Section 26.15 - Archeological Permit CategoriesSeveral categories of permits oriented toward specific types of investigation are issued by the Commission. Pursuant to 13 TAC § RSA 26.13(relating to Application for Archeological Permits), the permit applicant or project sponsor is responsible for ensuring that all permitted projects are undertaken by qualified personnel and with adequate funds and material support. The following is a list of permits associated with archeological investigations:
(1) Annual permit. A public agency or institution may be granted an Annual Permit, allowing for survey, recording, study, protection, stabilization, or conservation projects that cover a number of similar investigations at different locations. The annual permit will be issued for a specific period of time and may be developed by the public agency or institution, and the Commission either under the auspices of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or by means of a letter agreement. Annual Permits may also be used to govern the survey, recording, study, protection, stabilization, and conservation projects related to designated landmarks or eligible landmarks. The Annual Permit will adhere to, but not be limited to, the Commission's rules. The standards described in an Annual Permit will be administered by a qualified archeologist on the staff of or contracted by that public agency or institution. The Commission will be informed through an annual report of all projects completed under the authority of the Annual Permit with details adequate to confirm compliance.(2) Alternative mitigation permit. A permit issued for a mitigation alternative may require additional conditions including studies, investigations, or other actions as deemed necessary by the Commission, and will be specified in the terms and conditions of the permit. Permission for construction to proceed may be granted depending upon the satisfaction of the terms of the permit. Alternative forms of mitigation may include, but are not limited to: (A) monitoring of a proposed construction project to record and report the discovery of unanticipated, important archeological deposits;(B) conducting archival and historical research to document the significance of the site;(C) capping or burying in place important archeological deposits if deemed appropriate by the Commission;(D) protecting significant remaining portions of a site by donation of the undisturbed area to a nonprofit organization, state agency, or a political subdivision of the state; and(E) by acquisition and donation of a site or sites to a nonprofit organization, state agency, or a political subdivision of the state.(3) Data recovery permit. This permit category is for the purpose of full investigation and extensive excavation of particular archeological site or sites. Data recovery must be based on a research design approved by the Commission. The evidence from a skillfully accomplished archeological excavation provides a detailed picture of the human activities at the site; emphasis is placed on the information that can be elicited rather than on the artifacts. In data recovery, the archeological deposits are removed by digging and are, therefore destroyed. Permission for construction to proceed may be granted depending upon the results of this level of investigation. Specific requirements may be set forth by the Commission in the permit. The destruction can be justified only if: (A) it is done with such care that antiquities and cultural and environmental data in the area excavated are discovered, and if possible, preserved;(B) information has been accurately recorded, whether its importance is immediately recognized or not, to remain available after the site has disappeared; and(C) the record and results of the investigation are made available through publication.(4) Emergency permit. A permit may be authorized by the Commission for the purposes of performing investigations prior to formal application for a permit. Any of the above-referenced categories of investigations can be authorized under an emergency permit, but an emergency permit will only be issued under conditions where the investigations must be initiated or performed prior to the formal issuance of the permit. Legitimate emergency conditions include those situations when archeological deposits are discovered during development or other construction projects or under conditions of natural or man-made disasters that necessitate immediate action to deal with the situation and findings. Permission for construction to proceed may be granted depending upon the results of this level of investigation.(5) Exhumation permit. The excavation of human burials or cemeteries and its associated funerary objects by a professional archeologist, or principal investigator in accordance with the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 711.(6) Human remains testing permit. This permit is issued for the destructive analysis of human remains that are accessioned held-in-trust state associated collections maintained in certified curatorial repositories as described under 13 TAC § RSA 29.5(relating to Disposition of State Associated Collections) and in accordance with the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 711. Destructive analysis may include, but is not limited to, DNA, radiocarbon dating, or isotope analysis. Specific requirements for investigation and reporting may be required by the Commission as part of the permit.(7) Intensive survey permit. This permit category is for the purpose of an intensive 100 percent pedestrian survey of a project or permit area. Components of an intensive survey may include, but are not limited to, archival research, pedestrian survey, shovel and/or mechanical subsurface probing, surface artifact inventories, site recordation, and site assessment. Such a survey can be performed in many ways but must, at a minimum, conform to the Archeological Survey Standards for Texas, which are available through the Commission and the Council of Texas Archeologists. Permission for construction to proceed may be granted depending upon the results of this level of investigation.