Dillon BLM seeks comments on abandoned mine cleanup plan
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(DILLON, Mont.) – The Bureau of Land Management’s Dillon Field Office is looking for public input on its proposal to eliminate physical safety hazards resulting from historic mining activity in the Silverstar Mining District, located about 11 miles north of Twin Bridges.
The Environmental Assessment analyzes numerous abandoned sites in the Silverstar area, the majority of which will be backfilled.
“These mine features were abandoned in the 1960s and left major impacts to the landscape regarding health, safety, and general welfare,” said Keith Johnson, assistant field manager with the Dillon Field Office. “We are currently in the process of reviewing the type of work which could be done to make the abandoned mines safer for both humans and wildlife. Public safety and the good stewardship of natural resources are our main concerns.”
The Environmental Assessment, which can be found online at http://bit.ly/2w7X786, lists the hazardous features as “vertical drop-offs, excavated pits, open adits, shafts and waste piles.”
The BLM will take public comment on the Environmental Assessment until Sept. 5.
For more information or to submit comments, please contact the Dillon Field Office at (406) 683-8000, or by email to MT_Dillon_FO@blm.gov with “Silverstar Environmental Assessment” in the subject line.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
For the latest BLM news and updates visit us on the web at www.blm.gov/mt, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BLMMontana
– BLM –
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.