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VL REMEDIATION FUNDING A_ND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE <br />Total funding for the remediation planned is estimated to be $30 million in 2001 <br />dollars. This does not include the remediation already accomplished by 2001, estimated <br />to be approaching $20 million. <br />Funding of non point source remediation of mine waste sites will likely come <br />from the NPS 319 program, in kind matches from various sources, Fi;MA and <br />partnerships between landowners, previous operators, and other funding entities. For <br />instance, in 200=1 a project to remediate the Henrietta 6 & 71eve1 mine wastes is being <br />jointly funded by the BLM and Duke Energy (or its subsidiary). <br />Several thousand tons of the highest metal bearing mine wastes have been sent to the <br />Howazdsville mill for benefaction_ Any profits from this potential revenue source will be <br />used for future remediation projects. <br />Most remediation costs are associated with point source discharges of mine <br />drainage. On occasion is may be possible to reduce or eliminate inflows to a mine thus <br />minimizing the need to treat discharging water. ARSG curremly has a NPS 319 <br />Infiltration Control Project that is having success with this endeavor. However, the <br />majority of discharging mines will likely either require expensive treatment of the <br />eilluent or placement of a hydrological seal (bulkhead) within the mine. It is unlikely <br />that NPS funding can be used for either of these situations since they are considered point <br />sources. Unfortunately present regulations are structured such that a party trying to <br />remediate a discharge could be considered an operator and inadvertently take on <br />additional liability for the remaining metal dischazge beyond what is practical or imended <br />to be treated_ Therefore the ARSG has developed its own pilot project legislation that <br />would provide "Good Samaritan" status that could eliminate this undo burden. Included <br />in the bill; sponsored by Rep. Scott McInnis, is an appropriation request of $5 million to <br />begin addressing draining mines in the Animas watershed. Additional appropriation <br />requests are optional. <br />As in the case of non-point sources, some priority draining mines aze either wholly <br />owned or owned in part by FLMA. FLMA remain committed to provide funding and <br />expertise for these cleanups and will partner with other entities such as potentially <br />responsible parties, other landowners, and the ARSG to address these sites. <br />Technical assistance has been continuously provide by the many ARSG <br />participants ~vhich include water experts, an ecologist, mining engineers, a civil engineer, <br />and access to the staffs of DMG, CGS, USBLM, USFS, and USBOR <br />STII. MONITORING <br />The ARSG intends to provide continuing monitoring programs to evaluate short and <br />long term remediation impacts. They will ensure the short term monitoring of individual <br />projects they sponsor, as a requirement imposed by the funding entity. Iri addition, the <br />stakeholders have along-term interest in monitoring at and below the four stream gauges <br />in Silverton to determine the more widespread benefits of remediation activities to the <br />watershed. It is hoped that funding will continue to be provided such that biomonitoring <br />for select sensitive species of aquatic life, plus geochemical monitoring at the four <br />