The Bureau of Land Management invites public input on environmental assessment for land remediation effort in Phoenix District
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PHOENIX – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Hassayampa Field Office proposes to conduct remediation of approximately 217 acres of public lands in the White Tank Mountains / Miller Road area near Buckeye, AZ. The BLM has released a draft environmental assessment (EA) and is inviting public review.
“We continue to emphasize that safety is a top priority for the BLM,” said Phoenix District Manager Leon Thomas. “This EA is part of a process to remediate the contaminated area to meet established safety standards.”
The BLM determined that these public lands have been impacted by concentrated dispersed recreational shooting activities, and certain areas contain soils exceeding Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s (ADEQ) regulated levels of lead and arsenic. In a collaborative effort, the site was accepted into the ADEQ Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) and a draft work plan was developed to VRP standards.
The draft EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of a Proposed Action as reflected in the draft work plan and a No Action Alternative. After consideration of substantive public comments and completion of this EA, a final work plan would be completed and followed by implementation.
A 15-day public comment period begins today and ends on February 22. The draft EA and all associated documents, including the draft work plan, are publicly available at the project ePlanning website. Substantive comments can be submitted directly online. A companion draft EA analyzing closure of these lands to facilitate remediation activities is also available for public review and comment for 15 days. The work plan will also be published for public comment by the ADEQ concurrently with BLM’s public review and comment period.
For further information, contact Tyler Lindsey at the Phoenix District Office or by phone at (623) 580-5500.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.