BLM announces public meeting about historic properties at the Anaconda Mine site
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CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management, Carson City District is hosting a public meeting to share information and invite comments on a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to resolve adverse effects to historic properties in and near the Anaconda Mine. The meeting will be an open house from 4-6 p.m., on Thursday, March 12, at the Yerington public library (20 Nevin Way). Public comments will be accepted from February 27 through March 18, 2020.
At the meeting, maps and photographs will be available along with information about the historic properties and drafts for review of the MOA and Historic Properties Treatment Plan (HPTP). A BLM archaeologist will be available to answer questions and talk about the history and archaeology of the area.
The BLM is responding to two proposals in and next to the Anaconda Copper Mine Site (ACMS). One is disposal of public land in and next to the ACMS to Atlantic Richfield Company (ARC). The other is remediation work at the ACMS. Approximately half of the ACMS is public land managed by the BLM.
Historic and archaeological studies have documented the historic Anaconda Mine, the Sagecrest Drive-in Theater, and a Native American archaeological site that BLM has determined to be “historic properties” which means they are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Remediation work would cause adverse effects to the historic mine site by changing its historic appearance and character, and disposal of public lands would cause adverse effects to all three of the historic properties above due to loss of federal protections once the land became private.
Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, adverse effects are resolved through a MOA that defines what steps must be taken to gather, preserve and share information about historic properties. Detailed plans for mitigation are called a Historic Properties Treatment Plan (HPTP).
If you are unable to attend the meeting, copies of the MOA and HPTP are available online at: https://go.usa.gov/xdVfj and you can submit comments by mail (5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701) or by email at rcrews@blm.gov.
For more information, contact BLM Archaeologist Rachel Crews at the email above or (775) 885-6152.
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.