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Abandoned mine lands (AMLs) present serious threats to human health and the environment. The purpose of this Web page is to identify EPA's resources related to the range of environmental risks and challenges from AMLs as well as risk management approaches. The EPA AML program defines AMLs as:
"Those lands, waters, and surrounding watersheds contaminated or scarred by extraction, benefaction or processing of ores and minerals, including phosphate but not coal*. Abandoned mine lands include areas where mining or processing activity is temporarily inactive."
The goal of EPA's AML Program is to identify ways to protect human health and the environment by using all of the non-regulatory and regulatory approaches available to the Agency. These approaches range from voluntary cleanups, Agency managed emergency responses, involvement of Brownfields partners, cleanups based on redevelopment/revitalization, Agreement on Consent remediation, Superfund Alternative Site designation, and full NPL listing. The AML Program works directly with other federal land management agencies, states, tribes, mine owners and operators, and community stakeholders to best coordinate the risk reduction and cleanup of abandoned mine lands.
The EPA AML Program is coordinated through the Agency's National Mining Team (NMT) and Abandoned Mine Lands Team (AMLT). These teams provide an EPA headquarters and Regional core of expertise on issues at abandoned mine sites. The teams together serve as a focal point for coordinating and facilitating national technical, policy and process issues with stakeholders on abandoned/inactive mine research, characterization, clean-up and redevelopment activities.
*Although acid mine drainage/acid rock drainage caused by coal mining commonly results in significant environmental impacts, Congress has designated the Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining as the Federal authority responsible for addressing these coal mining contamination problems.
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Elizabeth Mine, Vermont | | Former Copper Processing
- Electrowinning
Yerington, Nevada | | Created Wetland for
AMD Treatment
Mammoth Mine, California |
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