E2PM provided cultural resources services (archaeological and historic architectural) for a proposed telecommunications facility in Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey.

Following the requirements outlined in the 2005 Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for the construction of new telecommunication facilities and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, E2PM undertook an innovative approach to the archaeological investigations necessary for compliance with the Section 106 review process for this unique project location. In addition to being located within a cemetery, historic research and consultation with the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office (NJHPO) indicated that the project’s area of potential effects (APE) was considered to have the potential to contain Revolutionary War period archaeological deposits associated with an encampment of the Commissary Department of the Continental Army in 1778.

As a result, E2PM conducted a program of close interval shovel test pit excavation at 10-foot intervals as well as metal detecting and ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys to identify and record any metal Revolutionary War period artifacts and unmarked grave shafts within the APE.

The archaeological and GPR surveys confirmed that no Revolutionary War period archaeological deposits or unmarked graves were present within the APE and as such, the NJHPO concurred that proposed project would not have an effect on burials or archaeological resources.

Prior to conducting the archaeological survey, E2PM conducted a historic architectural assessment for the Project; preparing and filing a Form 620 with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). The proposed telecommunications facility is within a National Register of Historic Places listed historic district and would be visible from the entire historic district. As such, E2PM and the NJHPO determined that the setting for the historic district would be altered, and that the alterations might cause an adverse visual or direct effect. As a result, interested parties in the area and the NJHPO were consulted to develop an appropriate manner to minimize or mitigate effects to the district. The resulting consensus was incorporated into a Memorandum of Agreement to be executed by the NJHPO, the client, the FCC and other appropriate consulting parties.