10‐14‐10 Page 1

Table of Contents Executive Summary 3

Chapter 1 ‐ Purpose and Need 5

1.1 Background and History 6

1.2 Geographic Setting and Need 9

1.3 Goals 10

Chapter 2 ‐ Proposed Actions 11

2.1 Project Description 12

2.1.1 Overview 12

2.1.2 Construction 19

2.2 Alternatives 20

2.2.1 “No Action” Alternative 20

2.3 Preferred Alternative 21

2.4 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Discussion 21

2.4.1 Leased circuit capacity from incumbent broadband providers 21

2.4.2 Other alternatives investigated but deemed not to be viable 24

Chapter 3 ‐ Existing Environment 26

3.1 Noise 26

3.2 Air Quality 26

3.3 Geology and Soils 26

3.4 Water Resources 28

3.5 Biological Resources / Critical Habitats 29

3.6 Historic and Cultural Resources 32

3.6.1 Historic Overview 32

3.6.2 Current Historic and Cultural Findings 33

3.7 Aesthetic and Visual Resources 52

3.8 Land Use 52

3.9 Infrastructure 52

3.10 Socioeconomic Resources 53

3.11 Human Health and Safety 54

Chapter 4 ‐ Environmental Consequences 55

4.1 Noise 55

4.2 Air Quality 55

4.3 Geology and Soils 55

4.4 Water Resources 56

4.5 Biological Resources / Critical Habitats 56

4.6 Historic and Cultural Resources 56

4.7 Aesthetic and Visual Resources 57

4.8 Land Use 57

4.9 Infrastructure 57

4.10 Socioeconomic Resources 58

4.11 Human Health and Safety 58

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Chapter 5 – Applicable Environmental Permits and Regulatory Requirements 60

Chapter 6 ‐ List of Preparers 62

Chapter 7 – References 63

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List of Appendices 69

Appendix 1 – Maps

Appendix 2 – Aerials

Appendix 3 – Georgia Technology Authority slide

Appendix 4 – Air Quality

Appendix 5 – Water Resources

Appendix 6 – Biological Resources / Critical Habitats

Appendix 7 – Historic and Cultural Resources

Appendix 8 – FAA forms

Appendix 9 – Letters of Support

Appendix 10 – List of Roads included in fiber optic project

Appendix 11 – FCC Environmental Assessment for Cobbham Road and Halali Farm Road and

Memorandum of Agreement for Cobbham Road and Halali Farm Road

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Executive Summary

Overview

This Environmental Assessment (EA) is being prepared for Columbia County, Georgia to fulfill the

requirements of BTOP Grant #87, “Columbia County Community Broadband Network (CCCBN)”. The

project was awarded by the National Telecommunications (NTIA) in March 2010, during Round 1 of the

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Broadband Stimulus Funding.

The EA reviews the impacts of the preferred route, use of additional wireless technology, an alternate

route, use of disturbed and undisturbed property and a no action alternative to various aspects of the

environment. Areas considered include: Noise, Air Quality, Geology and Soils, Water Resources,

Biological Resources, Historic and Cultural Resources, Aesthetic and Visual Resources, Land Use,

Infrastructure, Socioeconomic Resources and Health and Human Safety.

The project will enhance broadband and wireless access in the community through the use of a 200‐mile

“middle mile” fiber optic network and 5 wireless towers. The network will also support 60 free wireless

access points in parks and other public spaces, with a focus on low income areas.

The network will establish an open access broadband platform that will be open to:

1. Health Care Providers, including the Medical College of Georgia and local clinics;

2. Educational Organizations including the school system, technical college and libraries;

3. Public Service and Community Organizations;

4. Local municipalities and utilities;

5. Broadband Service Providers and Wireless Service Providers;

6. Citizens in economically challenged neighborhoods through free community ―hot spots

The fiber network will provide interconnection points for numerous areas which have been identified as

both unserved and underserved. The project also includes 5 new communications towers to improve

public safety coverage and facilitate additional fixed and mobile wireless broadband services to citizens

throughout the county. The network will initially be equipped with LAN and WAN networking equipment

for use by anchor institutions. The network will also provide dark fiber for the exclusive use of the users

that need this capability.

The fiber optic cable construction will take place along various existing rights‐of‐way and utility

easements throughout the project area. The fiber will be installed using trenching, directional boring

and aerial techniques. Directional boring will be used in locations where surface disturbances must be

minimized; such as central business districts within communities and under sensitive environmental

locations such as wetland or stream crossings.

The project has received overwhelming support from all county and city agencies, whose facilities will be

connected as part of the project. In addition to the approximately 150 facilities connected to the

network, the Medical College of Georgia (MCG), the State’s flagship medical school, has plans to build a

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data center in Columbia County. MCG has made its support of the project known in terms of in‐kind

contributions and letters of support for the project.

From an environmental standpoint, it is important to note that all planned construction activities fall

within two specific parameters recognized as important for environmental assessment review:

1) All communications towers will be constructed on county‐owned land parcels which are

“previously disturbed” and “previously developed”. No pristine or undeveloped lands will be

affected by the tower construction.

2) All fiber optic cable construction will take place within previously disturbed rights‐of‐way of

existing roads (i.e. existing “road shoulders”).

The construction of the CCCBN will consist of well‐accepted construction activities commonly practiced

for telecommunications projects. Therefore the expected environmental impact of these activities will

be minimal, and the planned activities of the CCCBN represent the best alternative to meet the needs

and purposes of the project.

Purpose, Needs, and Alternatives Considered

The primary need of the project is to build a fiber optic and wireless infrastructure to the unserved and

underserved portions of Columbia County. The project’s objective is to establish a network that will

provide increased broadband and wireless access to the entire community, especially the areas of the

county in the most economic need. Increased broadband availability throughout the county will result

in improved economic and educational opportunities to the citizens throughout the county.

Prior to applying for the ARRA grant through NTIA, Columbia County investigated alternatives to building

a new network throughout the county. The first alternative investigated was to lease broadband

connections and unused fibers from any of the several incumbent service providers in the county. This

alternative was thoroughly investigated but ultimately proved not to meet the needs of the project. The

providers were only interested in providing leased connections to the county, and did not allow any of

their unused fibers to be leased. This proved to be the primary reason that this alternative was not

further pursued. Without dark fiber, many of the specific needs of the project could not be met. In

addition, the leased circuit costs presented were such that building and owning its own network proved

to be a much better financial alternative for the County.

Once all the analysis was concluded and it was determined that dark fiber would not be available from

the incumbents, it became clear that building its own network would be the best available alternative

for Columbia County. All of this effort had taken place prior to the creation of the ARRA and the BTOP

program within NTIA. When these programs were defined, the County continued its ongoing effort and

applied for funding in Round 1.

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In summary, all construction activities will be concentrated in previously developed and previously

disturbed areas such as rights‐of‐way of existing roads and county‐owned properties. Analysis of the

project, constructed using the methods described, showed no significant impact during construction or

operation for the preferred route and use of previously disturbed property to any of the resource areas.

In addition, the preferred route and use of pre disturbed property for towers is recommended to reduce

total length of construction and impact on the environment

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Chapter 1 Purpose and Need

1.1 Background and History

The Columbia County Community Broadband Network (CCBN) was conceived by the County’s

Information Technology (IT) department as a means to enhance and improve the lives of the citizens of

the County. The IT Department began earnest work on the project well before the details of the ARRA

Broadband Stimulus programs were finalized in July 2009. The BTOP program served as the final step in

formulating the project. The IT Department has gathered letters of support from the anchor

institutions, reached preliminary agreements with third party service providers, identified the cable

construction route, and designed the network electronics.

1.2 Geographic Setting and Need

Columbia County, Georgia is located in East Georgia northwest of the city of Augusta which is located in

Richmond County (see location maps and aerials in Appendices 1 and 2). According to the US Census

Bureau, Columbia County has a total population of 435,243. The northeastern portion of Columbia

County is relatively affluent, while the southern and western parts of the county are economically

challenged and sparsely populated. The northeastern section, which comprises approximately 40% of

the county, has reasonable commercial broadband access while the remaining 60% is economically

challenged and has very limited or no access. Due to the low subscriber densities in these areas, it is

difficult for a commercial entity to justify the investment necessary to provide reasonable broadband

access to these economically challenged communities. The State of Georgia’s Technology Authority

(http:/gta.georgia.gov) has classified Columbia County as an area in critical need of enhanced

broadband connectivity. The Georgia Technology Authority seeks to ensure that the state’s IT

infrastructure is stable, secure and well‐governed, and provides Georgians with the services they need

and expect. Their study of underserved and unserved areas of broadband coverage in the state rated

areas as critical, moderate, and low. Of 12 regions in the state Regional Commissions, five, including

Columbia County located in Region 7, were rated critical. Appendix 3 illustrates the GTA’s depiction of

a Regional View of Unserved and Underserved Areas in Georgia.

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Columbia County’s Location in Georgia

One of the primary needs of the project is to build a fiber optic infrastructure to the unserved and

underserved areas of the county. The project has identified multiple unserved areas and underserved

areas in the Appling/Harlem/Grovetown areas of the county. The fiber optic cable route establishes

interconnection points at all of these areas, from which last mile service providers can build their

networks to connect citizens in these areas. These areas are for the most part concentrated in the areas

south of Interstate 20, in the areas including and surrounding the cities of Harlem and Grovetown.

The objective of this project is to establish a network that will provide increased broadband

and wireless access to the entire community, especially the economically challenged areas. The network

will be used to improve the quality of life in these areas and enhance employment opportunities. The

County government is proposing to channel its existing IT expenditures to support the establishment

and maintenance of the new network.

The network will be open to commercial users, governmental users, broadband service providers (both

wireline and wireless) and anchor institutions. It will be operated for the sole benefit of the community,

but will be operated as an open network that can be used by commercial service providers to enhance

and expand service, especially in areas that are economically challenged. The County has extensive

project management experience with large complex projects and the operational experience necessary

to help ensure continued success. It has also engaged a professional engineering firm with extensive

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experience designing and developing communications networks in the area, and it has the commitment

of established construction firms and system integrators. Furthermore, commercial service providers,

educational organizations, health care providers, public safety organizations, libraries and other anchor

institutions have pledged their support and plan to use the network to improve the quality of life in the

area.

The following maps show unserved and underserved areas and a representation of the fiber route

throughout the county.

Columbia County Community Broadband Network (CCCBN)Modified Unserved and Under Served Coverage Areas

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10‐14‐10 Page 11

Columbia County Map with Fiber Route

10‐14‐10 Page 12

1.3 Goals

The purpose of the project can be largely summarized by reviewing the initial set of Project Goals which

were formulated in the initial business plan for the project:

• Economic Growth and Quality Jobs

• Promotion of Private Sector Competition

• Enhancement of Digital Inclusion

• Wireless Backhaul

• E‐Government, Civic Participation and Public Safety –

• Education and Integrated Learning –

• Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)

• Communication Security, Capacity, Quality and Cost

• Interoperability and Disaster Recovery

• Telemedicine and Independent Living

• Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)

These goals are described in more detail below:

The CCCBN will spur private‐sector innovation and competition, thereby offering affordable bandwidth

and services to residents of Columbia County. The CCCBN will also integrate public safety, public health,

education, libraries, community centers, and other government users. The CCCBN will serve as a

backbone for networking County agencies and is essential to enhancing government services.

The project will provide broadband education, awareness, training, access, equipment, and support to a

variety of institutions including schools, libraries, medical and healthcare providers, institutes of higher

education, advocacy groups for low‐income and aged citizens, and others. The CCCBN has established

partnerships with groups and organizations from all of these categories and has included each of these

facilities as anchor tenants in the fiber optic cable route.

The project will improve access to and use of broadband services by public safety agencies, and will

stimulate the demand for broadband, economic growth, and job creation. Since this project has been

created, defined, and driven by the IT department of the Board of County Commissioners, buy‐in from

all public safety agencies has been virtually automatic and has been easily solidified from the origins of

the project. Public safety agencies are all included as anchor tenants on the cable route and letters of

support from all such agencies were included in the project application. Additionally, it is well‐known

that increased broadband access in an area is an established driver for economic growth and job

creation. Knology, an established broadband provider for a number of Tier‐2 cities in the Southeast

(including greater Augusta in Richmond County) has already committed to lease fibers from the CCCBN

project to provide broadband connectivity to previously underserved areas such as Grovetown, Harlem,

and the Greenbrier area of Evans in Columbia County.

