Bluebird and Blackjack Mines: Engineering and Cost Analysis
The USDA Forest Service is announcing the availability of a (draft) Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) for the Bluebird and Blackjack Mines, which are located on the Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests, approximately 3 miles southwest of the town of Granite, Oregon. The EE/CA proposes to remove sludge from the mine drainage to an off-site repository and upgrade sludge ponds at both sites.
The two mines are abandoned historic underground mines. Both mines are draining discharge from the adits (or horizontal mine entrance) through pipelines to nearby ground features (ditches and settling ponds). The Forest Service is leading removal action efforts under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) to mitigate any potential risks to public health or to the environment.
The public was invited to review and submit written comments during a 30-day public comment period, beginning August 18, 2022. The Forest Service will consider all public comments on the draft EE/CA before finalizing the document and issuing an Action Memorandum.
A hard copy of the Draft EECA report may be requested at: 401 West Main, Ukiah, OR. All written comments had to be e-mailed to the United States Forest Service OSC no later than September 16, 2022, for consideration in the Final EE/CA. The Draft EE/CA is available below.
For additional information, please contact Mario A. Isaias-Vera (USFS, On-Scene Coordinator) mario.isaias-vera@usda.gov; or Andrew Schamber (Regional Environmental Engineer) at Andrew.Schamber@usda.gov.
Documents:
