Servicewide AML Inventory—Current Status

photo of a park employee inspecting a mine site in a rocky desert landscape. In the distance, 2 Jeeps can be seen parked near a mining headframe.
On-the-ground inspections have been conducted at abandoned mine sites throughout the National Park System.

NPS photo by Anthony Gallegos.

Introduction

In 2014, NPS completed a comprehensive inventory and assessment and learned that approximately 10% of the total number of AML features in parks, or 3,800 features, pose high safety risks or resource impacts. These high priority features are located in 76 parks throughout the National Park System. In subsequent years, the NPS has continued to add and refine AML feature data within a national database.

The lead National Park Service office for AML projects is the NPS Geologic Resources Division (GRD). GRD is responsible for the funding, coordination, and oversight of AML projects for both mine sites and oil and gas sites.

Distribution of NPS AML Features

info graphic map showing the relative distribution of AML features in parks across the United States. NPS regions are highlighted.

NPS graphic.

Last updated: January 20, 2023

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