The project has broad significance because it has potential positive impact on each and every citizen of

Columbia County. Even for citizens who live in areas which are well‐served, the project has broad

10‐14‐10 Page 13

significance because a county‐wide broadband infrastructure will result in increased job opportunities

and economic growth for the entire area.

10‐14‐10 Page 14

Chapter 2 ‐ Proposed Actions

2.1 Project Description

The project includes a fiber network with approximately 200 miles of fiber optic cable and five new 300‐

foot towers. A map is attached that shows the route for the fiber optic cable and the location the new

towers. The fiber and tower construction will consist of multiple phases over the next 24‐30 months.

2.1.1 Overview

Fiber Optic

The approximately 200 miles of fiber optic construction will take place exclusively along the rights‐of

way of existing roads (i.e. existing “road shoulders”). The construction along the right of way will be

performed by plowing, trenching or directional boring. Whenever possible, and in the vast majority of

cases, directional boring will be conducted on all stream crossings. The initial set‐up of the bore will be

outside the 25' stream buffer zone, and the opposite end of the bore will also be outside the 25' stream

buffer zone. These techniques are commonly used in telecommunications construction with minimal

impact on the environment. Silt fences will be used to help ensure that local streams and waterways are

not impacted. The network includes two points of presence (POPS) that will be used to interconnect the

inner and outer ring. These POPS will be collocated with towers and will be placed on existing county

land that includes existing buildings. These sites will be submitted to the FAA for Tower approval and

this submission will include the Phase I Environmental Site Assessment required for all towers by the

FAA.

The fiber optic cable will be used to interconnect approximately 150 “anchor tenant” sites. These

include schools, city and county facilities, public safety facilities, water utility facilities, and traffic signals.

None of the anchor tenant connections will require any new buildings to be constructed. The fiber optic

cable will be brought into these existing buildings via direct burial and/or new and existing conduits.

Directional drilling will be used to install these links. The fiber optic cable will be terminated inside the

existing buildings in areas suited for telecom equipment. In some cases interior conduit may need to be

installed within a building from the termination room into an equipment room located elsewhere in the

building.

The following photographs are some typical representations of the rights‐of‐way which will be used to

construct the project.

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Belair Road at Hereford Farm Rd.

Columbia Drive

William Few Parkway

10‐14‐10 Page 16

Horizon South Parkway

Clarks Hill Rd.

The following table summarizes the anchor institutions to be included in the project and connected to

the new broadband network.

Institution Location Address

Community

Center Eubank Blanchard Community 6868 Cobbham Road, Appling GA 30802

Community

Center Euchee Creek Community Center

5919 Euchee Creek Drive, Grovetown GA

30813

Community

Center Savannah Rapids Pavilion

3300 Evans to Locks Road, Martinez GA

30907

Community

Center

Grovetown Liberty Park Community

Ctr. 1040 Newmantown Rd Grovetown GA 30813

Education

Board of Education Admin Building ‐

Hereford Farm 4781 Hereford Farm Road, Evans GA 30809

Education Technology Department ‐ Appling 6430 Pollards Pond Road, Appling GA 30802

Education Bel Air Elementary School 325 N. Belair Rd, Evans GA 30809

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Education Blue Ridge Elementary School 550 Blue Ridge Drive, Evans GA 30809

Education Brookwood Elementary School 455 S. Old Belair Rd, Grovetown GA 30813

Education Cedar Ridge Elementary School 1000 Trudeau Trail, Grovetown GA 30813

Education Euchee Creek Elementary School 795 Louisville Road, Grovetown GA 30813

Education Evans Elementary School 628 Gibbs Road, Evans GA 30809

Education Greenbrier Elementary School 5116 Riverwood Parkway, Evans GA 30809

Education Grovetown Elementary School 300 Ford Avenue, Grovetown GA 30813

Education Lewiston Elementary School 5426 Hereford Farm Road, Evans, GA 30809

Education Martinez Elementary School 213 Flowing Wells Road, Martinez GA 30907

Education North Columbia Elementary School 2874 Ray Owens Road, Appling GA 30802

Education North Harlem Elementary School 525 Fairview Drive, Harlem GA 30814

Education River Ridge Elementary School 4109 Mullikin Road, Evans GA 30809

Education Riverside Elementary School 4431 Hardy McManus Road, Evans GA 30809

Education South Columbia Elementary School 325 McCormick Road, Martinez GA 30907

Education Stevens Creek Elementary School

3780 Evans‐to‐Lock Road, Martinez GA

30907

Education Westmont Elementary School 4558 Oakley Pirkle Road, Martinez GA 30907

Education Columbia Middle School 6000 Columbia Road, Grovetown GA 30813

Education Evans Middle School 4785 Hereford Farm Road, Evans GA 30809

Education Greenbrier Middle School 5120 Riverwood Parkway, Evans GA 30809

Education Grovetown Middle School

5463 Harlem‐Grovetown Road, Grovetown

GA 30813

Education Harlem Middle School 375 W. Forresst Street, Harlem GA 30814

Education Lakeside Middle School 527 Blue Ridge Drive, Evans GA 30809

Education Riverside Middle School 1095 Fury's Ferry Road, Evans GA 30809

Education Stallings Island Middle School

3830 Blackstone Camp Road, Martinez GA

30907

Education Evans High School 4550 Cox Road, Evans GA 30809

Education Greenbrier High School 5114 Riverwood Parkway, Evans GA 30809

Education Grovetown High School 2010 Warrior Way, Grovetown GA

Education Harlem High School

1070 Appling Harlem Highway, Harlem GA

30814

Education Lakeside High School 533 Blue Ridge Drive, Evans GA 30809

Education CCBOE Alternative School 112 Ford Avenue, Grovetown GA 30813

Education New Elementary School off Chamblin Rd Grovetown GA 30813

Education

Higher

Augusta Technical College Columbia

County Campus

3500 John Huffman Way, Grovetown GA

30813

Fire MCFR1 ‐ Headquarters(HDQ) 3910 Desoto Drive, Martinez GA 30907

Fire MCFR2 518 Gibbs Road, Evans GA 30809

Fire MCFR3 704 Fury's Ferry Road, Evans GA 30809

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Fire MCFR4 4590 Oakley Pirkle Road, Martinez GA 30907

Fire MCFR5 5074 Hardy McManus Road, Evans GA 30809

Fire MCFR6 2264 William Few Parkway, Evans GA 30809

Fire MCFR7 480 Sugarcreek Drive, Grovetown GA 30813

Fire MCFR8 1646 Clary Cut Road, Harlem GA 30814

Fire MCFR9

1090 Old Louisville Road, Grovetown GA

30813

Fire MCFR10 3141 Ray Owens Road, Appling GA 30802

Fire MCFR11 480 White Oak Road, Harlem GA 30814

Fire MCFR12 6383 Columbia Road, Appling GA 30802

Fire MCFR13 6285 Cobbham Road, Appling, GA 30802

Fire MCFR14 5776 Clarks Hill Road, Appling GA 30802

Fire MCFR15

5701 Burks Mountain Road, Appling GA

30802

Fire MCFR16 3653 Ray Owens Road, Appling, GA 30802

Government Evans Campus 630 Ronald Reagan Dr, Evans, GA 30809

Government Appling Campus

1954 Appling Harlem Road, Appling, GA

30802

Government Range Road Campus 201 Range Road, Appling GA 30802

Government

Columbia County Development

Authority

604 Government Center Way, Evans GA

30809

Government Animal Care and Control Chamblin Road, Grovetown, GA 30813

Grovetown City Hall

103 Old Wrightsboro Rd, Grovetown, GA

30813

Grovetown Grovetown Museum

103 Old Wrightsboro Rd, Grovetown GA

30813

Grovetown Public Safety(GFD1) 306 E Robinson Ave, Grovetown GA 30813

Grovetown Public Safety Annex 105 E Robinson Ave, Grovetown GA 30813

Grovetown Senior Center 103 E Robinson Ave, Grovetown GA 30813

Grovetown Maintenance 1034 Newmanton Rd, Grovetown GA 30813

Grovetown Recreation 1040 Newmanton Rd, Grovetown GA 30813

Grovetown Water Treatment 1400 Lakeview Rd, Grovetown GA 30813

Grovetown Public Safety (GFD2) 105 W Robinson Ave, Grovetown GA 30813

Harlem City Hall 320 N Lousiville St, Harlem GA 30814

Harlem Senior Center 405B W Church St, Harlem GA 30814

Harlem Community Connections 405A W Church St, Harlem GA 30814

Harlem Police Station 180 N Lousiville St, Harlem GA 30814

Harlem Public Works 145 New Street, Harlem GA 30814

Harlem Waste Water Treatment HWY 221, Harlem GA 30814

Harlem Fire Department(HFD1) 110 New Street , Harlem GA 30814

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Harlem Fire Department(HFD2) 120 S Hicks Street, Harlem GA 30814

Health MCG Health

Proposed Data Center (Horizon South)

Grovetown GA 30813

Health Columbia County Health Department Chamblin Road, Grovetown GA 30813

Libraries Harlem Library 375 North Louisville St, Harlem GA 30814

Libraries Euchee Creek Library 5907 Euchee Creek Dr, Grovetown GA 30813

Libraries Columbia County Library

7022 Evans Town Center Blvd, Evans GA

30809

Park Patriots Park 6445 Columbia Road, Grovetown GA 30813

Park Blanchard Park 4541 Dewey Dr, Martinez GA 30907

Park Blanchard Woods

4600 Blanchard Woods Drive, Evans GA

30809

Park Evans Towns Center 515 Faircloth Dr, Evans GA 30809

Park Lonnie Morris (Appling) Scotts Ferry Rd Appling GA 30802

Park Memorial Gardens 640 Ronald Reagan Dr, Evans, GA 30809

Park Reed Creek Park 3820 Park Lane, Martinez GA 30907

Park Riverside Park

4431 Hardy‐McManus Road, Evans GA

30809

Park Wildwood Park 3780 Dogwood Lane Appling GA 30802

Park Gooddale Park Grovetown

5200 Wrightsboro Road, Grovetown GA

30813

Public Safety Sheriff's Office 2273 County Camp Road, Appling GA

Public Safety Sheriff's Office Sub Station 650A Ronald Reagan Dr Evans GA 30809

Public Safety Emergency Management Agency 650B Ronald Reagan Dr, Evans GA 30809

Public Safety Georgia State Patrol Office 420 Chamblin RD, Grovetown GA 30813

Public Safety Georgia State Forestry 5887 Wrightsboro RD, Harlem GA 30814

Traffic Control S1 Baston Road/Old Petersburg

Traffic Control S2 Baston Road/Old Ferry/Cedar Lane

Traffic Control S3 Bobby Jones/Rose Lane

Traffic Control S4 Columbia Industrial Blvd/Evans to Locks

Traffic Control S5 Columbia Road/Belair Rd

Traffic Control S6 Columbia Road/Flowing Wells

Traffic Control S7

Columbia Road/Hereford Farm/Lewiston

Road

Traffic Control S8 Columbia Road/Merchant Village

Traffic Control S9 Davis Road/Oak Drive

Traffic Control S10 Evans to Locks/Blue Ridge Drive

Traffic Control S11

Flowing Wells Road/Old Trail Rd

West/Augusta Prep

Traffic Control S12 Futys Ferry Road/Baston Road/Vaughn Road

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Traffic Control S13 Furys Ferry Road/Evans to Locks

