Environmental Assessment for Abandoned Mines and Crystal Creek Quarry Reclamation is Open for Public Review and Comment

Date: April 7, 2010
Contact: Russ Weatherbee, [phone]

The National Park Service, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, California, has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed project. The EA is now available for public review and comment through April 27, 2010.  The National Park Service (NPS) proposes recontouring slopes and establishing drainage improvements at the Crystal Creek Quarry site, and installing mine safety treatments at abandoned mine lands in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.

The purpose of this project is to mitigate safety hazards posed by steep slopes and unstable materials at the Crystal Creek Quarry site, and old, deteriorated, accessible, abandoned mine features at other Recreation Area locations, while accommodating the use of the abandoned mine land sites by wildlife (principally bats), minimize impacts on historic fabric and the visual character of the historic landscape, and minimize potential adverse effects on natural resources using mitigation measures.

 The EA examines three alternatives: no action, alternative B, and the NPS preferred alternative (alternative C). Alternative B would install or improve safety treatments at up to 20 abandoned mine land sites in the Recreation Area. At the Crystal Creek Quarry site, this alternative would regrade steep slopes, stabilize highly erodible areas, and install drainage improvements. Other features would include a new parking lot, handicapped parking.

The NPS preferred alternative includes installing a variety of abandoned mine safety techniques, such as metal grates, fencing (permanent or temporary), bat gates and cupolas, cable mesh nets, foam plugs covered with backfill, or back-filling alone, in multiple mine openings at the Recreation Area. The preferred alternative would be similar to alternative B, in the treatment of abandoned mine safety techniques, but reclamation of Crystal Creek Quarry site would include more topographic variation and improved infiltration along parts of the trail/road. Other differences would include changing the location of the gate for bicycle and pedestrian access, and not having a separate area for handicapped parking.

Comments must be received no later than April 27, 2010. Public comment may be submitted online at the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment website, http:parkplanning.nps.gov/whis  If you do not have website access, you may direct comments regarding this project to the park in writing by mail or hand delivery to:

Superintendent
ATTENTION: AML/Reclamation EA Comments Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
14412 Kennedy Memorial Dr.
Whiskeytown, CA 96095-0188

-NPS-