTS
Signa Larralde was elected Vice President of Governmental Affairs and Research, and Marian Jacklin was elected as Secretary. Congratulations! Also, many thanks to past Vice President Dave Madsen and past secretary Diana Hawks (Christensen) for serving in these positions.
FALL MEETING -- THE FALL UPAC MEETING will be held November 7 and 8 at the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum in Price (155 East Main). The business meeting will run from 1 p.m, to about 5 p.m Friday (November 7).
For children, spouses and friends of UJPAC members, who would rather do something other than attend the Friday afternoon business meeting, the CEU Prehistoric Museum has arranged a special museum tour where kids and adults can see the world's first Utahraptor full scale replica being prepared.
FALL BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA ITEMS: If you have topics for the business meeting on Friday, please contact Stan McDonald at 801 637-2817.
CALL FOR PAPERS!
As part of the UPAC fall meeting, I am coordinating a symposium of papers on current research in Utah and surrounding, related areas. This symposium will be on Saturday, Nov, 8, from 9 a.m. to whenever, at the fall meeting venue. All researchers are encouraged to present papers. Let everybody know what your latest, most interesting work is about. Please submit a title (I would also appreciate a brief abstract so that I can organize the papers in some kind of meaningful order) to me by Oct. 25. Late papers will not be turned away, but it would really help to have titles by the above date. Papers are limited to NO LONGER than 15 minutes; time limits will be strict1y enforced. You can reach, me at the following numbers: Phone 801-524-3684, FAX 801-524-5499, E-mail slarralde@uc.usbr.gov, mailing address Bureau of Reclamation, 1255 State, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84138-1102.
-- Signa Larralde --
PRICE AREA ACCOMMODATIONS
Holiday Inn, 838 Westwood Blvd.;637-8880
National Nine Inn, 641 Price River Drive; 637-7000
Greenwell Inn, 655 E. Main; 637-3520
Carriage House Inn, 590 E. Main; 637-5660 (800-228-5732}
UPAC SPRING BUSINESS MEETING, UINTAH MOUNTAINS, FIDAY, MAY 30, 1997
Meeting was called to order by President Stan McDonald at 9:20 am. There were
28 people present.
Election results -Signa Larralde is the new Vice President for Governmental
Affairs and Marian Jacklin (Omar) is the new Secretary. They will take office
following this meeting.
Meeting minutes from the Fall 1996 meeting were accepted as printed in the last UPAC Newsletter.
Treasurer's report by Kenny Wintch. The checking account has a balance of $6,592.22. Of this amount, $6,000 was put in a liquid money market account to earn more interest, The bank we have our money in has some pretty good CD accounts so hopefully the Executive Committee will meet this meeting and decide where to put our money to earn more interest for us. Dues have picked up considerably. If you are not current for 97, please pay your dues. Also encourage others you know who are not current to pay up. Our current membership is just under 100 including all membership categories, Most memberships are voting members, with fewer associate memberships. Mailing for this meting was 185. We need to keep membership healthy.
Utah Archaeology report by Kevin Jones. The 1996 Utah Archaeology is being reformatted for printing. A number of good submissions for the 1997 edition are already in review. They are short on USAS submissions. We need to solicit more articles from USAS members. Anyone with ideas for book reviews are encouraged to submit them. Submissions for 1997 should be in to Kevin Jones by August.
Layne Miller was introduced as the incoming USAS President. Emphasis was made to coordinate more with USAS.
Overviews by Bill Fawcett. There are two concerns with reviews of overviews (Class I reports). Since these overview reports are going to be used by almost everybody, they should be going out for some kind of peer review process. We should contribute our services as UPAC members to give feedback to agencies. The other' concern is distribution of these documents. They are usually just xeroxed and given out in-house. They should be distributed more widely. The proposal at this point is to offer UPAC services to various agencies who do these documents. We should publish an announcement in the UPAC NEWS that they are available and might be reviewed. The Grand Resource Overview done by Alpine Archaeology has not been published. A draft was submitted approximately 2 years ago to the Moab BLM District. The draft was finally declared as fulfilling the contract, but it is not a finalized document, according to Alan Reed. Alpine is trying to figure out how to get comments from the agency so that it can be finalized. They have been trying to revitalize the BLM CRM Series to publish volumes such as this. Leverage needs to be placed on the Utah State BLM Office to publish such volumes. Maybe peer review could stand to finalized overviews such as this. Stan recommends contacting Garth to see status of the publication series and offer UPAC assistance for peer review.