Traffic Control S14 Furys Ferry Road/Inverness Way/Park Lane

Traffic Control S15

Furys Ferry Road/North Belair/ Mullikin

Road

Traffic Control S16 Futys Ferry Road/The Pass

Traffic Control S17 Hereford Farm/Cox Road/Gibbs Road

Traffic Control S18

Jimmie Dyes Parkway/Belair Frontage

Road/Park West Drive

Traffic Control S19 Jimmie Dyes Parkway/EB I‐20 Ramps

Traffic Control S20 Lewiston Road/EB I‐20 Ramps

Traffic Control S21 Lewiston Raod/WB I‐20 Ramps

Traffic Control S22 Milledgeville Road/Louisville Street

Traffic Control S23 North Belair Road/Cox Road/Owens Road

Traffic Control S24 Old Evans Road/Blue Ridge

Traffic Control S25 Old Evans Road/Martinez Boulevard

Traffic Control S26 Old Evans Road/Old Petersburg Road

Traffic Control S27 Riverwatch Parkway/Pleasant Home Road

Traffic Control S28

Robinson Avenue/Harlem Grovetown

Road/Wrightsboro Rd

Traffic Control S29 South Belair Road/Oakley Pirkle Road

Traffic Control S30

South Belair Road/South Old Belair

Road/Wheeler Road

Traffic Control S31 South Belair Road/WB I‐20 Ramps

Traffic Control S32 Washington Road/Baston Road

Traffic Control S33

Washington Road/Bobby Jones

Expressway/Old Evans Rd

Traffic Control S34 Washington Road/Club Car Drive/AnnTaylor

Traffic Control S35

Washington Road/Columbia Road/Ruth

Street

Traffic Control S36 Washington Road/Davis Road

Water Utility Jim Blanchard Water Plant 832 Point Comfort Road, Martinez GA 30907

Water Utility Clarks Hill Water Plant 5776 Clarks Hill Road, Appling GA 30802

Water Utility Crawford Creek Waste Water Plant 1000 Shepherd Way, Grovetown GA 30813

Water Utility Reed Creek Waste Water Plant 578 Stevens Creek Rd, Martinez GA 30907

Water Utility Kiokee Creek Waste Water Plant 2281 County Camp Road, Appling GA 30802

Water Utility Little River Waste Plant 1130 Maple Ridge Court, Evans, GA 30809

Water Utility I‐20 Water Tank 4824 Old Belair Lane, Martinez GA 30907

Water Utility Winfield Water Tank 3317 Tom Bartles Road, Appling GA 30802

Water Utility Washington Road Water Tank 5801 Washington Road, Appling GA 30802

Water Utility Louisville Water Tank 5919 Euchee Creek, Grovetown GA 30813

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Water Utility Flowing Wells Water Tank 494 Flowing Wells Road, Martinez GA 30907

Water Utility Grovetown Water Tank


30813

Water Utility Wrightsboro Rd Water Tank


30813

Water Utility Belair Rd Water Tank 222 North Belair Road, Evans GA 30809

Water Utility Appling Water Tank 5984 Columbia Road, Appling GA 30802

Water Utility High View Water Tank 206 Pecan Drive, Martinez GA 30907

Water Utility

Administrative Buildings Chamblin

Road 205 Chamblin Road, Grovetown 30813

Towers:

As mentioned previously the 5 tower locations will reside on Columbia County owned property that has

been pre‐disturbed and pre‐developed. Therefore, it is expected that no significant clearing, excavating,

or other disturbance of the property will be required. There will need to be fencing constructed around

the perimeter of the tower footprint and (if applicable) any of its guy wire anchor points. The tower

construction will contain pre‐fabricated (typically concrete), above‐ground equipment buildings. These

buildings will be located at the base of the tower and will be situated within the property used for the

tower base. Approximate building dimensions are 10 feet x 15 feet (single story). The project will utilize

existing buildings and pre‐disturbed, pre‐developed areas. The only new buildings to be constructed

will be located adjacent to the (5) new radio towers within the same property parcels containing the

towers. These will most likely take the form of pre‐fabricated concrete structures commonly used for

telecommunications buildings, cell sites, etc. All tower locations are planned for previously disturbed,

previously developed land parcels currently owned by the County. All tower locations have been

submitted to the FAA for approval (see Appendix 8) and a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment will be

performed, as required by the FAA.

The 5 towers are described in the table below and shown in the following photographs and aerials.

ADDRESS LATITUDE LONGITUDE PARCEL #

480 White Road, Harlem, GA 33 deg 24’ 20” N 82 deg 17’ 20” W Parcel 043A020

6868 Cobbham Road, Appling

GA

33 deg 36’ 37” N 82 deg 19’ 32” W Parcel 025 047

590 Baker Place Road

Grovetown, GA

33 deg 29’ 17” N 82 deg 14’ 13” W Parcel 051 001B

962 Halali Farm Road 33 deg 34’15” N 82 deg 10’ 7” W Parcel 065 021

2292 County Camp Road

Appling, GA

33 deg 32’ 14” N 82 deg 18’ 32” W Parcel 028 057

The proposed 590 Baker Place Road site has commercial power immediately adjacent via utility pole line

located on the opposite side of the road. The provision of power to the site will require a simple

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extension from existing sources. The proposed 2292 County Camp Road site has commercial power

immediately adjacent via utility pole line located on the opposite side of the road. The provision of

power to the site will require a simple extension from existing sources. The proposed 6868 Cobbham

Road site already has commercial power located on the site. The proposed 480 White Road site has

commercial power on the opposite side of the road. Electrical power to the site will be provided via an

underground cable that will be located within the 12‐foot by 360 foot access road. An underground

trench will be excavated within the above mentioned access road to the communication site itself. An

underground cable buried in the trench will provide power to the site. The total linear distance of the

power run will be approximately 360 feet. The proposed 962 Halali Farm Road site has commercial on

the same side of the road. Electrical power to the site will be provided via an underground cable that

will be located within the 12‐foot by 480 foot access road. An underground trench will be excavated

within the above mentioned access road to the communication site itself. An underground cable buried

in the trench will provide power to the site. The total linear distance of the power run will be

approximately 480 feet.

All proposed sites include a standby generator to provide electric power in the event of a commercial

power failure. The standby generator will be powered by diesel, and will typically be comprised of a

108 horsepower internal combustion engine power unit driving a single‐phase 60 kilowatt generator.

The emissions level for the generator engine will be rated EPA Nonroad Tier 3. The generator will be

mounted inside a Level 2 Sound Enclosure, and will include a muffler on the power unit and appropriate

sound proofing within the walls of the enclosure to minimize noise. Diesel fuel will be provided from a

Dual Wall UL142 tank mounted inside the enclosure on concrete slabs. The diesel tank will be sized in a

manner to allow for a constant generator run time of up to 168 hours or one week, in the event of a

long‐term power failure.

2.1.2 Construction

The project will use a variety of techniques in installing the fiber optic cable and communications towers. The majority of the fiber optic construction will be underground, but in some congested areas or areas of a cost‐prohibitive nature, the cable will need to be installed aerially on either existing or new poles. In addition, in rare instances, it is possible that “aerial inserts” will need to be placed over stream

or waterway crossings if the preferred underground methods are for some reason impractical or cost‐

prohibitive.

For underground construction, the general requirement for minimum depth of placement is 36” below

grade. When new facilities cross under ditch lines, roads, and streams, the depth will usually be 48”.

Underground cable placement can be done via trenching, plowing, and boring. All construction will take

place within the right of way of existing roadways in pre‐disturbed areas.

Plowing: Construction along rural routes is usually done via plowing. Plowing employs the use of a

specialized piece of machinery called a track plow. The plow opens a slot into the ground at the

specified depth. The slot is no more than 6” wide. A reel of fiber cable is loaded onto the plow, and as

the plow moves forward the cable is fed into a chute which directs the cable into the bottom of the slot

opened by the plow. The cable is laid at the proper depth, and as the plow continues forward the

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excavated slot is compacted back to ground level. In a rural area with a minimal amount of

obstructions, plowing is the most time‐ and cost‐efficient method of placing underground fiber cable.

Trenching: Underground cable construction in more congested areas will typically make use of

trenching as opposed to plowing. If the area has many obstructions such as existing underground

utilities, driveway crossings, aerial transitions, etc. a trench is excavated and the cable is laid manually

into the bottom of the trench. The trenching method would require the use of a backhoe if rock or

especially hard ground is involved, or a trenching machine if the ground is less hard. Trench dimensions

will vary, but can be nominally summarized as 36” typical depth, with 24” maximum width if a backhoe

is used or 6” width if a trencher is used. No open trenches will be left overnight without cover. The

trench is back‐filled using the same soil material that was removed to create the trench, except in rocky

areas, where the backfill may be hauled in and the rock material removed.

Boring: Boring is used when underground fiber cable placement must be conducted in areas where no

linear excavations are feasible on the surface, or in areas where surface restoration is cost‐prohibitive.

In directional boring, a boring rig is used to tunnel under existing roads, utilities, driveways, waterways,

or other obstructions. Bore diameters are typically 4‐6 inches. Bore lengths are typically less than 100

feet, but can be as long as hundreds of feet when crossing large rivers or streams. A bore pit may need

to be dug at the beginning of the bore, which allows the excavation to start at the proper depth. The pit

can be as deep as 6‐8 feet, depending on the depth required for the bore. The boring head is directed

forward by the operator and is used to tunnel through the ground beneath the obstructions. As the

head moves forward, 10‐foot rod sections are added at the boring rig to increase the length of the

excavation. A slurry mixture is introduced through the rods and bore head to soften the soil for

compaction around the path of the boring head. Once the obstructions are cleared, the boring head

can be directed upward to the surface. Once the excavation has been completed and the head appears

above the surface, flexible PVC casing pipe from a spool is attached the bore head. The bore head is

then pulled back along the excavation, pulling the casing pipe back to the bore pit and thus creating a

pathway for cables and inner ducts to be pulled into at a later time.

Aerial – existing poles: Aerial fiber optic plant construction may be used as an alternative to

underground installation via plowing, trenching, or boring. Where existing pole lines are present, fiber

optic cable can be installed on existing poles. Installing cable on pole lines requires strict adherence to

electrical safety code requirements. Specifically, safety codes require that telecom cables can only be

installed in certain parts of the vertical space on the pole lines. The telecom space is closest to the

ground and is frequently crowded with cables owned by telephone companies, cable TV providers, and

in some cases, CLECs and municipal network providers. As a result, it is very common for existing pole

lines to be unusable for new telecom facilities because the telecom space is too crowded. In some cases

existing cables can be rearranged to gain additional space but the cost of this process (referred to as

“make‐ready” work) can be cost‐prohibitive. If the poles are owned by third parties (i.e. power

companies, telephone companies, or cable TV companies), then joint‐use agreements must be worked

out which allow new providers to lease space on un‐owned poles for a per‐year, per‐pole cost. Over the

long term, leasing space on third‐party poles can also prove to be cost prohibitive. As a new service

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provider, Columbia County owns no poles and would be dependent on leasing poles from third parties,

thus increasing the long‐term cost of the project. It is for these reasons that the majority of the fiber

optic construction planned in this project is planned to be underground whenever possible.

Aerial – new poles: In some cases aerial cable construction is done using new pole lines. This may occur

when there is no pole line present, when joint‐use costs are too expensive, or when the telecom space

on the existing pole line is too crowded. If aerial inserts are required for stream crossings, new poles are

usually needed on either side of the stream’s buffer zone to support the aerial crossing. The

construction of new utility poles has been ongoing since the beginnings of the telecom industry decades

ago. If any new poles are required, they will be engineered and constructed using best practices from

the industry. This includes adherence to all applicable RUS specifications and standards, including RUS

Bulletin 1753F‐152 / RUS Form 515c (“Specifications and Drawings for Construction of Aerial Plant”).

This specification addresses such requirements as pole materials, mounting depth relative to pole

height, backfill and tamping methods, support member requirements, grounding requirements, and

many more. Although the CCCBN is not financed using RUS funds, the RUS telecom practices represent

the best specifications and standards for telecom cable construction that the industry has.

Aerial Placement of Cable: The preferred method for cable placement for the CCCBN will be

underground via trenching, boring, or plowing. However in some areas these techniques may not be the

most cost‐effective method, thus requiring aerial cable placement. Aerial cable is typically placed on

pole lines by attaching the cable to a metallic, stranded support member known as messenger wire. The

cable is lashed tightly to the messenger wire using a thin, flexible, high‐strength attachment wire.

