By Roger McKinney
rmckinney@joplinglobe.com
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. — Representatives from two federal agencies on Tuesday night presented to members of a Spring River watershed group progress reports on cleanup and restoration projects.
John Miesner, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, reported on a $2.6 million project to restore Spring River and other waterways in Cherokee County that have been damaged by mine waste.
Bryant Burnett, a project manager with the Environmental Protection Agency, reported on mine-waste cleanup in Baxter Springs, Treece and northern Cherokee County. The contracts for the Baxter Springs and Treece projects are valued at $20.5 million.
The officials made their presentations to the Spring River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy group, also called WRAPS.
Miesner said his agency this week will publish a notice that will start a 30-day period, after which it will have access to the funds to start the restoration project.
“We’re almost there,” he said. “We’re almost to the point of sending people out to start purchasing easements and acres.”
The plans developed by the Fish and Wildlife Service include preserving high-quality river and stream banks or preserving a buffer area around Empire Lake in Riverton.
“Some of the details we’re working through right now,” Miesner said.
He said removing the sediment from Empire Lake remains among the alternatives available. The plan notes that option may be too costly.
Miesner said the plan includes many options because the agency must have the cooperation of landowners. He said their level of cooperation will help determine which options the agency chooses to pursue.
“We can’t do anything without the private landowner,” he said.
In response to a question, Miesner said there may be ways in which the Spring River group can assist with the project. He said it already has done that by gathering a list of landowners along Spring River.
“That was a gold mine for us,” he said.
There is no time limit for the Fish and Wildlife Service project.
Burnett said a mine-waste cleanup project began in April, with a contractor working along the state line at Waco, Mo. He said most of the project is on the Kansas side of the border.
He said cleanup work began recently in Baxter Springs, and that the contractor arrived in Treece to begin work there earlier Tuesday.
Burnett said a contract for the Badger and Lawton areas in Cherokee County should be in place by May. He said that project could be complicated.
“That site straddles Spring River,” he said.
Burnett said mine waste is used to fill cave-in pits, then clean fill also is added. The location then is capped with 12 inches of clay and 6 inches of topsoil. Native plants then are planted. The areas aren’t allowed to be developed after cleanup is complete, he said.
The cleanup projects are expected to take up to 10 years.
“It’s moving forward rapidly right now,” Burnett said. “I would say in the next five years, a significant amount will be complete.”
EPA projects
The Environmental Protection Agency projects in Cherokee County are designed to address mine waste in the former Tri-State Mining District, which is now an EPA Superfund site.
Local News
Federal agencies provide progress reports to Spring River group
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