Brownf ields Mine-Scarred
Lands Initiative
Federal Agencies Collaborate with Communities
On January 11, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Small Business
Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (Public Law 107-118;
H.R. 2869). The Brownfields Law expanded the definition of brownfields
to include mine-scarred lands, making these properties eligible for the
benefits of the Brownfields Program.
Mine-Scarred Lands Working Group
As an extension of the Brownfields Federal Partnership, the Mine-Scarred Lands
(MSL) Working Group is co-chaired by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment and the U.S.
Department of Interior's Office of Surface Mining. A total of six federal
agencies makeup the MSL Working Group.
The MSL Working Group was established to collaboratively address the
challenges of mine-scarred lands cleanup and revitalization. The mission of the
Working Group is to foster the cleanup and sustainable revitalization of mine-
scarred lands and affected communities.
Mine-Scarred Lands
Federal Partners
• Appalachian Regional Commission
• U.S. Department of Interior
- Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance
- Bureau of Land Management
- Office of Surface Mining
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
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What Are Mine-Scarred Lands?
Mine-scarred lands are defined as lands, associated waters,
and surrounding watersheds where extraction, beneficiation,
or processing of ores and minerals (including coal) has
occurred. It is estimated that there are more than 500,000
abandoned mining sites composed of hard rock and coal
mines across the U.S. Many of these MSL properties are
located on both public and private land and involve complex
economic, social, and environmental issues.
Mine-Scarred Lands Pose Several Challenges
Mine-scared lands have become a persistent problem in many communities due to the economic and
environmental challenges of cleaning up and reusing mine-scarred lands.
Economic Distress impacts many former mining communities as they transition from an extraction
industry to new enterprises. There is often limited infrastructure or land suitable for development. In
addition, the blighting influence of mine-scarred lands may deter new investment.
Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) occurs when water comes in contact with mining wastes during and
after operations. The resulting acidic water seeps through and flows out of abandoned mines long after
they are closed. Most AMD discharges directly into streams killing vegetation, degrading aquatic
ecosystems, threatening fish and wildlife, and posing a threat to public water supplies.
Stockpiled waste rock and tailings pose a serious threat to the health of ecosystems. Wastes
from mining operations are left behind in large gobb piles or waste dumps, and often contribute to
metal loading in streams and rivers.
Stored chemicals and leaking containers left behind when
mines close often pose dangers at these sites. Chemical
containers can be damaged or corroded, exposing
dangerous contents.
Open shafts, rotting support structures,
equipment and open pits found at abandoned
mine sites pose a health and safety threat to local
residents.
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The MSL Demonstration Project Program
The MSL Working Group has identified six Demonstration
Projects across the U.S. where the opportunity exists to
collaborate with local stakeholders by providing technical
assistance to clean up and reuse mine-scarred lands.
Activities may include identifying community redevelopment
needs and facilitating local visioning and action plans. These
plans will guide redevelopment efforts and incorporate local
partners in the planning process.
Barrick Bullfrog Mine - Nye County, Nevada
The Barrick Bullfrog mine, a former gold mine, is in the final stages of closure and the nearby
community of Beatty is determining reuse opportunities.
CAN DO Innovations Site - Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazelton is working to clean up an 82-acre anthracite coal mine site, which is part of the larger
Cranberry Creek Gateway corridor project that involves 366-acres of contiguous mine-scarred lands.
Eureka Town Site - San Juan County, Colorado
An approximate one-mile segment of the Upper Animas River valley was contaminated by the
historical disposal of tailings into waterways from abandoned gold, silver, lead and zinc mines.
Kelly's Creek - Kanawha County, West Virginia
This seven-community watershed is deprived of healthy drinking water, due to historic coal mining and
insufficient sewage disposal. Initial cleanup planning has begun with strong local and regional support.
Pennsylvania Mine - Summit County, Colorado
Pennsylvania Mine has impacted water quality in the area by loading
metals into Peru Creek, a tributary of the Snake River. The
community has completed scientific studies on water cleanup,
but requires further technical assistance.
Stone Creek Tipple Site - Lee County, Virginia
The 1.5-acre abandoned coal loading facility poses a
health and safety hazard due to stream bank erosion
and possible PCB contamination. The site is among the
seventy abandoned tipple sites that blight the coalfields
of Virginia.
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Looking to the Future
Over the next year, the MSL Working (
will be actively supporting these six
Demonstration Projects. Each site brings
complex challenges that require collaboration
between many federal agencies. Through
identifying community needs, locating experts,
sharing information, and involving the private-
sector, the MSL Demonstration Projects
represent a national effort to develop a
coordinated, collaborative approach to cleaning
up the nation's mine-scarred lands. In the
future, it is hoped that the lessons learned from
these Demonstration Projects will serve as
models for success in mine-scarred lands
revitalization.
Jennifer Bohman
U.S. EPA Office of Brownfields Cleanup and
Redevelopment
Phone: (202) 566-2777
E-mail: bohman.jennifer@epa.gov
Allan Comp
U.S. DOI Office of Surface Mining
Phone: (202) 208-2836
E-mail: TCOMP@osmre.gov
Shahid Mahmud
U.S. EPA Office of Superfund Remediation
and Technology Innovation
Phone: (703) 603-8789
E-mail: mahmud.shahid@epa.gov
collaborative processes,
contact Lee Scharf at (202) 564-5143 or
scharf.lee@epa.gov.
For additional information on EPA's
Brownfields Program,
visit the EPA Brownfields Web site at: http://
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
and Emergency
Response (5105)
EPA-560-F-04-252
September 2004
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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