Ground clearance requirements for the cables and the supporting messenger must be taken into

account based on applicable electric safety codes. Aerial cable can be installed from a stationary reel or

a moving reel using temporary pulleys or "J‐hooks”. The pulleys can be installed at each pole, with a

truck winch being fed through the pulleys and attached to the end of the cable. The cable is then pulled

into place. The cable can also be installed by attaching one end to the first pole with the rest of the reel

moved to the next pole. In this case temporary pulleys are not needed, because the cable is attached to

each pole as it is unreeled.

Towers: The towers planned for this project are nominally 300 feet above ground level (AGL). They are

intended to be self‐supporting towers (i.e. without guy wires) so their footing dimensions will be

broader than those of a guyed tower. Exact foundation dimensions will be determined after the towers

are designed for the specific locations, but for planning purposes and Environmental Assessment

purposes, the concrete pad which will comprise the foundation for the tower can be assumed to be

approximately 40’ wide x 40’ long x 6’ in depth. Tower foundations will require excavations to depths to

be determined by a variety of factors. The structural design of the towers will specify the detailed

requirements of the excavations and backfills. Tower foundations will be secured using steel‐ reinforced

concrete below grade. All towers will be erected on county‐owned land parcels which have been

previously disturbed.

Tower construction will require the use of grading machinery to level the site and construct access

roads, excavation machinery to dig the tower foundations, concrete trucks to install the steel‐reinforced

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concrete for the tower foundations, and cranes to place the tower sections in place. The buildings to be

installed adjacent to the towers will be pre‐fabricated concrete structures designed for

telecommunications use. These structures will be transported to the site on flatbed trucks and lowered

into place using cranes.

2.2 Alternatives

2.2.1 ‐ “No Action Alternative”

In the “no action alternative” the CCCBN would not be built at all. If the CCCBN is not built, the county

will continue to suffer from lack of increased broadband opportunities. The following will be

consequences of not building the CCCBN:

Unserved and Underserved areas of the county will continue to suffer from lack of broadband

opportunities.

Anchor institutions will not have fiber connections.

County school children will not have high‐bandwidth 1 Gbps connections from the schools to the

Internet

Last mile providers will not be able to access potential customers in Grovetown and Harlem.

Economic development will suffer due to the lack of a robust fiber infrastructure.

The MCG Health data center will not be able to transmit medical imagery and patient records at

high speed throughout the area.

Control systems for county infrastructure (water/sewer, traffic systems, etc.) will not be able to

be controlled through advanced fiber optic technology.

Wi‐Fi in county parks would not be possible due to lack of fiber optic backhaul of the traffic

Public safety radio coverage will continue to be sporadic due to the lack of RF coverage resulting

from fewer towers.

2.3 – Preferred Alternative

In analyzing the alternates to the CCCBN construction, it is apparent that no alternative will meet the

needs of the project. Leased circuit capacity, as described in detail below, does not provide the dark

fiber required to connect all the anchor institutions. It would not allow third‐party service providers to

access the unserved and underserved areas of the county. It is not cost‐effective since it represents a

higher cost with no owned asset value. The “no action alternative” would consist of continuing the

current status of the county’s broadband infrastructure. This would result in none of the needs of the

project being met. Since neither of these alternatives represents viable solutions to the needs of the

project, it is concluded that building the fiber optic cable network and communications towers as

planned in the CCCBN grant will be the best method to meet the needs of the project.

2.4 ‐ Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Discussion

A number of alternatives to the preferred alternative were considered early and then rejected as being

not worthy of further discussion. These alternatives consisted of variations in particular aspects of the

preferred alternative and are discussed below.

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2.4.1 Leased circuit capacity from incumbent broadband providers

As a possible alternative to building and operating its own network, Columbia County first investigated

the idea of leasing capacity on the network of one of the existing incumbent providers in the county.

This alternative would have resulted in a dramatically different environmental assessment, since no new

construction would need to take place. However, this alternative was investigated in detail and was

deemed inadequate to meet the needs and purpose of the project. After this alternative was

investigated and rejected, it was decided to move ahead with the planning and construction of the

CCCBN project. The discussion below explains how this alternative was deemed inadequate for the

needs of the project.

The effort to create the CCCBN has been ongoing since 2008, prior to the creation of the ARRA program.

The County recognized that dark fiber was needed for public safety radio system needs, SCADA needs

and medical imaging requirements. It also determined that high bandwidth requirements were needed

in the less affluent areas of the county and these high bandwidth requirements were not being satisfied

by the service providers in these areas. Approximately two years ago AT&T, Comcast and Charter were

approached by Columbia County to investigate the possibility of leasing or buying dark fiber from these

carriers. Charter declined to participate and thus no agreement was reached. Comcast showed some

interest but it had no spare fiber available for use. AT&T, following a widely observed policy repeated in

other states, was not willing to sell or provide dark fiber, but instead offered to provide leased circuit

capacity on their Metro E network. This offer included a connection to many county building locations

but did not include a county‐wide fiber build‐out.

As stated above, AT&T declined to provide dark fiber, but did propose a leased Metro E network. Using

the monthly lease cost and one‐time installation charges, the 5‐year lease cost totaled just over $20

million, which includes approximately $4 million in initial installation costs. In comparison, the total

proposed CCCBN project cost is just over $18 million. (It should be noted that the $18M CCCBN cost

also includes approximately $2 million for 5 wireless towers). Comparing these cost figures, it is

apparent that a county‐owned fiber network would be a better investment than a leased network. Not

only does the $20 million lease cost represent a higher initial investment, it also represents less value

since it is a leased network without owned assets. Furthermore, it does not represent the same

functionality as a dark fiber network, as is explained below.

First, the $20 million AT&T cost included a maximum bandwidth connection rate of 100 Mbps. In

contrast, the planned bandwidth speeds for the fiber‐based CCCBN are 100 Mbps minimum, with

maximum bandwidth connections of 1 Gbps. Secondly, a leased network represents only a collection of

building connections, with no additional infrastructure included. The fiber‐based CCCBN represents a

robust infrastructure which makes dark fiber available not only for the county’s use but also for the

potential use of network partners and service providers throughout the county. In summary, the Metro

E alternative was too expensive, did not cover the entire county, and did not fulfill all the needs of the

project.

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The following table summarizes the pros and cons of building the fiber network vs. using the leased

capacity from the AT&T Metro E network.

CCCBN Fiber Network AT&T Metro E Network

Investment $18 Million $20 Million

Asset Value $18 Million $0

Projected cost for Years 6‐10 operating cost only $16 Million (ongoing leasing

cost)

Dark Fibers Yes No

Maximum Bandwidth

Connection Speed

1 Gbps 100 Mbps

County‐wide presence Yes No

Future Capacity for Additional

Network Partners

Yes No

One of the most important partners in the CCCBN is the Medical College of Georgia Health System

(MCG). MCG is the state of Georgia’s flagship institution for medical education and public health, and it

is located in nearby Augusta. MCG Health is in the process of planning and building a new data center to

be located in Columbia County. One of the missions of MCG Health is the need to transmit high‐

resolution medical images and medical records to remote locations in the region surrounding Columbia

County. This is currently done via leased point‐to‐point microwave circuits and does not work well.

Fiber is the ideal media for this application.

In conclusion, the discussion above should make it apparent that dark fiber is a real necessity in the

CCCBN, and leased MetroE capacity does not provide the same benefits in a community middle mile

network. Once it became apparent that dark fiber could not be obtained from any of the existing

carriers it was made clear that a new fiber‐based county‐owned network would provide the most value

to the county and to its anchor institutions, business partners, and end users.

2.4.2 Other alternatives investigated but deemed not to be viable

One possible alternative to the planned fiber optic construction would be to place the fiber optic cable

on land that is not contained within right of way of existing roadways. This strategy would have resulted

in additional problems such as:

Need for property acquisition

Engineering and construction delays

Increased cost

Increased environmental impact

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The vast majority of telecommunications facility construction occurs within right of way of existing

roads. For this reason it is generally accepted that installing cable in existing right of way represents a

set of best practices that should be followed whenever possible.

Regarding the tower construction, the possible alternatives to building them on county‐owned

properties could have been 1) omitting them from the project and 2) installing them on private (non‐

county owned) property. The idea of omitting the towers was discussed in the “no action” alternative.

The idea of installing the towers on land not owned by the county can be rejected due to many of the

same reasons shown above:

Need for property acquisition

Need for property clearing and re‐use classification

Engineering and construction delays

More difficult site access

Increased project cost

Increased environmental impact

For the many reasons summarized, this alternative was decided to be not worthy of further discussion.

2.4.3 – Alternatives Using More Wireless Technology

Another possible alternative to installing all or part of the 200 miles of fiber optic cable would be to

incorporate more wireless technology into the CCCBN. If some or all of the needed services could be

delivered by wireless methods, then it may be possible to build less cable miles and thus reduce certain

environmental ramifications of the project. However, due to the reasons outlined below, wireless

technology does not support the same benefits that fiber optic cable does and is therefore not a good

alternative to the 200 mile fiber optic cable route.

It should be noted that the CCCBN already does incorporate wireless to a certain extent. The project

contains 5 towers which will be used for improved public safety coverage and will also be available for

broadband service providers to lease space and connect to customers throughout the county. However,

when it comes to the type of services that Columbia County is proposing in this middle mile network,

fiber optic technology offers much more bandwidth on a much more cost‐effective basis.

The previous discussion for section 2.4.1 (the evaluation of the leased circuit capacity alternative)

outlined many of the needs of the middle mile network, and explained the advantages of building fiber

through the county as opposed to leasing available circuit capacity. Specifically, higher bandwidths and

dark fiber are needed for many of the high‐bandwidth services and capabilities required in the CCCBN.

All of these same bandwidth advantages apply when compared to the bandwidth capability of a

potential wireless middle‐mile network. While the bandwidth of wireless services has grown

dramatically in recent years, the aggregate bandwidth capacity of a wireless middle mile network still

lags significantly behind that of a fiber‐based network. While it may be true that some point‐to‐point

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radio systems can achieve Gigabit Ethernet speeds (over relatively short distances), fiber is still

unmatched in its ability to transmit high capacity over long distances. As an example, optical Ethernet

transceivers can perform on the order of 10 Gbps over 50 miles and 40 Gbps over shorter distances.

Point‐to‐point wireless systems do not operate in this capacity.

In order to cover the same remote areas of the county (where the new bandwidth and services are

needed most) a significantly higher number of towers would be needed to establish a coverage area

comparable to the 200 mile fiber network. A conservative estimate would be an additional 20‐30

towers which would be needed to cover the same 200 route‐miles planned for the fiber. At an

approximate cost of $12 Million, the cost of the towers would be higher than the amount budgeted for

the fiber optic construction.

One final consideration is the dark fiber capability that a middle mile fiber network will support. In the

network as designed, there will be a robust amount of dark fibers available for network expansion and

for future capabilities to provide many services not yet defined. A wireless middle mile network would

not have such capacity for expansion and growth. The only way to expand the capacity would be to

install additional radio systems. This approach would be limited by spectrum availability restrictions as

well as physical space restrictions on the towers.

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Chapter 3 ‐ Existing Environment

3.1 Noise

Noise levels vary in Columbia County, depending on the type of land use for the area in question. The

county contains a Federal Interstate Highway (I‐20) which provides a fairly consistent level of ambient

noise in the immediate vicinity. However since the majority of the I‐20 route miles through the county

are rural in nature, the noise levels tend to fluctuate with traffic patterns and do not present sustained

periods of noise pollution. There are also a number of two‐lane and four‐lane state highways, whose

immediate vicinities contain ambient noise levels consistent with such roadways. The Evans / Martinez

areas exhibit some traffic congestion during rush hour periods, and therefore also contain ambient noise

levels consistent with suburban traffic patterns. There is some light industry in the county but none of

these industries contribute sustained, significant, levels of ambient noise.

The majority of the acreage of the county, once removed from the immediate vicinity of the traffic

corridors, contains rural forested lands with very low noise levels.

3.2 Air Quality

Columbia County does not fall within a non‐attainment zone, as defined by the National Ambient Air

Quality Standards (NAAQS) for all criteria pollutants. The county contains no Air Quality Management

Districts (AQMDs) or State Implementation Plans (SIPs). According to the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) (http://www.epa.gov/air/oaqps/greenbk/ancl3.html), the only non‐attainment zones in

Georgia are in the Atlanta metro area, and the Macon and Rome, Georgia areas.

