Policy requires proven Grand Canyon mine claims

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Abandoned Mine Lands Closure Plan Project Scoping for an Environmental Assessment
August 11, 2009

National Park Service, Ariz. – The National Park Service is preparing an Environmental Assessment for projects to correct health and safety hazards associated with abandoned mines in four national park system sites in Arizona. These projects, at Coronado National Memorial, Grand Canyon National Park, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Saguaro National Park, are eligible for funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Like other regions in the American West, during the mid- to late 19th century, Arizona was prospected for gold, silver, copper and lead ores. Mining districts were established, and innumerable prospect pits, adits, and shafts were opened to test or mine the marginal deposits. In the 20th century, important deposits of asbestos were located and opened in Grand Canyon; and from the late 1950’s through the mid-1980’s, uranium was mined. The main hazards associated with abandoned mines include falling into shafts, loose rock falling from the roofs of adits, high radon concentrations, toxic metals, or inhaling asbestos. Some mine features are located in areas that have wilderness character, some provide important wildlife habitat (particularly for bats), and some are listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The planning objective is to correct health and safety hazards at the abandoned mine sites to reduce exposure of park visitors to the dangers posed at these sites, while preserving natural and cultural resource values.

An Environmental Assessment (EA) will be prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide the decision-making framework that 1) explores a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives, 2) evaluates potential issues and impacts to park resources and values, and 3) identifies mitigation measures to lessen the degree or extent of these impacts.

The NPS encourages public participation throughout the NEPA process during which the public has two opportunities to comment on this project; once during initial project scoping and again following release of the EA. We are currently in the scoping phase of this project, and we invite the public to voice ideas, comments, or concerns about this effort. These comments will be considered during preparation of the EA.

This project is funded by the ARRA which will invest $750 million in nearly 800 projects throughout the country. Recovery Act projects were selected through a rigorous process that identified projects meeting specific criteria to address the highest priority mission needs; create the largest number of jobs in the shortest period of time; and create lasting value for the American people. The abandoned mine lands projects in these four parks were selected because they will address high priority health and human safety concerns.

The public scoping brochure is available electronically at the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. To access the project for one of the parks insert /coro, /grca, /orpi, or /sagu at the end of the web address. Comments can be submitted online at the PEPC website (the preferred method) or mailed to the parks. Scoping comments will be accepted through September 8, 2009.

For questions and additional information about this project, or for copies of the public scoping brochure, please contact Danielle Foster at Coronado NM at 520-824-3560, extension 204, Maureen Oltrogge at Grand Canyon NP at 928-638-7779, Mark Sturm at Organ Pipe Cactus NM at 520-387-6849, extension 7110, or Meg Weesner at Saguaro NP at 520-733-5170.

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