Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

Community Involvement Plan

Nabesna Mine Site

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Alaska

May 2021 

AR000487
AR000488
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Revision Log: 

Revision # Revision Date Revision Description

0 05/29/2009 Original version released to the public

1 05/03/2021 Updated to reflect current Site status, administrative record 

file locations, and contact information

AR000489
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: i 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Purpose and Objectives of the CIP.......................................................................... 1

1.2 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 

(CERCLA) ............................................................................................................. 3

1.3 Overview of the CIP............................................................................................... 4

2.0 Project Background......................................................................................................... 5

2.1 Site Description and History ................................................................................... 5

2.2 Previous Environmental Studies and Response Actions............................................ 5

2.3 Current and Future Site Activities........................................................................... 7

3.0 Community Background.................................................................................................. 8

3.1 Community Profile................................................................................................. 8

3.2 Community Involvement History............................................................................ 9

3.3 Community Concerns and Needs.......................................................................... 10

4.0 Planned Community Involvement Activities................................................................. 11

4.1 Communication Methods and Community Involvement Activities......................... 11

4.2 Community Involvement Activity Schedule .......................................................... 16

5.0 References......................................................................................................................18

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Site Maps 

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix A Glossary

Appendix B Administrative Record File and Information Repository Details

Appendix C Community Fact Sheets and Community Updates

Appendix D Community Interview Questionnaire

Appendix E Contact Information

Appendix F Community Involvement Requirements

AR000490
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: ii

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

ADF&G Alaska Department of Fish and Game

AKDOT Alaska Department of Transportation

ANILCA Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act

CDP Census Designated Place

CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

CIP Community Involvement Plan

COPC Contaminant of Potential Concern

EECA Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

MCL Maximum Concentration Limits

MW Monitoring well

NCP National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan

NPS National Park Service

SI Site Inspection

USGS United States Geological Survey

WRST Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

 

AR000491
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 1 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The National Park Service (NPS) is issuing this Community Involvement Plan (CIP) as a

resource to enable meaningful community involvement throughout its investigation, selection, 

and implementation of cleanup activities at the Nabesna Mine Site (Site). The NPS is conducting 

these cleanup activities at the Site pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 

Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 et seq. and its implementing 

regulations under the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan

(NCP), 40 C.F.R. Part 300. NPS is committed to encouraging public participation and providing

opportunities for communication between the NPS and the affected community, interested 

stakeholders, and community residents during the environmental investigation and cleanup 

activities at the Site. 

CERCLA-related terms are defined in Appendix A, Glossary. 

Note that first reference to a CERCLA-related term in this CIP is noted in italics to aid 

the reader in understanding when to refer to Appendix A.

1.1 Purpose and Objectives of the CIP 

The CIP has been prepared in accordance with CERCLA and the NCP. The CIP serves as 

a guide for the NPS to engage and inform community members, environmental groups, 

government officials, the media, and other interested parties in the environmental investigation 

and cleanup activities at the Site. The CIP is a “living” document and will be updated or revised, 

as appropriate, as Site conditions change.

The CIP has two key objectives. The first key objective is to provide for the 

dissemination of information to the public in a timely, accurate, meaningful, and understandable 

manner. The second objective is to create opportunities—and ensure the community understands 

those opportunities—for active public participation, enabling interested persons to provide 

valuable comments that can be used by the NPS project team for planning and decision making. 

The strategies to accomplish these objectives take into consideration the location of the 

Site and surrounding community. The Site is located in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and 

Preserve (WRST or the Park) in Alaska (Figure 1). The Site is located on the eastern slopes of 

White Mountain, a peak on the northeastern edge of the Wrangell Mountain Range within the 

Preserve in WRST. In its entirety, WRST encompasses nearly 13.2 million acres of land in 

southcentral Alaska, sharing its eastern border with Kluane National Park in Canada. Tetlin 

National Wildlife Refuge is located along the northern boundary of WRST and is situated down 

drainage from the mine site approximately 20 miles. Nabesna is located near the center of 

WRST’s northern boundary. The Nabesna Mine and mill buildings are located on a privatelyowned patented mining claim at the end of the 46-mile long Nabesna Road, a maintained gravel 

road originally built in the 1920s to service the mine (Figure 1). The road branches off Glenn 

Highway (also known as the Tok Cutoff and Highway 1) in Slana, and the State-maintained 

portion of the road ends at the Devil’s Mountain Lodge and Airstrip, 42 miles to the southeast. 

