Atlantica 1
Date of Performance: 2000 - 2001
Client: Michael Baker Jr. Inc.
POC: David DiBenedetto • 412-495-7711

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PAL was contracted by Michael Baker, Jr., Inc. to coordinate the performance of marine archaeological investigations in support of the proposed installation of a submarine telecommunications fiber optic cable offshore of Manasquan, New Jersey. Working in conjunction with project associates, Polaris Imaging, Inc. (PII), and the Center for Historical Archaeology (CHA), Phase Ia marine remote sensing survey was conducted to determine presence/absence of potentially significant submerged cultural resources within the project’s 600-ft-wide by 3-mi-long Area of Potential Effect. Instrumentation employed during the survey included a cesium vapor marine magnetometer, sidescan sonar, DGPS, and an EOSCAN geophysical data acquisition, processing, and display system. Collection and post-processing of combined sidescan sonar and magnetometer data revealed a total of twenty-nine (29) anomalous targets within the corridor, which were inspected by divers. None of the targets exhibited potential to be historically significant. New Jersey SHPO concurred with the conclusions presented in the management summary report's findings that there were no potentially significant submerged resources in the project area and that no additional archaeological work was necessary, and the project was permitted to proceed on schedule.

PAL contracted with Qwest Network Construction Service to conduct a disturbance assessment of an approximately two-mile project area along Route 94 in Richmond, Rhode Island in advance of proposed fiber optic cable installation. PAL’s survey identified disturbed and undisturbed areas, as well as a prehistoric archaeological site. Based on the results of the survey, PAL worked with Qwest to design a cable installation program that minimized impacts to the identified archaeological site. In addition, a monitoring program was developed and carried out, in cooperation with the Narragansett Indian Tribal Historic Preservation Office (NITHPO).

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