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Eielson AFB updates preservation agreements; proposes 8‑year MOA and archaeological monitoring
Summary
Eielson Air Force Base told the Fairbanks Historic Preservation Commission that a programmatic agreement has been signed by the wing commander and SHPO and that a draft MOA for Quarry Hill consolidation would mitigate demolition of five watchtowers and one munitions facility via HABS/HAER documentation and archaeological monitoring; the MOA is proposed as an eight-year agreement.
Representatives of Eielson Air Force Base updated the Fairbanks North Star Borough Historic Preservation Commission on Dec. 2 about two preservation actions: a programmatic agreement and a draft memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the Quarry Hill consolidation project.
Brooke Salollar, representing Eielson AFB, said the programmatic agreement was signed by the wing commander and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and is under final review by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). She described a draft MOA covering demolition of five guard/watch towers and one munitions inspection facility that the Air Force proposes to mitigate by producing Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) documentation to Level II standards — including drawings, in-situ photographs and a consolidated written report for review before any demolition.
Salollar also said the draft MOA includes an archaeological-monitoring appendix because of the potential for deeply buried deposits at Quarry Hill, and that the MOA proposes an eight-year completion window (if work is not completed in that period, a new agreement would be required). She said the MOA also contemplates a curation agreement with the Museum of the North and on-site monitoring by a Secretary of the Interior–qualified professional able to halt work if significant remains are identified.
At the same meeting, Eielson staff asked the commission to review a scope of work for a Section 110 (Phase I) archaeological survey of 51 acres at Birch Lake, funded by a Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program award; staff said additional Level II evaluations of identified sites would depend on remaining funds and relative site risk. The proposed survey would include a team member with traditional knowledge and curation arrangements with the Museum of the North.
Commissioners asked for copies of the MOA and the survey scope so they can comment; staff said they will provide the draft documents and accept commission feedback before the MOA is finalized in the spring. No formal action was taken beyond the request for review and distribution of the draft MOA and survey scope.
