RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS—MAXIMIZING ON-THE-GROUND BENEFITS IN AML CLEAN-UP EFFORTS

• Jurisdiction: United States

Cleaning up the Public Domain: The Next Frontier
(Mar 1996)
CHAPTER 1D
RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS—MAXIMIZING ON-THE-GROUND BENEFITS IN AML CLEAN-UP EFFORTS
Robert D. Higgins
Abandoned Mines Program National Park Service
Denver, Colorado

ROCKY MOUNTAIN MINERAL LAW FOUNDATION

CLEANING UP THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

Mini-Conference

March 20, 1996, 8:45-10:00 Session

Overview of current clean-up program by key government agencies

15 minute talk

OUTLINE

Resource Constraints — Maximizing On-the-Ground Benefits in AML Clean-up Efforts

I. Common Lnaguage

A. Clean-up; What does this mean? Park Service viewpoint

B. Abandoned Mineral Lands vs Abandoned Mines, Park Service Program

II. Background — What we are up against

A. Changing attitudes — 10-15 years ago it was not a given that we had an issue much less a problem

B. SMCRA inventories gave us insight into the magnitude of the problem, early 1980s

C. Issue catches on — reports indicate a big concern, early 1990s

1. Deep Pockets (1993)

2. Burden of Gilt (1993)

3. Western Governors Association: A Summary of Existing and Planned Noncoal Inactive and Abandoned Mine Inventories (1993)

4. Council of Environmental Quality, OMB: Improving Federal Facilities Cleanup (1995)

5. GAO Report

D. Where NPS fits

1. DOI Federal land management agency, 83 million acres, 367 NPS units, 2,700 AML sites, 1,000 sand and gravel sites, 100 orphaned oil and gas wells, 33,000 disturbed acres at AML sites

2. Comparison with other federal land managers AML Sites

a. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service....... 250

b. National Park Service................. 2,500

c. U.S. Forest Service................... 25,000

d. Bureau of Land Management............... 250,000+

e. Western States indicate tens of thousands of sites

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3. NPS cost estimate for mitigation — backlog report

a. Immediate Needs — $40 million

b. Long Term Needs — $160 million

c. Funds spent in NPS — $ 1/2-1 million per year (majority of funds non Park Service)

III. Existing Sources of Funding (There is NO single source of funding)

A. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) fees

B. Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation Liability Act (CERCLA)

C. Clean Water Act

1. Nonpoint Source Program

2. Point Source Program

D. Park Service Operating Budget (reprogrammed funding only)

IV. Maximizing On-The-Ground Benefits

A. Creative funding sources (including matching funds)

1. DEA — Drug paraphernalia found at AML...