PINE CREEK — Folks up Pine Creek may see some heavier traffic during the 2022 construction season, which was recently announced as the expected start date of an Environmental Protection Agency cleanup project at the Douglas Mine and Mill site.

The 122-year-old site had several rounds of data collection completed over the 2020 summer months and EPA project managers believe that they have collected enough data to put a comprehensive project plan in place.

Over the years, the area has become a hot spot for outdoor recreationists who like to use the diverse terrain for activities like motorcycle and ATV riding, camping and target shooting.

These activities seem innocent enough, but the EPA states that the presence of heavy metals in the soils makes this area a hotbed for contamination.

These activities pose potential risks due largely to the dust that they kick up, which contains contaminated particulate matter that can be inhaled and then settle in the lungs. These contaminants are also located alongside the creek, where they can dissolve and harm both the water quality, as well as the wildlife that inhabits the water or uses the creek as their primary water source.

The site, located just over three miles down the East Fork of Pine Creek, was discovered in 1898, but wasn’t a full production mine until 1916 and produced more than 100,000 tons of lead, zinc and silver ore.

Testing began in 2019, when the CDA Work Trust began sampling and testing at the site to learn just how much contamination existed. Under the EPA’s direction, the crews dug test pits, installed sampling wells, and performed X-ray diffraction surveys. The data collected helped them design a cleanup plan that will ensure that they protect people’s health, as well as the environment when they start their construction work in 2022.

EPA spokesperson Mark MacIntyre would like to assure the community that crews are following the proper safety regulations, including following COVID-19 guidelines.

“As we adjust to the evolving COVID-19 situation, EPA is making decisions about ongoing Superfund cleanup activity with the health and safety of communities, EPA staff, state and tribal partners, and contractors as top priority,” he said. “EPA wants to stress that its ability to respond to environmental emergencies at Superfund sites, or any other environmental emergency where our assistance is sought by state, tribal or local partners, remains unaffected and undeterred.”