TITLE 13.CULTURAL RESOURCES

Part 2. TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION

Chapter 26. PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

13 TAC §26.24

The Texas Historical Commission (hereafter referred to as the Commission) proposes amendments to §26.24, relating to Reports Relating to Archeological Permits of Title 13, Part 2, Chapter 26 of the Texas Administrative Code. These changes are needed to improve the quality of reports produced under Antiquities Permits issued by the THC, and to eventually provide digital copies of the reports on-line.

F. Lawerence Oaks, Executive Director, has determined that for the first five-year period the rule is in effect there will be minor fiscal implications for state or local government as a result of enforcing or administering the rule related to the cost of contract archeologists having to produce CD or DVD copies of the reports. The amounts cannot be estimated.

Mr. Oaks has also determined that for each year of the first five year period the rule amendments are in effect the public benefit anticipated as a result of these amendments will be the availability of digital copies of archeological reports. Additionally, Mr. Oaks as determined that there may be minor financial effects on small businesses and persons engaged in archeological investigations and therefore, required to comply with these rule amendments as proposed. The amounts cannot be estimated.

Comments on the proposal may be submitted to F. Lawerence Oaks, Executive Director, Texas Historical Commission, P.O. Box 12276, Austin, Texas 78711. Comments will be accepted for 30 days after publication in the Texas Register .

The amendments are proposed under the Texas Natural Resources Code, Title 9, Chapter 191 which provides the Commission with authority to promulgate rule that will reasonably effect the purposes of this chapter.

No other statutes, articles or codes are affected by these amendments.

§26.24.Reports Relating to Archeological Permits.

(a) A report should meet the Council of Texas Archeologists (CTA) Guidelines for Cultural Resources Management Full Reports, and must be submitted to the commission meeting the following requirements [ available from the commission or from the Council of Texas Archeologists ].

(1) The report must [ also ] contain:

(A) a title page that includes: the name of the investigation project, the name of the principal investigator and investigative firm, the county or counties the investigations were performed in, and the Antiquities Permit number;

(B) an abstract containing descriptions of the findings, a list of the sites recorded and a clarification concerning which artifacts were curated and where they are or will be curated;

(C) specific recommendations of which sites merit official designation to State Archeological Landmark status; which sites appear to be eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places; and which sites will be adversely affected by a proposed project.

(2) One copy [ Two copies ] of the draft permit report must be submitted to the commission for review prior to the production of the final report. The draft report does not have to be bound, but should contain all of the basic content elements required for the final report. The final report must also contain any revisions in the draft that are required in writing by the commission.

(3) Upon completion of a permitted project, and at no charge to the commission, the permittee, sponsor, or principal investigator shall furnish the commission with 20 copies of the final report (one of which shall be an unbound copy that contains at least one map with the plotted location of any and all sites recorded), and a tagged PDF format of the report on a archival quality CD or DVD [ , a completed Abstracts in Texas Contract Archeology Summary Form, and when appropriate, a Curation Form (print copies available from the commission or also online at www.thc.state.tx.us) ].

(4) A completed Abstracts in Texas Contract Archeology Summary Form must also be submitted with the final reports and an electronic copy of the abstract and the completed abstract form must also be forwarded to the commission and when appropriate, a Curation Form (printed copies available from the commission or also online at www.thc.state.tx.us) must also be submitted with the final reports.

(b) When Antiquities Permit investigations result in negative findings, the report standards shall meet the CTA Guidelines for Cultural Resources Management Short Reports. The principal investigator, investigative firm, state agency, and/or the political subdivision shall furnish the commission with 20 copies of the Short Report at no charge to the commission along with a completed Abstracts in Texas Contract Archeology Summary Form ( printed [ print ] copies available from the commission or also online at www.thc.state.tx.us).

This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on August 10, 2006.

TRD-200604169

F. Lawerence Oaks

Executive Director

Texas Historical Commission

Earliest possible date of adoption: September 24, 2006

For further information, please call: (512) 463-1858