0 Shares

The process to develop land within Washington State can be a complex one. Maybe you want to install a septic, build a shop or another outbuilding that requires a permit. You submit your permit, gather materials and are just waiting for the okay to start the work, when you are informed by the county that your site falls under State Environmental Policy Act guidelines and you will need a cultural resource review before work begins. This can leave many property owners confused and frustrated.  The revelation that more must be done before they can begin whatever project they had planned out leads many property owners to Sarah Amell, owner of Aqua Terra Cultural Resource Consultants. Amell explains that her clients are often confused about the “new requirements” that they must comply with to develop their property. However, many are unaware that these regulations are nothing new, which usually leaves the owners more confused than before.

Aqua Terra Sarah Amell
Sarah Amell, of Aqua Terra Cultural Resource Consultants is an archaeologist native to Puget Sound. She assists clients in protecting cultural resources of of our area. Photo credit: Holly Reed

The State Environmental Policy Act known more commonly as SEPA was adopted in Washington State in 1971. The goal of SEPA is to help state and local agencies identify and protect areas where development might pose a concern for environmental health. SEPA also works to help agencies make decisions during the permitting process regarding the cultural impact of an area. Although SEPA has been around for almost 50 years, many of Amell’s clients are surprised when they first hear about it.

Though SEPA is nothing new, advances in technology and data collection and distribution have allowed local agencies, like county employees that issue permits, to assess whether a cultural resource review may be needed. Local agencies are now able to utilize a database that maps out the project area and indicates the potential to find culturally significant artifacts. The agency then makes a determination whether a review is needed before the permit can be approved. If a cultural review is needed, Aqua Terra is there to help.

Amell first consults with the private property owner and affiliated tribes before she puts together the project background historical research, field survey and technical report, which must be prepared in compliance with Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation requirements.

Culturally significant materials can be found above or below ground. Significant items can be prehistoric, or more recent, even within the last century. Amell and her team use a number of tools that help them evaluate the site to ensure no significant cultural artifacts are present. They go to the site and excavate hand shovel tests, using shaker screens to look for cultural materials which could include remnants of firepits, tools, or indications of historic activity on the site. Then a technical report is prepared that includes cultural resource recommendations and the results of the study.

Aqua Terra education and experience
The team at Aqua Terra has many years of education and experience under their belts. They have many good relationships with local agencies and Native American tribes which enables them to help their clients navigate SEPA and make decisions about developing their property. Photo credit: Aqua Terra Cultural Resource Consultants

Sometimes cultural resource material may be discovered, but perhaps within only a small portion of the site. Amell and her team can help make guidance plan recommendations or provide a plan to protect an unexpected discovery if it arises during construction.

On occasion, additional conditions will be required by the DAHP. These requirements vary from case to case. Sometimes it is as simple as avoiding development in sensitive areas, having a cultural resource monitor on site within certain areas during development, or putting a plan in place in the event of an inadvertent discovery.

What happens when a significant cultural artifact is found?  In one example, a local seafood company had a site evaluated for construction of fish rearing ponds along a local river. Two cedar trees were identified that had been traditionally peeled of bark at some point in their growth history by a local Native American tribe.

ATCRC assisted the property owner in coming up with a plan, working with the state and tribe and it was agreed that one tree would remain standing, as it could be worked around, but the other tree would be removed.

Amell and her team worked with the company to document, record data, photograph, and detail the historic significance of the tree. Sections of the tree were removed to determine the age of the tree and when the bark had been peeled. The slice was presented to the tribe’s cultural center and the remaining wood from the tree was returned to the tribe for use by tribal members. In cases like this, sometimes wood from harvested trees that have cultural significance may be used for carving, for building, for heating homes of elders or for other uses as the tribe sees fit.

Aqua Terra Dendochronology
Not all archaeology is digging. Sometimes it involves diving underwater or locating significant cultural resources above ground like this cedar tree which was traditionally peeled many years ago. Photo credit: Aqua Terra Cultural Resource Consultants

Amell stresses that SEPA compliance isn’t just about bureaucratic red tape. Rather, it is a system of standards set in place in our state that protects cultural resource heritage by minimizing impacts by property development. These standards provide an opportunity for everyone to benefit from the preservation and documentation of these small pieces of shared history, which may be in unexpected places all around us, hidden from the untrained eye.

The Aqua Terra team possesses skill and experience documenting, evaluating and reviewing sites for potential cultural artifacts. They understand the complexities of regulations so they can help their clients navigate the SEPA compliance process. Amell and her team have good working relationships with government agencies and local tribes, which allows them to navigate the process for their clients to ensure a positive outcome for all parties involved.

You can contact Sarah Amell and her team on Aqua Terra online or browse their website to learn more about the services they offer. You can also follow their Facebook page to see more photos of the Aqua Terra team in action.

Sponsored

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
0 Shares