Lyle Laverty, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI), wrote on November 25, 2008 that the DOI has identified the course of action they recommend for the Bureau of Mines site. It includes the “removal of all existing structures and associated above-ground infrastructure (roads, power lines, ore bins, etc.) at the Center, restoration of the site to natural conditions, restoration of the spring, and retention of the site by the federal government.” DOI also suggests that “…long-term ownership of this property should rest with the National Park Service as part of the Mississippi National River & Recreation Area.”

The process of determining the disposition and future of the Bureau of Mines property has been under formal review since November of 2004. Public meetings were held and comments collected until November 27, 2006 on the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS). The DOI recommendation was based upon the DEIS analyses and collected public comment. This recommendation represents the preferred alternative which will be further reviewed in the final environmental impact statement (FEIS).

The EIS preferred alternative and related land scenario was selected from several alternatives ranging from no action (i.e. leave the site in its existing condition) to redevelopment of the site and office buildings as a training/business center or an interpretive/nature/history center to complete building removal and site restoration to a natural condition. These alternatives are fully outlined in the DEIS.

The Selected, Preferred Alternative
Several alternatives were reviewed in the July 2006 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the future use of the property. The Department of the Interior has selected Alternative D as the preferred alternative which is stated as:

“Under Alternative D, the federal government would manage and bear the costs for removal of the existing structures and associated aboveground infrastructure, and retain the property in federal ownership. Under the preferred alternative, the selected land use scenario is open space/park.”

The environmental impacts of the preferred alternative will be further outlined in the Final EIS.