Attached in Appendix 4 is a re‐print of a letter from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources

(dated 3‐12‐09) confirming that Columbia County does not fall in a non‐attainment zone. The letter may

be found on‐line at:

http://www.gaepd.org/air/airpermit/downloads/planningsupport/naa/ozone8_recomdesig_2009letter.

pdf

3.3 Geology and Soils

Columbia County lies near the confluence of the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Appalachian Highland,

Piedmont Upland section. Since the construction will take place within right of way of existing

roadways, as well as county‐owned land parcels that have been previously disturbed, the project will

have no impact on prime or unique farmlands, as defined in the Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA).

A wide variety of soils are found within Columbia County, almost 40 in total. A detailed soil survey

report (found at http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/reportparams/counties.aspx ) is summarized below,

showing each type of soil present in the county along with corresponding acreage.

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Acreage and Proportionate Extent of the Soils by County Acres Pct AkA Altavista sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes 735 0.1 AmB Appling sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 11,020 2.0 AmC Appling sandy loam, 6 to 10 percent slopes 7,860 1.4 Bh Bibb silt loam 2,035 0.4 CfB2 Cecil sandy clay loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes, eroded 12,655 2.3 CfC2 Cecil sandy clay loam, 6 to 10 percent slopes, eroded 14,510 2.6 CfE2 Cecil sandy clay loam, 10 to 25 percent slopes, eroded 10,450 1.9 CK Chewacla and Congaree soils 4,980 0.9 DgB Davidson loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 1,560 0.3 DhC2 Davidson clay loam, 6 to 10 percent slopes, eroded 1,485 0.3 DhE2 Davidson clay loam, 10 to 25 percent slopes, eroded 1,020 0.2 EnD Enon sandy loam, 10 to 15 percent slopes 4,365 0.8 FdB Faceville sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 125 <0.1 GcB Georgeville fine sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 4,400 0.8 GdC2 Georgeville clay loam, 6 to 10 percent slopes, eroded 4,610 0.8 GdE2 Georgeville clay loam, 10 to 25 percent slopes, eroded 2,550 0.5 GeB Grover sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 1,565 0.3 GeC Grover sandy loam, 6 to 10 percent slopes 2,380 0.4 GeD Grover sandy loam, 10 to 15 percent slopes 1,345 0.2 HeB Helena loamy coarse sand, 2 to 6 percent slopes 3,625 0.7 HeC Helena loamy coarse sand, 6 to 10 percent slopes 5,550 1.0 MdB Madison sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 2,550 0.5 MdC Madison sandy loam, 6 to 10 percent slopes 2,905 0.5 MdE Madison sandy loam, 10 to 25 percent slopes 3,075 0.6 MgD Madison-Grover complex, 6 to 15 percent slopes 935 0.2 NhB Norfolk loamy sand, 2 to 6 percent slopes 2,505 0.5 NhC Norfolk loamy sand, 6 to 10 percent slopes 1,070 0.2 OcB Orangeburg sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 1,535 0.3 OcC Orangeburg sandy loam, 6 to 10 percent slopes 1,310 0.2 Pm Pits, quarries 250 <0.1 Ro Roanoke silt loam 5 <0.1 Rx Rock outcrop 275 <0.1 TfB Tifton loamy sand, 2 to 6 percent slopes 480 <0.1 TsC Tifton sandy loam, 6 to 10 percent slopes 470 <0.1 Tv Toccoa loam 5,140 0.9 TwC Troup sand, 2 to 10 percent slopes 4,780 0.9 TwE Troup sand, 10 to 25 percent slopes 805 0.1 VeB Vaucluse loamy coarse sand, 2 to 6 percent slopes 330 <0.1 VeD Vaucluse loamy coarse sand, 6 to 15 percent slopes 2,020 0.4 W Water 13,330 2.4 WaB Wagram loamy sand, 2 to 6 percent slopes 8,345 1.5 WaC Wagram loamy sand, 6 to 10 percent slopes 3,915 0.7 WaD Wagram loamy sand, 10 to 15 percent slopes 1,150 0.2 WeB Wedowee loamy sand, 2 to 6 percent slopes 5,850 1.1 WeC Wedowee loamy sand, 6 to 10 percent slopes 12,875 2.3 WeD Wedowee loamy sand, 10 to 15 percent slopes 10,060 1.8 WeE Wedowee loamy sand, 15 to 25 percent slopes 9,470 1.7 Wf Wehadkee silt loam 1,935 0.4 WhB Wickham fine sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 410 <0.1 Wo Worsham sandy loam 395 <0.1 Note: Percentages do not add to 100 because the survey was done on a three-county basis (Columbia, Warren, McDuffie) and only the Columbia results were printed in the report.

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3.4 Water Resources

Columbia County contains a variety of water resources. The northern border of the county lies along

Clarks Hill Lake, a man‐made reservoir through which the Savannah River flows. Clarks Hill Lake (also

known as J. Strom Thurmond Lake) covers 70,000 acres and was built circa 1950. The uses for the lake

include flood control, hydropower, and navigation, recreation, water quality, water supply, and

fish/wildlife management. The normal pool elevation is 330 feet above mean sea level and the

shoreline encompasses 1,200 miles.

The Savannah River forms part of the county’s northern border as well. Four watersheds are located in

Columbia County: the Savannah River watershed, the Little River watershed, the Middle Savannah River

watershed, and the Brier Creek watershed. The more significant streams and creeks that contribute

water flows to these watersheds include Euchee Creek, Kiokee Creek, Little Kiokee Creek, Crawford

Creek, and Greenbrier Creek. Columbia County contains no coastal areas.

Floodplain data has been researched from the FEMA website, and additionally Columbia County GIS has

provided maps with the fiber network and proposed tower locations layered onto current floodplain

data (see Appendix 5). All floodplain areas in Columbia County are 100‐year floodplain; no 500‐year

floodplains are indicated.

3.5 Biological Resources / Critical Habitats

As designated by the US Environmental Protection Agency

(http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/na_eco.htm#Level%20I) Columbia County may be

classified in the following ecoregions:

Level I – Eastern Temperate Forest

Level II – Southeastern USA Plains

Level III – Piedmont

The fiber route will be constructed on pre‐disturbed roadways, and all 5 proposed tower sites are on

existing developed County property.

In accordance with Section 7(c) of the Endangered Species Act, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.,

CCCBN contacted the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Georgia Department of Natural

Resources Wildlife Resources Division for the most updated species list and species accounts available. A

response from the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Athens, GA dated April 29, 2010 indicated that federally

listed species are not likely to occur on the project sites (Appendix 6). However, regarding the 5 towers,

the agency recommended practices to minimize potential impacts to migratory birds, specifically to

equip guy wires with bird diverters and light the tower only with white strobe lights with the maximum

off period between flashes (3 seconds is current maximum allowable).

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources office provided comprehensive data

for county‐wide special concern animals, plants and natural communities. This information is detailed in

the spreadsheet “Columbia Co_Rare Species.xlsx” and is included in Appendix 6.

Columbia County Community Broadband Network (CCCBN)Core Areas and Connectors

#0

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Draba aprica

Astergeorgianus

Trilliumreliquum

Astergeorgianus

Dryopteriscelsa

Hymenocalliscoronaria

Paronychia virginica

Scutellariaocmulgee

Amphianthus pusillusAnemoneberlandieri

Arabis missouriensis

BARE ROCK/LICHENS,PD GRANITE OUTCROP

Trilliumreliquum

Isoetestegetiformans

Sedum pusillum

SHRUB/SCRUBVEG., PD

GRANITE OUTCROP

Astergeorgianus

Cyprinella nivea

Cyprinella nivea

Pediomelum sp. 2

Bouteloua curtipendula

Clematis ochroleuca

Elliottia racemosa

Marshalliaramosa

Scutellariaocmulgee

PD XERIC BROADLEAFDECID.-NEEDLELEAF

EVER. FOREST

Pediomelum sp. 2

Portulacaumbraticola

ssp. coronata

Amphianthuspusillus

Anemone berlandieri

Drabaaprica

Isoetes tegetiformans


ssp. coronata

Sedum pusillum


ssp. coronata


ssp. coronata

Amorphageorgiana var.

georgianaAmorphageorgiana var.

georgiana

Cyprinella nivea

Cyprinella niveaHaliaeetus

leucocephalus

L i n c o l nL i n c o l nC o u n t yC o u n t y

G e o r g i aG e o r g i a

E d g e f i e l d C o u n t yE d g e f i e l d C o u n t yS o u t h C a r o l i n aS o u t h C a r o l i n a

C o l u m b i aC o l u m b i aC o u n t yC o u n t y


M c D u f f i eM c D u f f i eC o u n t yC o u n t y


W a r r e nW a r r e nC o u n t yC o u n t y

G e o r g i aG e o r g i a J e f f e r s o nJ e f f e r s o nC o u n t yC o u n t y


R i c h m o n dR i c h m o n dC o u n t yC o u n t y


M c C o r m i c kM c C o r m i c kC o u n t yC o u n t y

S o u t h C a r o l i n aS o u t h C a r o l i n a

0 2 41 Miles

CCCBN Total Length: 220 MilesCore Sections

Connector

Inner Loop

Outer Loop

Lateral

Edgefield County Connector

Lincoln County Connector

McCormick County Connector

McDuffie County Connector

Richmond County Connector

#0 Stimulus

Flood ZoneZone A - No base flood elevations determined

Zone AE- Base flood elevations determined

Floodway

Shaded X - Areas of the 0.2% annual chance flood

X Zone - Areas outside the 0.2% annual chance flood

Main Roads

Roadways

Railroad

City Boundaries

Fort Gordon Ê

10‐14‐10 Page 33

3.6 Historic and Cultural Resources

3.6.1 – Historic Overview

The history of Columbia County dates back to the year 2,750 B.C. when the area’s first residents settled

on Stalling’s Island, located in the eastern corner of the county. These early settlers were a group of

shell‐mound builders and the area they settled is listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to

its archaeological significance. The first European settlers to arrive in Columbia County during Colonial

times were a small group of Quakers who came from the Carolinas. They purchased land from the Uchee

Indians in 1751, but remained in the area for only a short time. During the 18th century, that area of the

county was within the territory known as St. Paul’s Parish. In 1790, Columbia County was officially

created from a part of Richmond County. It was named in honor of Christopher Columbus.

Most settlers arriving in the area during the late 1700s hailed from the Virginias and Carolinas. Cotton

reigned supreme as the chief crop in the area and afforded local settlers much prosperity. The Civil War

significantly impacted the area and contributed to the loss of many of Columbia County’s finest citizens,

much of its wealth, and the majority of its national political power. In the years that followed, the

county focused on expansion of the Augusta Canal and new rail lines to serve the southeast as it tried to

rebuild in the aftermath of the war.

During the 20th century, one of the most significant impacts on the county was the establishment in

1941 of the Camp Gordon military base (now Fort Gordon) in the southeastern portion of the county. As

a result of the military presence in the area, no longer was farming the primary occupation in the

county. Many residents retained their farms but pursued public jobs during World War II. Similarly,

many of the men and boys who went off to war returned home to seek occupations other than farming.

The construction of the Clark’s Hill Dam in 1946, and subsequent construction of the Atomic Energy

Commission’s Savannah River nuclear plant in nearby Aiken County, also fueled new job growth in the

area. Throughout the 1950s‐ 1960s Columbia County became an ever‐expanding bedroom community;

and with the new residents came national retail chains and modern shopping centers, particularly in the

Martinez area.

The Columbia County Historical Society, once active in promoting awareness of the county’s historic, is

now largely defunct. The City of Grovetown operates the Grovetown Museum which opened in 2000.

The Grovetown Museum presents exhibits and orchestrates displays on Grovetown’s history. The City of

Harlem operates the Laurel and Hardy Museum of Harlem Georgia because Oliver Hardy was born in

Harlem. The museum contains movies, exhibits, and memorabilia associated with Laurel and Hardy and

their comedic work. Responding to current growth pressures in the area, County residents have

expressed interest in an intensified approach to preservation, but current efforts remain on a case‐by‐

case basis.

