In May, 34 instances of unauthorized excavation and removal of archeological resources without a permit as required by the Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA) as amended occurred in the Spotsylvania Court House Unit, Laurel Hill Area of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park in Virginia. Archeologists and GIS specialists from the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, in cooperation with the park, conducted an archeological damage assessment. Approximately 1.6 acres of the battlefield were subject to illegal metal detector prospecting. This led to the excavation of 11,490.703 cubic inches (6.6497 cu.ft.) of soil which cumulatively disturbed 2,804.32 square inches (19.476 sq.ft.) of the surface. Evidence seized from the two suspects in this incident contained 52 objects related to the Civil War period. The following values were determined as a result of this unauthorized activity:

The felony threshold for ARPA violation is monetary damage in excess of five hundred ($500.00) dollars. The monetary damage amount is determined by combining (1) the cost of repair and restoration and the commercial value of the resource, or (2) the cost of restoration and repair, and the archeological value of the resource. In example (1) this amount is $3301.86, and in example (2) the amount is $12,194.70. Both assessments exceeded the felony threshold.

An archeological damage assessment resulting from unauthorized excavations at the Spotsylvania Courthouse Battlefield Unit of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania Counties Battlefield Park was conducted by archeologists from the Valley Forge Center for Cultural Resources in September. Re-excavation of fourteen holes excavated by relic hunters in the "Lee's Final Line" area identified a disturbance of 11,401 cubic inches or 6.6 cubic feet. The cost of restoration and repair was determined to be $3058.79. Assessment and evaluation costs totaled $2990.00.