VAFB-1990-18b: Documentation in support of USAF No Effect Dermination, SLC 4, Power System Upgrade Project, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, California.

This document is a Section 106 report that addresses the potential effects to occur to significant historic properties as a result of the upgrading of an existing power distribution system that extends from the Space Transportation System (STS) Power Plant to Space Launch Complex 4 (SLC-4). The investigation of cultural and historic properties in the APE of the Power Systems Upgrade project included three actions: 1) property identification; 2) property testing and significance evaluation; and 3) assessment of potential project effects. Completion of the initial task resulted in the identification of five historic properties that could be potentially affected by the proposed project. Completion of the latter two tasks resulted in the redefinition of three site boundaries and the assessment of no effect due to the absence or sparsity of cultural materials in the area of potential effect. The Power System Upgrade background research identified two previously recorded archaeological sites that had been surveyed for STS-related projects but needed to be resurveyed due to changes in the standards since initial recordation. The field survey identified three previously unrecorded archaeological sites. Evaluation of the three newly discovered properties ensued with a subsurface testing and data analysis program. The potential for the project to affect archaeological sites was also assessed during the subsurface testing program. For the two previously recorded sites, the results of previous research were examined prior to initiating testing to assure no duplication of effort. This document includes Appendix A.