The City of Harlem initiated a Historic Resources Survey in 2003. As a result of this survey the City has

created a locally designated historic district surrounding North Louisville Street downtown, including

both commercial and industrial properties. The City of Harlem also has a historic preservation ordinance

10‐14‐10 Page 34

that aims to preserve the community’s identity and historic character. The Historic Preservation

Ordinance established the Harlem Historic Preservation Commission, which oversees the design review

process for the historic district. In conjunction with its historic preservation efforts, the City of Harlem

has developed design guidelines for new development or renovation within the historic district.

3.6.2 Current Historic and Cultural Findings

In order to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the CCCBN

consulted with the Georgia Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Natural Resources

regarding the effect of the 200 mile fiber optic project on historic resources. In a letter dated May 27,

2010, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) indicated that the fiber optic project would not

affect historic and/or archaeological resources on the route.

The project also includes 5 new communications towers to improve public safety coverage and facilitate

additional fixed and mobile wireless broadband services to citizens throughout the county. Property to

be used for the project is county‐owned containing some type of county‐owned facility. Pre‐fabricated

above‐ground equipment buildings will be constructed next to the tower. Approximate building

dimensions are 10 feet x 15 feet (single story). The concrete pad which will comprise the foundation for

the tower can be assumed to be approximately 40’ wide x 40’ long x 6’ in depth. Compounds will be

fenced. Land on which the towers will be located is pre‐disturbed and pre‐developed. The towers will

be 300 feet above ground level (AGL).

Towers to be constructed for the BTOP program will be located at the following address and coordinates in

Columbia County:

ADDRESS LATITUDE LONGITUDE PARCEL #

480 White Road, Harlem, GA 33 deg 24’ 20” N 82 deg 17’ 20” W Parcel 043A020

6868 Cobbham Road, Appling GA 33 deg 36’ 37” N 82 deg 19’ 32” W Parcel 025 047


Grovetown, GA

33 deg 29’ 17” N

82 deg 14’ 13” W

Parcel 051 001B

962 Halali Farm Road, Evans, GA 33 deg 34’15” N 82 deg 10’ 7” W Parcel 065 021

2292 County Camp Road, Appling,

GA

33 deg 32’ 14” N 82 deg 18’ 32” W Parcel 028 057

In compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended), a records

review was conducted at the Georgia Historic Preservation Division (SHPO), the Georgia Natural,

Archaeological, and Historic Resources GIS (NAHRGIS), the National Register Information Systems web

site and the Georgia Archaeological Site Files to identify resources listed in the National Register of Historic

Places (NRHP), eligible properties, state‐surveyed historic resources, and archaeological sites within a 0.75‐

mile radius of the proposed project. Historic and archaeological findings are discussed below.

10‐14‐10 Page 35

480 White Road

Archaeology: An online review was of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) indicated that there

are no NRHP‐listed archaeological sites within the project APE. According to the Georgia Archaeological

Site File, there are no archaeological sites located within a one‐mile APE of the proposed tower.

Historic Structures: Resource 4923 is located on the north side of US 78 2,300 feet northeast of the

proposed tower. It is a c. 1900 one room commercial building which was recommended eligible for listing

on the NRHP in a 1991 survey. During the 2010 Section 106 survey, the resource was found to be

dilapidated and considered not eligible for the NRHP.

6868 Cobbham Road


are no NRHP‐listed archaeological sites within the project APE. According to the Georgia Archaeological

Site File, there are no archaeological sites located within a one‐mile APE of the proposed tower.

Historic Structures: Resource 4886 is located on the north side of Cobbham Road, approximately 800 feet

northeast of the proposed tower site. This resource was identified as a circa 1920 Gabled wing cottage

with no academic style with a T‐plan shape. This resource was identified as possibly meeting the National

Register criteria in a 1991 survey. A 2010 survey determined that the resource appeared to have

maintained significance in materials; however, an ell may have been added to the older central hall house,

thus causing it to lose its significance in design.


Archaeology: According to the Georgia Archaeological Site File, there are two archaeological sites and one

report located within the 0.75‐mile APE of the proposed tower. The sites are 9CB169 and 170. The report

is 4333. No NRHP determination was made for the sites.

Historic Structures: Based on research at the Georgia Historic Preservation Division and NAHRGIS, as well

as the NRHP website, there are no NRHP‐listed resources and no state surveyed resources located within

the 0.75‐mile APE for visual effects. No historic or archaeological resources eligible for the National

Register of Historic Places were encountered during the file review and field work

962 Halali Farm Road


are no NRHP‐listed archaeological sites within the project APE. A file review of the Georgia Archaeological

Site File indicated there are eight archaeological sites and six reports located within the one‐mile APE of

the proposed tower.

Historic Structures: Resource 4802 is located on Halali Farm Road approximately 2,000 feet south of the

proposed tower site. The house is a c. 1935 Georgia House with Colonial Revival elements and was

recommended eligible for listing on the NRHP in a 1991 survey.

10‐14‐10 Page 36

2292 County Camp Road

Archaeology: A file review was conducted by the staff of the Georgia Archaeological Site File to determine

if there are any archaeological sites located within a 1‐mile radius of the proposed project site. According

to the Georgia Archaeological Site File, there are two archaeological sites located within the 0.75‐mile APE

of the proposed tower. The sites are 9CB169 and 170. No NRHP determination was made for the sites.

Historic Structures: The NRHP‐listed Columbia County Courthouse (80536) is located approximately 4,700

feet northwest of the proposed tower just outside of the 0.75 mile APE. This Italianate structure was

constructed by John Trowbridge in 1856. It is a brick bearing two story structure with flat and arched

windows and decorative Italianate brackets and appears to be in excellent condition. State surveyed

resources included 4843, an eligible c. 1940 free standing rectangular commercial building located 1,000

feet south of the proposed tower; 4845, an eligible c.1925 double tower church with a Latin cross plan

located on the west side of US 221 approximately 2,500 feet northwest of the proposed tower; and the

following structures which make up the city of Appling: 4846, 4847, 4848, 4849, 4950, 4851, 4852, 4854,

4855, 4856 which are within approximately 4,000‐5,000 feet northwest of the proposed tower. Appling is

made up of front gable Bungalows, and American Small House, the NRHP listed courthouse, and free

standing commercial buildings. The majority of the resources were recommended eligible for listing on the

NRHP in a 1991 survey. A 2010 survey indicated that the resources would be contributing to a historic

district.

Fiber Optic Line

With regard to historic properties connected with the 200‐mile fiber optic line, Columbia County has

found four listings on the National Register of Historic Places. These four sites are as follows:

Columbia County Courthouse, Appling

Kiokee Baptist Church, Appling

Stallings Island (located within the Savannah River)

Woodville (private residence, Winfield area)

As an additional resource for researching historic properties and locations, the document “Columbia

County Growth Management Plan Update – Community Assessment” (dated 2005) was reviewed and

consulted. This report references an inventory of historic resources in the county. This report contained

a list of 28 sites that were deemed “possible” to be included on the National Register of Historic Places.

These sites included:

1. “The Cedars,” c. 1885

2. Macedonia Baptist Church, c. 1880

3. Evans School Dormitory, c. 1900, corner of Belair and Washington

roads

4. Evans School Arch and Columns, c. 1925, corner of Belair and

Washington roads

5. G.B. Lamkin House, c. 1925, west side of Belair Road, 2nd building

10‐14‐10 Page 37

south of Peachtree

6. “Cedar Hill.” c. 1820

7. Old Washington Road

8. Damascus Baptist Church, c. 1900, north side of Ridge Road, 1 mile

east of Washington Road

9. Dunns’ Chapel, c. 1890, northwest corner of GA 47 and Ridge Road

10. Winfield Area, c. 1840

11. Sharon Church, 1869, south side of GA 150 across from

intersection of Winfield Road

12. William Few house site, c. 1930

13. Shiloh Church, c. 1857, east side of GA 150, 1.5 mile southwest of

Winfield Road

14. Cedar Dale, c. 1858, east side of GA 150, 2 miles north of Cobbham

Crossroads.

15. Woodville, c. 1814

16. Old Kiokee Church, c. 1804, west side of GA 47, ¼ mile north of US

221

17. Appling Community (multiple sites, c. 1850‐1925)

18. Shucraft Road House, c. 1890

19. Columbia Road at Hereford Farm Road, c. 1870

20. Plantation House on Columbia Road, c. 1830

21. Columbia Road, c. 1790

22. Otts House, c. 1865, south side of Wrightsboro Road, ¾ mile west

of US 221

23. Wrightsboro Road, c. 1815

24. Magruder Home, c. 1810

25. Grovetown (multiple sites along Robinson Avenue)

26. The Dodge House, c. 1910

27. Campania

28. Harlem (multiple sites, c. 1850)

[Source: Columbia County Historic Resource Survey Report, Griffith Lamkin Polatty,

December 5, 1990; Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation

Division]

As part of the environmental assessment requirements for the Georgia Historic Preservation Division, an

Environmental Review Form was prepared and submitted (contained in Appendix 7). Part of the effort

required to complete this form was an investigation of all buildings in Columbia County that are 50 years

of age or older (a complete list of all 50‐year old buildings is included in Appendix 7). Working with the

county’s GIS and property records departments, a list of 50‐year old properties was developed and

cross‐referenced to the scope of the project. This effort yielded a list of 6 buildings that are over 50

years old and which will also be connected to the Broadband network. These buildings make up the

“Area of Potential Effect” (APE) and can be summarized as follows:

10‐14‐10 Page 38

Parcel Title Owner Year

Built

Effective

Year

Built

Description EW

Description

Property

Use

Property

Address

G06

073

Grovetown

Museum

City of

Grovetown

1935 1980 1.5 story Vinyl

Dwelling

Vinyl Siding Resid.

Finish –

Office,

General

Govt.

103 Old

Wrightsboro

Rd

H02

036

Harlem

Library

City of

Harlem

1930 1970 1 story Vinyl

Library

Vinyl Siding Resid.

Finish

375 N.

Louisville St

H03

073

Harlem

Middle

School

Columbia

County

Board of

Education

1935 1983 School

Auditorium

Face Brick

Veneer

Elem.

and Sec.

School

375 W

Forrest St.

H03

157

Harlem

Police Dept

City of

Harlem

1950 1971 Old City Hall /

Jail

Face Brick

Veneer

Office,

General

Govt.

and jail

180 N

Louisville St

026

017

North

Columbia

Elem.

School

Columbia

County

Board of

Education

1956 1990 North

Columbia

School

Face Brick

Veneer

Elem.

and Sec.

School –

Gym.

2874 Ray

Owens Rd

072

143

Evans

Elem.

School

Columbia

County

Board of

Education

1956 1985 Evans

Elementary

Com Brick

on Concrete

Block

Elem.

and Sec.

School –

Gym.

628 Gibbs

Rd

All of these buildings are functioning buildings which contain ongoing county business, and are

referenced in the Georgia Historic Preservation Division’s Environmental Review Form as the “Area of

Potential Effect” (APE). Photographs for all 6 of these buildings are included below:

10‐14‐10 Page 39

Grovetown Museum:

10‐14‐10 Page 40

Grovetown City Hall area:

10‐14‐10 Page 41

Harlem Library:

10‐14‐10 Page 42

Harlem Library:

10‐14‐10 Page 43

Harlem Middle School:

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Harlem Middle School Area:

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Harlem Police Department:

10‐14‐10 Page 46

Downtown Harlem area:

North Columbia Elementary:

10‐14‐10 Page 47

10‐14‐10 Page 48

North Columbia Elementary area:

10‐14‐10 Page 49

Evans Elementary:

10‐14‐10 Page 50

Evans Elementary area:

10‐14‐10 Page 51

Research into tribal cultural properties indicates there are no Indian reservations or tribal lands within

the Columbia County Community Broadband Network or within Columbia County in general. A map

indicating Federal Lands and Indian Reservations in the State of Georgia can be found at

www.nationalatlas.gov and is located in the appendices. Archaeologist David Saunders, Eastern

Regional Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, has confirmed the finding that no reservations or tribal lands

are located within Columbia County.