Update of Forest Service publications by Byron Loosle. Some monies are available to start getting these publications series back on track again. Regional leadership of the Intermountain Region of the Forest Service has eliminated the regional archaeologist and shifted the responsibilities to three people from each state (Stan McDonald is the leader for Utah). Money is available for training and for special projects. One of these projects may be brining the publication series back on line.
Report of State Trust Lands (TLA) by
Kenny Wintch. The good news is that the board has set a policy for the treatment
of Native American burials on trust
lands and it is the same as the Division of Indian Affairs rules. The only
difference is the administration director has the option of taking control
of the process particularly as it relates to determining if the remains are
Native American and whether or not to leave human remains in the ground. They
want their own hands on the steering wheel.
TLA has set some fairly aggressive revenue targets to generate revenue off
trust lands including minerals land sales. Targets for land sales from July
1 through June of 1998 is 2 million dollars, which will total about 30 different
parcels. Target for the next fiscal year is 3 million dollar (thousands of
acres). Some have been surveyed for cultural resources, but a lot have not
been surveyed. Some parcels surveyed have sites which need to be tested.
Contracts may be let for testing and for surveying remaining parcels. Land
with sites having demonstrable deposits may be sold with deed restrictions.
Drafting of deed restriction documents has been placed back on Kenny’s
lap. These will be circulated to the Antiquities Section. The UPAC President
and others interested. One suggestion is that UPAC monitor TLA and put pressure
to have strong covenants. The prevailing attitude with the director is to
avoid strong language so as not to scare off potential buyers. They want
a simple paragraph without policing language.
Stan McDonald asked if there been successful application of deed restrictions. Do we need a small committee to track this issue? Kenny is using Indian Camp Ranch from Colorado as one of his examples. Kevin Jones stated UPAC needs to watch these deed restrictions carefully. The parcel at Teasdale where we met last UPAC Spring meeting has had complications. Water has affected the decision to use deed restrictions. The county is requiring them to develop water before they allow development.
The attitude of TLA right now is, “Let’s not put in any money but let’s make a killing.” No other considerations are being made to consider other resources – such as threatened and endangered species. The long-term strategy is to generate dollars. The bill last year for large fires on state lands exceeded the value of the land. So the present thought is to get rid of the land.
Kenny continued with another piece of good news. In years past, TLA has talked about working with the San Juan foundation and local landowners of Bluff on the Navajo Twins Site, a large Pueblo I site right across from Bill Davis’ house in Bluff. They received money from the Legislature and ran a field school there. But there were very grandiose ideas for what TLA wanted. Others convinced Kenny to back off the proposal (one half of the site is owned by the San Juan Foundation). They have now pared it back to a much more tolerable concept with a simple trail and signs, and documentation of surface archaeology. The Legislature gave the money in the first place to create an educational facility on trust lands in San Juan County. They are quietly winning the victory of showing the educational value of sites on trust lands. Winston Hurst has agreed to be PI on this project and it is a nice happening without hard feelings from the users and beneficiaries. Stan McDonald requested that UPAC be kept informed on what is happening there.
Ron Rood, new assistant state archaeologist was introduced. He spoke on his role which will be working closely with USAS and revisiting the certification and education program for USAS. This is the biggest thing coming up right now.
USAS Certification program. Last spring UPAC formed a committee– Pam Miller, Marian Jacklin (Omar), and Diana Christensen – to work with USAS on redrafting the certification program. Last fall, Pam Miller presented a mission statement and proposal to UPAC. Since that time there has not been a lot of progress. We need to get an implementable program that can be taught statewide. Omar proposed we form a committee to oversee the program with one professional on it. There was also a proposal to do away with the 3 levels (based on the Arizona system). This would allow chapters to take what they wanted. There could also be a passport with stickers so they (USAS members) could get what they wanted out of the program. Omar wants to see that we have a unified approach. Layne Miller says that getting the issue settled is a prime concern for USAS. What is in it and what it is, is not important - just getting it settled. Kevin Jones asked just what is unsettled? Is there a real problem with it as it is? Kevin says we should keep the basic program because it has worked. We have a fairly successful and stable program. It lacks an upper level – with courses such as ceramics that can be taught. We may need an instructors package with objectives and goals; What we can do is come up with $4,500 dollars to give it the boost it needs. We should pay for an educator and an archaeologist to come up with a lesson plans and objectives and not stray greatly from the course matter and levels. These have been well conceived. We need to make them more consistent in a teaching framework and give the instructor’s good resources, ideas, etc. Margene Hackney would be a good educator to work on this. USAS just wants to get it done. Stan McDonald stated UPAC has taken it as far as they can take it with the committee. We need to pass our recommendations off to State History. We want a workable system. Kevin wants to have UPAC have a formal appointed member to work on this. Is there any problem with having Ron Rood serving UPAC doing double duty on this committee? There is no adversarial relationship with USAS so there is no conflict of interest. Ron would be glad to do that. Diana Hawks suggested Pam Miller stay on the committee and work with Price USAS, Margene Hackney and Layne Miller.
