Alternative Energy Draft EA - NASA Visitor Center at Wallops Flight ...

Affected Environment
Section 110 of the NHPA calls for Federal agencies to establish historic preservation programs to
ensure the identification, protection, and use of historic properties. To that end, NASA WFF
prepared in November 2003 a Cultural Resources Assessment of Wallops Flight Facility,
Accomack County, Virginia (CRA) that examined each of the three land areas of the facility
within WFF’s property boundaries: Wallops Main Base, Wallops Mainland, and Wallops Island
(NASA, 2003a). The study focused on aboveground resources at WFF that were constructed
prior to 1955. Additionally, the CRA established a predictive model for understanding the
archaeological potential over the entire WFF property.
Among the cultural resources identified at WFF in the CRA are six archaeological sites, two of
which are historic sites on Wallops Island (Figure 15 and Figure 16) and a total of 166 buildings
and structures that were at the time of the study at least 55 years old, 25 of which are located on
Wallops Island. Comments from the SHPO (Virginia Department of Historic Resources
[VDHR]) were received in a letter dated December 4, 2003 (NASA, 2003b). The letter concurred
with the findings of the CRA. VDHR accepted the predictive model for archaeology at WFF,
noting that many of the areas with moderate to high archaeological potential are unlikely to be
disturbed by future construction or site use (NASA, 2003b).
Following the 2003 cultural resources assessment, an intensive-level survey and NRHP
evaluation of 124 buildings and structures at WFF constructed prior to 1956 was conducted, and
an historic context for these resources prepared. The findings were presented in the Historic
Resources Survey and Eligibility Report for Wallops Flight Facility (NASA, 2004). Two
resources—the Wallops Coast Guard Lifesaving Station (VDHR #001-0027-0100; WFF# V-
065) and its associated Coast Guard Observation Tower (001-0027-0101; WFF# V-070)—were
determined to be eligible for listing in the NRHP and Virginia Landmarks Register (NASA,
2004). The other surveyed resources were determined not to be eligible for listing in the NRHP
because they lacked the historical significance or integrity necessary to convey their significance.
In a letter dated November 4, 2004, VDHR concurred with the findings and determinations in the
Historic Resources Survey and Eligibility Report, agreeing that the Wallops Coast Guard
Lifesaving Station was eligible for listing in the NRHP, with the Observation Tower as a
contributing structure to the historic property (NASA, 2004). NASA has determined that the
Wallops Coast Guard Lifesaving Station is located inside the explosive hazard arc of a nearby
rocket motor storage facility and as a result, is planning the demolition or removal of the
Lifesaving Station and Observation Tower. In compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA,
NASA and VDHR are currently negotiating a Memorandum of Agreement to resolve the adverse
effects of the proposed demolition.
Since the 2004 report, no additional large-scale identification and evaluation of historic
properties has been conducted at WFF. Survey updates at WFF may reveal aboveground historic
properties not identified in the 2004 report, including properties that have achieved 50 years of
age since 2006 and properties that are less than 50 years of age that meet NRHP Criteria
Consideration G, which states that properties may be eligible for listing in the NRHP if they
possess exceptional importance.
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