San Rafael Swell - Mine Closure Comment Period

[scoutabout]

http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/info/newsroom/2011/february/public_comment_period.html

Release Date: 02/03/11
Contacts: Chris Conrad , (435) 636-3667



Public Comment Period Opens for the San Rafael Swell Mine Openings Closure


PRICE, Utah — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Price Field Office (PFO) announces a 30-day public comment period for the San Rafael Swell Abandoned Mine Closure Project Environmental Assessment (EA). The comment period begins on February 4, 2011, and concludes on March 7, 2011.

The project area is located in Emery County, Utah, about 140 miles south of Salt Lake City and 35 miles south of Price. It is generally located within the San Rafael Swell physiographic province. The project area is situated between the towns of Emery on the west, Green River on the east, and Hanksville on the south.

One-hundred seventy-two openings are proposed for closure in the San Rafael Abandoned Mine Closure Project, of which 156 (91 percent) are on lands managed by the BLM PFO. The remaining openings are located on lands managed by the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA). The openings on BLM lands will be fully funded by the BLM; no Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMRCA) funds will be expended to close mine openings on BLM lands. The only SMCRA funds which will be used are for the administration of, and the physical hazard abatement of, the 16 mine opening closures located on SITLA land.

The purpose of the proposed action is to improve public safety, reduce the risk of accidental death or injury, and reduce BLM's liability. The BLM plans to close the mine openings, while minimizing impacts to important historical resources (including cold war era mining resources), which the BLM has determined deserve protection through the recently completed land use planning process. In addition, this project supports Utah BLM’s abandoned mine reclamation program and Abandoned Mine Reclamation Plan mandated under Title IV of SMCRA.

A hard copy of the EA is available from the BLM Price Field Office at 125 South 600 West, Price, Utah. The document is available on-line at: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/info/nepa/enbb.html

The BLM Price Field Office welcomes comments on the San Rafael Swell Abandoned Mine Closure Project EA and asks that submitted comments be as specific as possible. Comments which contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response. However, they will be considered in the BLM decision-making process. The most useful comments are those that contain new technical or scientific information, identify issues relevant to the proposal, identify data gaps in the impact analysis, identify additional mitigation measures or alternatives, or provide technical or scientific rationale for opinions or preferences.

Please refer to “San Rafael Swell Abandoned Mine Closure Project” on all correspondence. If email is used, please reference the EA in the subject line. Written comments will be accepted by fax, email, or letter through March 7, 2011. Please send all comments to:

Bureau of Land Management
Attn: Chris Conrad
Price Field Office
125 South 600 West
Price, UT 84501
Fax: (435) 636-3657
e-mail: UT_PR_Comments@blm.gov

Please include your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information with your comments. BLM will not consider anonymous comments. Please be aware that entire comments, including personal identifying information, may be made available to the public at any time. Requests can be made to withhold personal identifying information from the public review; however, such requests cannot be guaranteed. All submissions from organizations, businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses will be available for public inspection in their entirety.

For further information please contact Stephanie Howard, NEPA Coordinator, at (435) 781-4469.


The BLM manages more land - more than 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.

--BLM--
Utah State Office 440 West 200 South, Suite 500 SLC, UT 84101-1345

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I'll be commenting, both Gold Rush Expeditions and Mojave Underground have done some pretty substantial survey on the mines in the Swell. I'm hopeful they don't 'blow and go' destroying all the history on the outside of the portal in the meantime.

 

[anderson750]

All these mines are in my backyard, but I am not very familiar with them. Tell me a little bit about them Kurt.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Uranium, Copper and Coal mines, turn of the century to as modern as the recent Uranium booms. Temple Mountain had dozens of operating claims, a small city sprung up at Temple Junction. Copper Globe, Hidden Splendor, Lucky Strike, Tomisch Butte, ZCMI, Calf Mesa and may others boomed over the years. Temple Mountain is a literal swiss cheese of adits and shafts, many have already been reclaimed but many more have not. Lots of individual site data on ExpeditionUtah and misc trip reports here on RME too.

According to the reclamation documents (pre-bid) they were going to spend thousands plugging adits that were just 20 feet deep, ie tunnels that go into the mountain no further then a few strides were going to get plugged.

 

[anderson750]

I am familiar with many of those areas, but have never done any mine exploring. What is the position of the community who does explore the mines? Should they be left for historical value or are there some that should be closed off?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I am familiar with many of those areas, but have never done any mine exploring. What is the position of the community who does explore the mines? Should they be left for historical value or are there some that should be closed off?

Excellent question:

http://mojaveunderground.com/media/SRS_AMRP_AMSR.pdf
http://www.mojaveunderground.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=509
http://www.mojaveunderground.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=502

My primary concern is that they don't destroy any history. The DOGM and their contractors have been known to bulldoze historic cabins, push mine debris down shafts, cut down head frames and delete roads from existence. Its close minded and appalling.

 

[anderson750]

For reference, here are the comments made by one person. It is simple for a anybody to make comments even if they do not have direct contact with a particular activity. Alan enjoys seeing the mines, but does not go into them.

2011-02-04

Re: Closure of Abandoned Mines in San Rafael

Mr. Conrad,
Please accept my public comments on the proposed closure of 172 abandoned mines in the San Rafael Swell into the official record.
I ask that you NOT move forward with this wasteful and unnecessary project.
The history and heritage of ALL public lands and especially The San Rafael Swell should be enjoyed by the public...... NOT DESTROYED by the Federal Government.
If there is a particular vertical shaft that needs to be fenced, then fence it. If there's a particular adit that is collapsing, then block it off. BUT, to execute a blanket CLOSURE of 172 mines because somebody might, possibly, somehow, someday get injured is absurd. People need to accept that THEY are responsible for their actions and that risks taken, involve consequences. Bottom line is, "life leads to death".
The Federal Government CAN'T legislate, nor enforce common sense. It's time they quit wasting time, energy and money attempting to do just that.
I ask that the BLM manage these areas just as they manage any other resource found on public lands. If some of these mines need closing, close them.
And, while you are managing them instead of destroying them, why not use a fraction of the money, time and energy to provide some education to the visitors? You could enlighten the visitors about the history of the mines as well as any potential dangers. A small sign at each site seems much more logical and less destructive to the environment than bulldozers & explosives. Then let the visitor determine what risks they are willing to take. I think there are far more urgent needs of our tax dollars and BLM labor hours. Please leave our remote public lands and it's mining history just as it is today. These sites add to the intrigue and to the value of remote areas. These mines are proof that man has been there, that man has extracted important minerals and that man has used the land & minerals to establish the high standard of living that we all enjoy in this country.
The amount of disturbance required to close 172 remote, isolated mines would be staggering. At the same time the BLM is managing many of these areas as if they had never seen the hand of man. Many of these are in Wilderness Study Areas where supposedly the imprint of man is not noticeable. Hmmm, I'm seeing some hypocrisy in this scenario. Mines in WSA, go figure.
Please leave these mines as is, allow them to tell their story, help them to tell their story thru information provided at select sites.
Please DO NOT repeat the disaster that took place at the MK Tunnels.

Sincerely,


Alan J. Peterson