State History GIS report by Evie Seelinger. State History has been involved with UDOT, Forest Service and BLM using ISTEA funds to update files and site forms on GIS. They are about 2/3 of the way through. State History is cleaning up problems with old site forms which involves visiting various offices. The goal is to have the whole state done by next July. The other goal is to have UDOT, State Lands, BLM, and Forest Service, as well as state History, to have a long term maintenance agreement. It is of most benefit to the land managers. Sue Miller is to be thanked for getting the money from Federal Highways on the ISTEA grant. Dave Madsen asked, How can we get the federal agencies to keep up the GIS files? They will have to work with the Forest Service Intermountain Regional office and the BLM Utah State Office. State History does not have the funds or the manpower to keep up the GIS files. State History assigns 800 project numbers and 1200-1500 site numbers per year. Initial cost of $18,9000 for file server and ARCINFO License and long term annual maintenance cost of $80,100 for salaries, ARCINFO support, travel, etc. IMACS database is one database and GIS is separate database linked by site number. State History is willing to go to the Legislature to get additional monies to support the database. Jim Allison agreed to be our representative on the Task Force for databases.
CRIS Update (IMACS software) report by Craig Harmon. Sometime next week the package will be complete. In another month a user’s manual will be complete (this is a separate contract). It will be tested soon. There will be no cost to users, it will be handed out with the BLM permit in Utah Nevada and Idaho. Utah will receive it first.
Utah Wildfire Rehab update by
Stand McDonald. UPAC requested interested party status on the project with
SHPO and BM. Last year 300,00 acres in the west
desert of Utah burned. How does BLM respond to such a large undertaking on
an emergency situation? FRQ contracts and protocols for such large scale undertakings
need to be considered. Also the factor of data redundancy. More discussion
is needed across the entire west for fire rehab projects to discuss fire protocols
and procedures. Stan brought us up to date since January 1997 and stressed
UPAC’s role to find out the facts. What can UPAC do in a constructive
manner to assist any agency in such a situation? Take it out of the realm of
speculation into a realm of facts.
The Colorado Council of Professional Archaeologists expressed their concern
on the PA and UPAC wrote a letter to the SHPO and Advisory Council expressing
concerns with the treatment of sites and some of the treatment measures.
There was a concern to develop long-term treatment and monitoring strategies
and establish procedures for an annual review of the PA. BLM, Advisory Council
and SHPO were interested parties. The SHPO declined signing the PA. (UPAC
supported SHPO not signing and requested the Advisory Council reconsider
signing of the PA as drafted.)
The reasons UPAC supported the SHPO in not signing the PA were:
1) We disagree with the basic assumption that historic properties will be affected by rehab or erosion. BLM concluded Adverse Effects would occur (though without exactly stating it would be Adverse Effect) from doing nothing or from rehab.
2) UPAC agrees that effect will vary from site to site but, in general, damages from chaining are known and further data on effects from chaining are not particularly valuable. So the proposed mitigation to monitor and assess damages from the no action and rehab (chaining) alternatives may not be valuable.
As an alternative UPAC recommended efforts be concentrate on developing inventory, evaluation and treatment plans as part of the overall fire management plan. All of this is easier said than done. UPAC continues consulting with the SHPO and BLM to find workable solutions. They have reached agreement with the Southern Paiute to set aside the lawsuit for 6 months to renegotiate the PA (the Southern Paiute filed the lawsuit on the grounds of adverse affects to sacred sites, TCP’s and archaeological sites).