Tribal information for the 5 towers was obtained from NTIA. The Shawnee Tribe has indicated interest

in the 5 towers and has requested further information. The Form 620 and SHPO responses were

forwarded to the tribe.

3.7 Aesthetic and Visual Resources

Columbia County borders on the Clarks Hill Lake, which is a man‐made lake controlled and administered

by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The project will not impact the shoreline or viewshed of the Clarks

Hill reservoir. The county contains one state park (Mistletoe State Park) and one county park (Wildwood

Park). Wildwood Park is leased by the county on land owned by the Corps of Engineers. The project

will include a new fiber optic cable route into Wildwood Park.

3.8 Land Use

Columbia County has mixed land use including varying degrees of the following: Commercial, Industrial,

Office/Professional, Governmental, Recreation, State and Federal Highways. Most of the acreage of the

county still consists of undeveloped land, which is designated to remain undeveloped in future land use

plans. The southern tip of the county contains part of Fort Gordon, a US Army post (which

predominantly lies in Augusta/Richmond County). The northern part of the county borders on Clarks Hill

reservoir (US Army Corps of Engineers).

The county contains two incorporated cities, Harlem and Grovetown. It also contains the census‐

designated places of Evans and Martinez, which border the metropolitan Augusta GA area. Although

not an incorporated city, the County Seat of Columbia County is Appling. However the Columbia County

government is based in Evans.

3.9 Infrastructure

Columbia County has a mixture of county‐owned and other infrastructure in place. The county is

bisected from east to west by Interstate 20. There are several state highways present throughout the

county. The county maintains a public water system primarily in the more populated areas of Evans and

Martinez. The cities of Grovetown and Harlem maintain their own water systems. The major

commercial utilities present in the county are Georgia Power (a division of the Southern Company),

AT&T (formerly BellSouth), Comcast, Charter, and Knology. Wireless carriers include AT&T, Verizon, T‐

Mobile, and Sprint. The objective of the CCCBN project is to enhance and improve the existing

telecommunications infrastructure provided by the existing carriers.

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3.10 Socioeconomic resources

The estimated population for Columbia County for 2008 is 108,276, according to US Census figures

(http://factfinder.census.gov). Racial population demographics are estimated as follows:

White 78.7%

Black or African American 14.5%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%

Asian 3.3%

Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 0.0%

Other Race 1.3%

Two or more races 2.0%

Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 3.2%

Other demographic information is as follows:

Male 48.4%

Female 51.6%

Median Age 35.9

Under 5 years 7.1%

18 years and over 72.7%

65 years and over 9.1%

Generally speaking the areas in the north and east areas of the county, including Evans and Martinez,

tend to be higher‐income areas. The lower income areas tend to be in the southern and western parts

of the county. These include some areas in and around the cities of Harlem and Grovetown. The

application which requested the ARRA Broadband stimulus funding identified several areas which are

considered “unserved” and “underserved” for the areas of Broadband availability. All of the unserved

areas were found to be in the Harlem and Grovetown areas, as were several of the underserved areas.

3.11 Human Health and Safety

Per the map obtained from the EPA’s website (http://iaspub.epa.gov/Cleanups/), Columbia County finds

there are no Brownfield or Superfund/RCRA clean‐up sites, as shown in the graphic below. There are

also no sites in Columbia County which are contained on the National Priorities List ‐‐

(http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/query/queryhtm/nplfin.htm#GA).

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Chapter 4 ‐ Environmental Consequences

4.1 Noise

The area of construction is both rural and suburban in nature, and thus ambient noise levels vary. It can

be assumed that the higher noise levels in the construction areas will coincide with the corridors of state

and county roadways already in existence. All of the fiber optic construction will be located within the

traffic corridors and within the right of way of existing paved roads. The cable will be constructed using

specialized construction equipment designed for the purpose of installing buried and underground

cables. Typical noise levels from this type of equipment range from 70‐90 dBA. These noise levels will

be temporary in nature and will not significantly add to the ambient noise levels found along the road

corridors at present.

In the case of tower construction, similar parameters will apply. The towers will also be constructed

using specialized construction equipment designed for that purpose. They will not be constructed on

right of ways, but will be constructed on county‐owned property parcels adjacent to and accessible via

state and county roadways. Noise levels attributed to tower construction will also be minor and

temporary in nature and will not significantly add to the ambient noise levels found in these properties

at present.

4.2 Air Quality

The construction will take place using specialized, mechanized equipment (backhoes, trenchers, plowing

rigs, directional bore machines, cranes, etc.) whose exhaust will be released into the surrounding air, but

the construction of the fiber optic cable and towers will not cause a detrimental effect on the existing air

quality of Columbia County. The construction will be concentrated within or near the existing road

corridors which already have the presence of automobiles and trucks; the additional exhausts from the

construction equipment will not have a significant additive effect or potential detrimental effects.

4.3 Geology and Soils

Since the construction will take place within right of way of existing roadways, as well as county‐owned

land parcels that have been previously disturbed, the project will have no impact on prime or unique

farmlands, as defined in the Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA).

A large degree of the construction of the fiber optic cable will be via underground placement.

Construction techniques include direct burial, trenching, plowing, directional boring, and micro‐

trenching. All construction will take place within the right of way of existing roadways in pre‐disturbed

areas. Soil disturbances using these methods will be minor and temporary in nature. Trench

dimensions will vary, but can be nominally summarized as 36” maximum depth, with 12” maximum

width. Open trenches will not be left for extended periods of time. Trenches and other ground

openings will be backfilled with the existing soil types initially removed.

10‐14‐10 Page 54

Tower foundations will require excavations to depths to be determined by a variety of factors. The

structural design of the towers will specify the detailed requirements of the excavations and backfills.

Tower foundations will be secured using reinforced concrete below grade. All towers will be erected on

county‐owned land parcels which have been previously disturbed.

4.4 Water Resources

The Columbia County Community Broadband Network will be constructed in previously‐disturbed

roadway rights‐of‐way. All wetlands crossed by the network are taken from National Wetland Inventory

location data. All proposed tower sites will be constructed on county‐owned high ground for maximum

signal propagation, well above any wetland areas.

Since the fiber optic construction will take place in the right of way of existing roadways, the fiber will

occasionally cross streams and creeks. In the overwhelming majority of such cases, these crossings will

take place using directional boring techniques. When directional boring is used, the bore pits will be set

outside the waterway boundaries and the depth of the bore will be such that the stream bed will be

crossed underneath at such a depth as to not impact the waterway.

In rare instances, it is possible that “aerial inserts” may occasionally be used for stream crossings. In an

aerial insert, new poles would be installed on both sides of the stream or creek buffer zone, and aerial

plant installed between the new poles, over the waterway. The insert poles would be set outside the

stream beds and waterway boundaries, thereby insuring that the waterways will not be adversely

impacted by these construction techniques.

Both techniques for crossing waterways are widely used for cable construction projects of this type and

are frequently permitted by federal, state, and local permitting bodies. The USACE has indicated a

willingness to coordinate easements required for installation of the fiber optics on Thurmond Project

lands. Coordination is planned between the USACE, Georgia EPD, and the CCCBN to expedite permitting

regarding wetlands, Corps Property and stormwater runoff.

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Savannah District, was contacted regarding the CCCBN project

and its effect on Corps Property. The USACE indicated that the broadband network would allow for

services to be porvided to the public that have not been readily available and would allow the Corps to

better coordinate public safety and law enforcement services. The Corps indicated a willingness to

coordinate easements required for installation of the fiber optics on Thurmond Project lands (see

Appendix 5). An email dated July 20, 2010 from Senior Project Manager Stanley J. Knight, indicated that

the project will more than likely require a Department of Army Permit. CCCBN personnel have

requested a meeting with USACE personnel to set up a pre‐construction pre‐application consultation

meeting to expedite the permitting process. In addition, CCCBN personnel have met with USACE

personnel at some of the locations where fiber and termination points will be placed on Corps Property.

In addition, the USACE Savannah District has announced that expedited permitting in the form of

Regional General Permits (RGP) will be approved for projects funded under the American Recovery and

10‐14‐10 Page 55

Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that meet all requirements of the Clean Water Act and the National

Environmental Policy Act. To use a regional permit, an applicant must receive approval from the Corps

verifying that the project meets the requirements of the RGPs and must obtain separate individual

Water Quality Certification from Georgia EPD. The CCCBN intends to obtain approval from both the

Corps and EPD.

A National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for Storm Water Discharges

associated with construction activities will be sought from the Environmental Protection Division of the

Georgia Department of Natural Resources (see Appendix 5). All construction contractors will be

required to abide by the State of Georgia’s Best Management Practices rules and regulations.

Contractors will be required to attend and receive a Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Fundamentals

Level 1A certification. Information on the certification can be found at

http://www.files.georgia.gov/SWCC/Files/Education%20and%20Certification%20Policies%20and%20Pro

cedures.pdf. Guidelines can be found at the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission,

http://www.gaepd.org/Files_PDF/techguide/esc_manual/Chapter_6.pdf and

http://www.gaswcc.org/docs/ag_bmp_Manual.pdf.

4.5 Biological Resources / Critical Habitats

The fiber route will be constructed on pre‐disturbed roadways, and all proposed tower sites are on

existing pre‐developed County property. Section 3.5 included a map from the US Fish and Wildlife

Service showing that no critical habitats are located in Columbia County. The fiber project will have no

impact on species listed. The CCCBN has received concurrence in this regard from the USFWS; however

the USFWS has requested stipulations regarding migratory birds on the 5 towers in Columbia County.

The CCCBN has agreed to the stipulations and will implement them to minimize effects of the towers on

migratory birds. These USFWS practices will be put into place during and after tower construction. The

towers planned for this project will be 300‐foot self‐support towers, therefore bird diverters are not

applicable. In addition, specifications will require that the lights for the towers will be white in color and

operating for 3 second off periods between flashes, as requested by the US Fish and Wildlife office. A

copy of the correspondence received from the US Fish and Wildlife Office is included in Appendix 6.

4.6 Historic and Cultural Resources

According to a Program Comment for Streamlining Section 106 Review for Wireless Communication

Facilities Construction and Modification Subject to Review Under the FCC Nationwide Programmatic

Agreement and/or the Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for the Collocation of Wireless Antennas

issued by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (Federal Register /Vol. 74, No. 223 / Friday,

November 20, 2009): When an NTIA undertaking includes both communications facilities construction or

modification covered by the FCC Nationwide PA or Collocation PA and components in addition to such

communication facilities construction or modification, RUS, NTIA, or FEMA, as applicable, will comply

with Section 106 in accordance with the process set forth at 36 CFR 800.3 through 800.7, or 36 CFR

800.8(c), or another applicable alternate procedure under 36 CFR 800.14, but will not have to consider

the effects of the communication facilities construction or modification component of the undertaking

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on historic properties. NTIA has applied this Program Alternative as stipulated in 36 CFR 800.14 (e) in

lieu of reviewing proposed telecommunications towers which are undergoing Section 106 review under

the FCC Nationwide Programmatic Agreement.

Additionally, in order to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the

CCCBN consulted with the Georgia Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Natural

Resources regarding the effect of the 200 mile fiber optic project on historic resources. The State

Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), in a letter dated May 27, 2010, indicated that the fiber optic project

would not affect historic and/or archaeological resources on the route. All 5 towers have received SHPO

concurrence indicating no effect on archaeological resources. Three of the 5 towers have received

concurrence letters of no effect or no adverse effect from the SHPO; however, there are two towers in

which an adverse effect is anticipated: Halali Farm Road and Cobbham Road (Appendix 7).

6868 Cobbham Road

Resource 4886 is located on the north side of Cobbham Road, approximately 800 feet northeast of the

proposed tower site. In a letter dated July 19, 2010 the Georgia SHPO determined that the tower would

have an adverse effect on Resource 4886 (Appendix 7).

962 Halali Farm Road

Resource 4802 is located on Halali Farm Road approximately 2,000 feet south of the proposed tower site.

In a letter dated July 19, 2010 the Georgia SHPO concurred that the tower would have an adverse effect on

the resource (Appendix 7).

