Land Revitalization Success Stories I EPA 560-F-17-199
September 2017
Planning for Sustainable Brownfield Redevelopment
REUSE ALTERNATIVES FOR THE COCHITI GRAVEL MINE
COCHITI PUEBLO - NEW MEXICO. EPA REGION 6
Located along the Rio Grande River in north centra! New Mexico, approximately 50 miles south-west of Santa Fe,
the Cochiti's culture is based around agriculture and the river. Until recently, a gravel mine was operated under an
agreement with the Cochiti on a tract of land within the Cochiti Pueblo. The former gravel
mine is approximately 13 acres in area and approximately 30 feet at its deepest point.
Immediately adjacent to the town of Pena Blanca, the mine site is approximately five
miles from the pueblo center. The edges of the site abut several privately-owned
properties. High embankments provide a physical barrier between the mine and the
privately-owned properties. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
conducted environmental studies at the site to assess the potential risks from illegally
dumped construction debris in the gravel pit portion of the mine. The detailed well and
soil sampling efforts led EPA to conclude that no significant environmental impact
was caused by the dumping activities, However, the Pueblo remains concerned about
potential health and safety risks associated with the abandoned mine. While the tribe
is in litigation against the former operator of the mine, the Pueblo is evaluating
sustainable reuses for the site.
Figure 1. View of the gravel mine site from the
southwest corner of the property.
The Pueblo requested technical assistance from the EPA Land Revitalization Team to
develop reuse alternatives for the site. The Team developed a stakeholder engagement
process, worked with the Pueblo to create a needs assessment and reuse assessment,
and developed suggestions for final reuse alternatives, The reuse planning process was
based on a foundation of engagement with the Pueblo and integrates the tribe's goals
and vision for the abandoned property. The team worked to understand the goals and
values of the Cochiti before engaging outside stakeholders, ensuring that information
gathered from outside parties was solicited in a manner that accounted for the Cochiti's
guiding principles. Engaging outside stakeholders was critical to understanding the
potential scope of redevelopment within the context of the existing community.
The Team identified reuse alternatives for the mine based on feedback from tribal
members, recognizing tribal concerns for safety, and taking into account unknown
geotechnical conditions, restoration potential, and site location. The Land Revitalization
Team engaged with tribal entities including governors and the tribal council, and
conducted interviews with outside stakeholders to develop a community vision for the
property. The Team also worked with EPA's federal partners to identify potential funding
sources for stabilizing and redeveloping the site (e.g., U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Bureau of Land Management), The result of these activities included a summary of
constraints that will influence how the site can be reused, Feedback from various
stakeholders was used to develop illustrations to help communicate various reuse
alternatives to the tribal community. Based on tribal input and analysis, the Team identified
three potential reuse options: 1) restoring the site to a natural state; 2) recreational use
(outdoor swimming pool, trails, picnic areas, or an active sports complex (e.g. horseshoes,
skateboard park, archery)); and 3) economic development focused on agriculture.
Redevelopment options for the site are diverse, Feedback from the tribal community
guided this effort to consider scenarios that provide benefit and security to the tribe. This
effort presents options that meet the Cochiti's reverence for its culture and land while
balancing potential economic and social benefit for its people. The technical assistance
results will guide future efforts in selecting a future use for the site,
LESSONS LEARNED
Planning initiatives should initially
define and communicate an
inclusive (including input from all
areas of the tribe) community
engagement process.
Determine the goals, needs, and
vision of the Tribe before engaging
outside stakeholders.
Clearly define a path forward to
enable Consensus based decision-
making.
PLANNED POST-TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES
•	Perform internal due diligence to
help ensure the end goals and
vision are achieved.
•	Coordinate with the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, through EPA Region 6,
to coordinate pre-development
iand grading assistance.
•	Form Advisory Steering Committee,
which reports to the Governor and
Tribal Council, to guide site oversight
and decision-making.
•	Enlist staff to support economic
analyses throughout project
development, monitoring, and
evaluation.
•	Develop business plan for
redevelopment venture.
For more information, please contact Karen Peycke, EPA Region 1. pevcke,karen@epa.gov.

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