UPAC was approached by various parties on possible legal action but the executive committee felt it didn’t have enough information. We looked at a more constructive approach and offered a committee to offer strategies and approaches.
On March 20 the Southern Paiutes requested a temporary restraining order to stop future action (the chaining and reseeding). So BLM walked away from further action.
UPAC has concerns with fire rehab actions. UPAC is wiling to assist with developing procedures for identification, protection, and stabilization actions to streamline the process (with a set of protocols). A draft reply letter from the BLM State Director was read.
The term of Mark Stuart, the current archaeology member on the BLM’s statewide Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) expires soon. The BLM is looking for a new nominee to replace him. Ralph Pikyavit and Geneal Anderson are also on the committee. Jim Bowns from SUU is the chair.
Concern of the executive committee is for future fire rehab procedures for this annual non-emergency event. We need 2-3 more representatives on the RAC with expertise on sampling, etc. to set up agreed upon procedures to be followed in the future. Dave Madsen made a recommendation for a three person panel to make recommendations to the BLM. Bill Fawcett and Dave Madsen volunteered to be on the committee.
Stan reiterated that UPAC seeks constructive comments to agencies to resolve complex issues. UPAC has a valid role as an interested party and can offer comments to influence decision making of land managers. We shouldn’t limit our discussions to the BLM, but also include that Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Forest Service. A motion was made and seconded for this two-member committee (Dave Madsen and Bill Fawcett) to make recommendations. Voting was unanimous in support.
Internet Issues by Jim Allsion. Worldwide Web Website devoted to Southwest Archaeology has a page devoted to Utah archaeology. Jim is helping them with the Utah page. This is a series of links to other pages and can be a lot more (research reports, UPAC newsletter, anything relevant to other archaeologists and the general public). UPAC or USAS could be on there. They maintain a current research page and Alpine Archaeology has some projects on there for Utah. State History also has a Website – they use it for Prehistory Week activities. Layne Miller suggested the USAS newsletter could also be on it. This could be a resource to regenerate USAS interest. Send the information to Jim Allison and he will get it on (particularly if it is sent to him on disk). Motion made, seconded and passed unanimously to put the UPAC News on the web site. June 14 is the next deadline for current research. Get this information to Jim Allsion and he will forward it.
UPAC Fellow nomination of David B. Madsen presented (see letter below) by Steve Simms.
-- Diane Christensen Hawks --
To Stan McDonald, UPAC President:
If my memory serves me correctly four individuals have been made UPAC Fellows; R. Holmer, J. Jennings, J. Janetski, and R. Thompson. The by-laws state a Fellow …must be recognized as an influential scholar or manager in archaeology or related discipline and have made a substantial contribution to Utah archaeology through research and/or service. I understand that UPAC must be judicious in dispensing this honor but I do not think the award should become associated only with advanced age, retirement, senility, or death.
In light of the above, I offer this letter as a nomination of Dr. David B. Madsen to the honorary position of UPAC Fellow. His record of scholarship speaks for itself to all familiar with the archaeology and paleoecoloy of the Desert West. His record of service is less widely known, but represents many, often behind-the-scene efforts on behalf of Utah’s cultural resources (and even though Dave has probably skipped a few years of dues, he has surely paid his dues to Utah archaeology several times over).
The by-laws state that one can be made a Fellow either by vote as a meeting in accordance with Article IV re:meetings and votes, or through the sponsorship of ten voting members.
I will canvass for 10 voting members between now and the Spring meeting and would like to solicit you as one. Then, the proposal and sponsorship could be made at that time. If you or the executive committee has any thoughts on this I would be happy to hear them.
Sincerely,
Steven R. Simms
Note: Presentation was made at the Spring UPAC meeting in the Uintah Basin and the following individuals, in alphabetical order, were noted as sponsoring the selection of David Madsen as UPAC Fellow.
Bill Davis, Bill Fawcett, Joel Janetski, Kevin Jones, Duncan Metcalfe, James O’Connell, Dave Schmidt, Steve Simms, Jim Wilde, and Ken Wintch.
Congratulations and well deserved, Dave!
UPCOMING ELECTIONS
The following positions will be open for election at the fall UPAC meeting: President, Vice-President of Membership and Ethics, Treasurer, and Newsletter Editor. If you have suggestions or would like to nominate someone for one of these positions, please contact Vice President of Membership and Ethics Nancy Coulam at 801 259-3911 ext. 2134.
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