(8) Monitoring permit. Unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Commission, this permit category is for the purpose of having a professional archeologist on-site to observe construction activities that may or will damage cultural resources. The archeologist is required to report findings and impacts to sites to the Commission. Monitoring may be conducted during or after other phases of archeological investigation and may not involve the need for a separate permit. However, if monitoring is the only investigation deemed necessary relative to a construction activity, then a monitoring permit will be required. If previously unrecorded and significant archeological deposits are recorded during a monitoring investigation, construction activities in the immediate area of the find must stop and the principal investigator must notify the Archeology Division of the find within 24 hours. Specific requirements of monitoring may be required by the Commission as part of the permit.(9) Preservation of rock art. This permit category is for the purposes of preserving, removing, recording, and copying all manner of rock art. Preservation techniques which involve application of brushes, heat, chemicals, water, chalk, petroleum products, or other preparations to the rock surfaces are prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Commission(10) Reconnaissance survey permit. This permit category is for the purpose of location, inventory, and assessment of cultural resources of a specific area by conducting archival searches and by searching for sites. Reconnaissance is limited to recording site locations, mapping, photographing, controlled surface sampling, and possible limited shovel testing. A reconnaissance survey does not take the place of an intensive survey; it is used to determine whether an intensive survey will be warranted. Specific requirements may be imposed by the Commission as part of the permit. Permission for construction to proceed may be granted depending upon the results of this level of investigation.(11) Testing permit. This permit category is for the purpose of detailed subsurface examination of cultural resources including systematic test excavations of a particular site or area. Testing must be oriented toward sampling a representative portion of a particular site or sites and may be conducted to determine if a landmark contains significant materials. Specific requirements may be imposed by the Commission as part of the permit. Permission for construction to proceed may be granted depending upon the results of this level of investigation.(12) Underwater excavations permit. In order to fulfill justified research objectives, or if damage to significant historic and prehistoric sites cannot be avoided, a full-scale underwater archeological excavation must be carried out under the direct supervision of an underwater archeologist. The intensive investigation and excavation must include documentary research and, for shipwrecks, detailed magnetometer work. Excavations must be supported by adequate equipment and supplies to insure proper recording, preservation, and the recovery of the maximum amount of data. Thorough analysis and a complete report are required. Proper antiquities conservation is required for all artifacts, and all specimens recovered are state property. Specific requirements may be included by the Commission as part of the permit. Permission for construction to proceed may be granted depending upon the results of this level of investigation.(13) Underwater survey permit. Underwater resources include shipwrecks and submerged prehistoric and historic sites. Surveys for these cultural resources are conducted with electronic instrumentation including the proton magnetometer, side-scan and sub-bottom sonar, and positioning systems. In some instances, divers, using scuba gear search for and examine a specific site or structure. Work is conducted under the direct supervision of an underwater archeologist or underwater archeological surveyor. Data acquired are to be rendered to the Commission along with an analysis and report. Specific requirements may be included by the Commission as part of the permit. Permission for construction to proceed may be granted depending upon the results of this level of investigation.(14) Underwater test excavations permit. Significant magnetic and/or acoustic anomalies discovered during survey must be tested by excavation under the direct supervision of an underwater archeologist in order to determine the source of the anomalies. Inspection by divers, coring, or other appropriate means must be used to test the nature of suspected prehistoric or historic sites. In the case of magnetic anomalies, sediment must be removed to allow identification, approximate dating, and determination of the importance of objects and sites found. Any artifacts recovered from state lands are property of the State of Texas. Extensive recovery during testing is discouraged. Accepted standards for provenience control and archeological data recovery must be maintained. Data must be analyzed and rendered to the Commission in a written report. Proper conservation of any artifacts recovered must be carried out. Specific requirements may be required by the Commission as part of the permit. Permission for construction to proceed may be granted depending upon the results of this level of investigation.13 Tex. Admin. Code § 26.15
The provisions of this §26.15 adopted to be effective May 20, 2013, 38 TexReg 2980; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 45, Number 29, July 17, 2020, TexReg 4967, eff. 7/20/2020