SAN FRANCISCO (June 30, 2021) – Yesterday, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Regional Administrator Martha Guzman was joined by Mayor of Jackson Bob Stimpson, City Manager Yvonne Kimball, CalEPA, and the Office of US Senator Alex Padilla to tour the Argonaut Mine Superfund Site in Amador County, Calif., and see the cleanup work being supported by a $13 million commitment from the Biden-Harris Administration from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
The historic Argonaut Mine, located west of downtown Jackson, is a hard rock gold mine that operated from the 1850s to 1942. The abandoned mine was added to EPA’s National Priorities List of Superfund sites in 2016. Gold mining operations deposited high levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury in soil and mine tailings. Throughout EPA’s work with the site and completion of early cleanups, EPA has coordinated with the State Historic Preservation Office and local organizations, to ensure the site’s historic preservation.
“EPA is working closely with our partners at DTSC and U.S. Army Corps to make sure that the cleanup is protecting the community from contact with hazardous mine tailings and preventing arsenic from running into the local river,” said Martha Guzman, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “The influx of BIL funding is ensuring that the Jackson community gets the protections they deserve.”
Current cleanup, funded by BIL, will excavate 100,000 cubic yards of contaminated tailings and soil. The contaminated soil will be capped, and the cleaned areas will be restored to natural conditions. Stormwater diversion channels will be constructed to divert 86 percent of clean stormwater off the tailings. Initial work started on June 3, 2022, and the project is expected to be completed in late 2023. The work will prevent exposure to contamination by the surrounding community and restore the land to its natural condition.
“We had the opportunity to visit the Argonaut Mine superfund site yesterday morning and saw the progress made by the EPA team. I appreciate our continued communication with EPA and DTSC,” said Mayor of Jackson Bob Stimpson. “I look forward to furthering the EPA-DTSC-Jackson partnership for many years to come.”
“As Mayor Stimpson stated, the Argonaut Mine Superfund project has opened up many opportunities for the City of Jackson, the US EPA and the California DTCS to serve our community collaboratively. The teamwork has been wonderful,” said City Manager Yvonne Kimball. “Moreover, I am pleased to learn that the new federal infrastructure money was utilized in the project. It is gratifying to see federal dollars making a direct and positive impact in a traditionally underserved rural community, like Jackson.”
The $13 million allocation for the Argonaut Mine Superfund Site is part of a $1 billion "first wave" of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help clean up polluted Superfund sites in communities across the country.
“Great things are possible when governments come together to solve complex, longstanding issue, such as those the community of Jackson has faced with the Argonaut Dam,” said Dr. Meredith Williams, DTSC Director. “US EPA has been a terrific partner on this site, working quickly to protect the community. We look forward to continued successful collaboration as this project moves forward.”
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as the Superfund Law, gives EPA the authority to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, funds appropriated by Congress are used. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests an additional $3.5 billion in environmental remediation at Superfund sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities and neighborhoods.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment that will create millions of jobs modernizing our infrastructure, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21st century.
Visit our website for more information on the Argonaut Mine Superfund Site.
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