GMUG planned cleanup for New Dominion Mine site
Work will address contaminated waste and reduce risks to people and wildlife
Contact Information: Daniel Malta, Public Affairs Officer (912) 759-0893 daniel.malta@usda.gov
(Norwood, CO, April 17, 2026) — The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests, in coordination with the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety, plan to initiate a removal action at the abandoned, inactive New Dominion Mine site from May to October 2026.
Located just east of the Town of Ophir, Colorado, near National Forest System (NFS) Road #630 (Ophir Pass Road), the site includes two separate water-discharging mine openings and associated waste rock piles. The project area encompasses approximately three acres of land primarily within GMUG boundaries on the Norwood Ranger District, with a small portion located on land managed by the Town of Ophir.
This action involves the consolidation and capping of contaminated waste rock that may be hazardous to human health and the environment, in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). The work also includes constructing permanent mine drainage channels to divert mine flows around contaminated waste piles and installing fencing and other techniques to prevent beaver manipulation of the collapsed mine openings. The objectives of the removal action are to reduce potential exposure to hazardous materials and to limit the possibility of contaminants migrating or being released into nearby waterways.
Temporary road closures will be in place during hauling activities to ensure public safety. Visit the GMUG official website and social media channels for closure updates.
An engineering evaluation and cost analysis report (EE/CA) was completed for the site in April 2021. The EE/CA included sampling and chemical analyses of mine wastes, soils, draining mine water and adjacent streams, along with human health and ecological risk screening. The report evaluated several removal action alternatives and selected the preferred alternative based on effectiveness, cost and ability to implement. A public notice and 30-day public comment period for the EE/CA was conducted in March 2021.
The EE/CA is available at:
The administrative record contains all documents upon which the USDA Forest Service based its decision to conduct a removal action at the site. Community members are encouraged to review the administrative record. Copies will be available for public review at the GMUG National Forests Supervisor’s Office during regular business hours and may also be requested electronically by emailing Bryan.Barrett2@usda.gov.
About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has, for more than 100 years, brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
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