A summary of SHPO responses can be found in the table below:

TOWER SHPO DETERMINATION

480 White Road, Harlem, GA 30814 No Adverse Effect

6868 Cobbham Road, Appling GA 30802 Adverse Effect on Resource


Grovetown, GA

No Effect

962 Halali Farm Road Adverse Effect on Resource

2292 County Camp Road No Adverse Effect

In summary, there are two towers in which an adverse effect is anticipated, Halali Farm Road and

Cobbham Road, based on the SHPO correspondence (Appendix 7). The Georgia SHPO has indicated a

willingness to engage in mitigation regarding these towers. To that end, an Memorandum of Agreement

(MOA) was written and submitted to the Georgia SHPO. The Georgia SHPO’s mitigation project

involves research on resources that have become 50 years of age or older since the last survey was

conducted in the county. Tax assessors information will be field checked for dates of construction in a

corridor along Route 221/47 north of Harlem to the intersection with Ray Owens Road to the county

line/lake, a distance of approximately 14 miles, with an Area of Potential Effect (APE) of one mile on

either side of the highway. The MOA was accepted and signed by the Georgia SHPO, the FCC, and

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Columbia County. An FCC Environmental Assessment and the signed MOA for the adverse effect towers

is included in the appendix as an addendum.

Tribal information for the 5 towers was obtained from NTIA. The Shawnee Tribe indicated interest in

the 5 towers and requested further information. The Form 620 and SHPO responses were forwarded to

the THPO, who subsequently responded with no interest (see appendix).

Fiber Optic Line ‐‐ Of the buildings and structures referenced in Chapter 3, none are planned to be

connected to the new fiber optic network and will not be affected by network construction. The

Columbia County Courthouse is near the fiber route but will not be impacted by construction. It is in use

as an active government building, and currently has installed network connectivity devices. These will

be upgraded during project implementation to better serve county residents.

4.7 Aesthetic and Visual Resources

The project will not impact the shoreline or viewshed of the Clarks Hill reservoir. Mistletoe State Park

will not be impacted by the project, as the closest construction activity will be approximately 4 miles

away from the park. The project will include a new fiber optic cable route into Wildwood Park. The

Corps of Engineers has been consulted during the planning of the project; the Corps has given its

approval of the planned routes. The project will obtain all necessary permits from the Corps before

construction in Wildwood Park. The shoreline of the lake will not be impacted by construction.

Visual viewshed impacts on sensitive resources such as parks, waterways, trails, and scenic byways will

not occur. The fiber optic cable route will not traverse sensitive resources. The 5 Columbia County

towers associated with the project are not visible from sensitive resources and therefore have no

impact.

4.8 Land Use

The project will not result in any changes in the land use classification for any areas of the county. Since

all of the fiber optic cable will be installed in existing road rights‐of way, the land used for construction

will remained classified as “roads”. In the case of tower construction, the towers will be constructed on

county‐owned land parcels. The classification of these areas will remain “government/institutional”.

4.9 Infrastructure

The Columbia County Community Broadband Network project represents a marked improvement in the

county’s telecommunications infrastructure. The telecommunications infrastructure will be significantly

improved by the installation of fiber optic network into areas of the county which are unserved and

underserved. The new communications towers will result in improved wireless coverage for public

safety and mobile broadband providers.

The project will not have an adverse effect on any of the existing power, natural gas, waste disposal, or

water infrastructure present in the county. Experienced engineers will design the project in such a way

as to avoid conflict with and disruption of existing infrastructure. All required permits will be obtained

10‐14‐10 Page 58

during the engineering phase of the project. The engineers will provide inspectors for all construction

crews in order to insure that the new facilities are installed properly without disruption to existing

utilities.

4.10 Socioeconomic resources

One of the stated goals of the project is to improve the broadband services available to underserved and

unserved areas of the county’s population. These areas tend to coincide with the lower‐income areas of

the county, many of which contain minority populations. For this reason it is anticipated that the

project will have a very positive impact for these groups. No detrimental effects are anticipated from

the project, which is expected to spur economic growth opportunities throughout the county.

Completion of the proposed project will have a dramatically positive effect on the socioeconomic status

of Columbia County and its citizens. In the near term, it will result in increased jobs resulting from the

construction of the network. The construction will take place over an approximate two‐year interval.

The grant application estimated that a total of 195 jobs would be created as a result of the construction

of the network.

The long‐term socioeconomic impact of the project will be even more beneficial to the county. To a

great extent, it is for the long‐term benefit to the county that the project was envisioned and

implemented. Establishing a fiber optic broadband network throughout all areas of the county will

provide infrastructure that can be used to attract a high‐tech workforce. This is expected to result in

hundreds of additional jobs as new employers will be attracted to Columbia County. The grant

application had numerous letters of support, including a letter from the Columbia County Development

Authority, the organization charged with advancing commerce and industry within the county. The

letter states, “reliable broadband service and access is vital for business growth – growth that can lead

to greater employment opportunities for residents in the county and to an increased level of capital

investment in the county.” It also states, “the need for broadband will become critical to the county’s

economic survival”.

4.11 Human Health and Safety

The County contains no hazardous waste sites, Superfund sites, or brownfield sites. The project will not

create any such sites. By following existing rights‐of‐way and building towers on existing developed

County property, Columbia County research indicates no pollutant issues will appear with the project.

The project will require extensive use of heavy equipment to install the fiber optic cable along roadways

and to install towers on county‐owned properties. The cable construction will take place within the

existing rights‐of‐wayof existing roads. Construction is typically concentrated in the outermost 5 feet of

the right‐of‐way, away from the roadway traffic.

Safety will be a primary concern for all parties associated with the construction. This includes

construction engineers, construction crews, construction inspectors, and all personnel involved in the

construction process. In today’s business environment, engineering and construction companies place

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an extraordinary amount of emphasis on training workers in adequate safety programs. Proper safety

techniques will be used in all aspects of the construction. Contractors typically have their own Safety

Manual and hold regular “tailgate meetings” to insure that workers are adequately trained in safety.

These safety techniques insure that workers as well as the general public are protected from any

potentially dangerous consequences from the construction.

In addition to safety procedures, contractors must be properly licensed in order to perform certain

construction activities. For example, any contractors wishing to install underground facilities below a

depth of 5 feet must have a Utility Construction license which demonstrates that they are adequately

trained and insured for such activities.

There are no known health issues associated with a distribution system for fiber optic cable. It does not

give off any electromagnetic field and collocated fiber optic lines do not interfere with each other. Fiber

optic cable does not interfere with other utility transmission lines, such as telephone, cable, and electric

distribution. It is expected that all workers installing cable would adhere to construction safety

procedures and the appropriate traffic and roadside safety practices would be implemented.

The construction contractors will provide for a prompt rescue plan of employees in the event of a fall or

shall assure that employees are able to rescue themselves. The contractor employees must be prepared

to retrieve a fallen worker within minutes. The contractor must ensure employees being exposed to

elevations above 6 feet use and maintain 100% fall protection systems compatible with the tasks

assigned.

Tower workers responsible for rigging must be able to provide documented proof of rigging training

including an understanding of slings, blocks, reeving, strength calculations, winches, hydraulics, tagging,

riding the winch line and rigging hardware. In addition, safety standards and procedures mandated by

the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the GADOT will be applied to this work.

For these reasons there are no expected detrimental effects anticipated regarding the Human Health

and Safety of the County.

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Chapter 5 ‐ Applicable Environmental Permits and Regulatory Requirements

Consultation has been sought from the following Federal, state, and local agencies:

US Army Corps of Engineers

US Fish and Wildlife Service

Tribal Historic Preservation Officer

Georgia State Historic Preservation Office

Georgia Environmental Protection Division

The following table indicates the applicable permitting and regulatory requirements, the regulatory

agency involved, the status of the project compliance, and further action.

Regulatory Agency Permitting/Regulatory

Requirements Description Status Further Action

US Army Corps of

Engineers Department of Army

Permit Permitting for

wetlands, Corps

Property

USACE notified Obtain RGP permit in

conjunction with State

EPD US Fish and Wildlife

Service Section 7 Consultation Consultation

regarding effect of

fiber optics and

towers on Threatened

and Endangered

Species and Critical

Habitats

Response received

from USFWS. No T&E

species will be

affected by the fiber

optic route. USFWS

recommends

selfsupport tower

type and specific

lighting to minimize

effects to migratory

birds.

The only remaining further action is to install medium intensity strobes on the towers at the time of construction, per the USFWS request to minimize effects to migratory birds.

Tribal Historic

Preservation Officer Tribal Consultation

required through Section

106 of NHPA

Consultation

regarding effect of

fiber optics and

towers on areas of

tribal significance.

Shawnee Tribe

requests Form 620

and SHPO response

on the 5 towers.

These documents will

be forwarded to the

Shawnee.

Concurrence letter

received. No further

action.

Georgia State Historic

Preservation Office Historic preservation

and archaeological

resources through

Section 106 of NHPA

Consultation

regarding effect of

fiber optics and

towers on areas of

historic and

archaeological

significance.

Georgia SHPO

indicates fiber optic

project will have no

effect on historic

resources. Regarding

5 towers, adverse

effect on two towers:

Halali Farm Road and

Cobbham Road.

Mitigation on Halali

Farm and Cobbham

Road. FCC

Environmental

Assessment and signed

MOA for the adverse

effect towers is included

in the appendix as an

addendum.

Georgia Environmental

Protection Division NPDES permit Consultation

regarding effect of

fiber optics and

towers on stormwater

runoff.

Georgia EPD notified

regarding Stormwater

NPDES permit for

Storm Water

Discharges

Obtain NPDES permit

10‐14‐10 Page 61

The preferred alternative will build fiber optic cable within the right‐of‐way of existing roadways, and to

build communications towers on previously developed county‐owned property parcels. These activities

present the best solution to meet the needs and problems of the project, and they are not anticipated

to adversely affect the environment.

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Chapter 6 ‐ List of Preparers

Lewis Foster

Broadband Utility Manager


PO Box 498

630 Ronald Reagan Drive, Building A

Evans, GA 30809

Mary Howard, GISP

GIS Manager


630 Ronald Reagan Drive, Building B

Evans, GA 30809

Mike Martin, P.E.

Engineering Associates, Inc.

1220 Old Alpharetta Rd, Suite 390

Alpharetta, GA 30022

S. Lorraine Norwood, MA

Terracon Consultants, Inc.

2855 Premiere Parkway, Suite C

Duluth, GA 30097

10‐14‐10 Page 63

Chapter 7 ‐ References

The following websites were consulted for this Environmental Assessment:

Noise Pollution Clearinghouse: www.nonoise.org

Currently Designated Nonattainment Areas for All Criteria Pollutants:

http://www.epa.gov/air/oaqps/greenbk/ancl3.html

National Resources Conservation Service: http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/Default.aspx

Tapestry of Time and Terrain: Physiographic Regions:

http://tapestry.usgs.gov/physiogr/physio.html

US Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Birds:

http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/mbpermits.html

Ecoregions of North America:

http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/na_eco.htm#Level%20I

American Fact Finder, US Census Bureau:

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=05000US13073&_geoCont

ext=01000US|04000US13|05000US13073&_street=&_county=columbia&_cityTown=columbia&

_state=04000US13&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=050

&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_ke

yword=&_industry=

US EPA, National Priorities List:

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/query/queryhtm/nplfin.htm#GA

Wildwood Park Draft Environmental Assessment, US Army Corps of Engineers:

http://www.sas.usace.army.mil/Wildwood%20Park%20%20DRAFT%20EA%20%20Mar10.pdf

The following reports and documents were consulted:

Columbia County Growth Management Plan Update – Community Assessment (June 2005).

Prepared for the County by EDAW. Found on‐line at:

http://www.columbiacountyga.gov/Index.aspx?page=2976

10‐14‐10 Page 64

Appendix 1

Maps

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Appendix 2

Aerials

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Appendix 3

Georgia Technology Authority slide

7-23-10 Page 67

Appendix 4

Air Quality

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Flood ZoneZone A - No base flood elevations determined

Zone AE- Base flood elevations determined

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X Zone - Areas outside the 0.2% annual chance flood

Main Roads

Roadways

Railroad

City Boundaries

Fort Gordon

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columbia county community broadband network

Documents