AR000492
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 2 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

The approximate final 2 miles of road are a State right-of-way that passes through sometimes 

boggy terrain past the Rambler Mine, which is now part of the park, and terminates at the 

Nabesna Mine and mill camp, a cluster of approximately 35 buildings that were actively 

occupied throughout the 1930s. The Nabesna Mine is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The Site is located below the mill building with mine tailings on both sides of the Nabesna Road. 

Currently, the mill and camp are in disrepair and the tram system used to transport ore from the 

mine adits is partially collapsed. 

Figure 1. Site Maps 

Road to Site

AR000493
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 3 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Nabesna Mine Site

1.2 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 

(CERCLA) 

The NPS is investigating and cleaning up the Site pursuant to CERCLA and the NCP. 

Congress enacted CERCLA, also known as Superfund, in 1980 to address releases and

threatened releases of hazardous substances into the environment. CERCLA gives the President 

broad powers to respond to hazardous substance releases and threatened releases as the President 

deems necessary to protect the public health or welfare or the environment, including 

enforcement authority with respect to parties responsible for the releases. The President has 

delegated this authority to a number of federal departments and agencies, including the 

Department of the Interior. The NPS, an agency within the Department of the Interior, is the 

CERCLA lead agency for the Site. 

To implement CERCLA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the 

NCP, which is a set of regulations that detail how CERCLA cleanups are to be conducted, 

including requirements for community involvement activities. Different requirements apply to 

different types of response actions (i.e., a remedial action or a removal action). The NPS has 

determined that a non-time-critical removal action is appropriate for the Site. 

AR000494
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 4 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

A non-time-critical removal action is being conducted at the Site based on NPS’s 

determination that a planning period of six months or more is available prior to the start of 

removal activities at the Site because no immediate threat to public health or welfare or the 

environment is present at the Site. As part of the non-time-critical removal action, NPS is 

conducting an engineering evaluation and cost analysis (EE/CA) to fully characterize the nature 

and extent of Site contamination, evaluate associated potential risks to human health and the 

environment, identify relevant cleanup requirements, develop a range of cleanup alternatives, 

and identify a recommended removal action alternative for the Site. As the lead agency for the 

Site, NPS must involve the community during the EE/CA process in the manner detailed in the 

NCP, and this CIP is part of that community involvement process.

1.3 Overview of the CIP

The CIP specifies the community involvement activities that the NPS expects to 

undertake as investigation and cleanup of the Site proceeds. This CIP is organized as follows:

• Section 1.0: Introduction – A description of the purpose of the CIP. 

 

• Section 2.0: Site Background – An overview of Site description and history, 

previous Site investigations, and current and future Site activities.

• Section 3.0: Community Background – A community profile, history of 

community involvement at the Site, and summary of community concerns and 

questions. 

• Section 4.0: Community Involvement Activities – A description of planned 

methods and activities for communicating with the public concerning Site 

activities, and a general schedule of anticipated community involvement 

activities. 

• Section 5.0: References – A list of references used in developing this CIP.

The appendices include a glossary (Appendix A), Administrative Record file and 

information repository details (Appendix B), community fact sheets and community updates

(Appendix C), community interview questionnaire (Appendix D), contact information (Appendix 

E), and tables of minimum community involvement requirements (Appendix F). 

AR000495
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 5 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

2.0 PROJECT BACKGROUND

2.1 Site Description and History

The Nabesna Mine and mill buildings are located on a privately-owned patented mining 

claim at the end of the 46-mile long Nabesna Road, a maintained gravel road originally built in 

the 1920s to service the mine. The road branches off Glenn Highway (also known as the Tok 

Cutoff and Highway 1) in Slana, and the State-maintained portion of the road ends 42 miles to 

the southeast at the Devil’s Mountain Lodge and Airstrip. The final 2 miles of road are a State 

right-of-way that passes through sometimes boggy terrain past the Rambler Mine, which is now 

part of the park, and terminates at the Nabesna Mine and mill camp, a cluster of approximately 

35 buildings that were actively occupied throughout the 1930s. The Nabesna Mine was listed on 

National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The Site encompasses the area where Site-related 

contaminants have come to be located, including the mill building and surrounding soils, tailings 

piles (the Nabesna Road bifurcates the tailings into upper tailings and lower tailings), and 

sediments in Cabin Creek. Currently, the mill and camp are in disrepair and the tram system used 

to transport ore from the mine adits is partially collapsed. 

Gold was mined at the Site beginning in approximately 1925, with intensive efforts ending 

around 1940. The rock from the gold vein was milled and the valuable metals were extracted at 

the mill. Mill tailings, which are the waste left over after the milling process, and associated 

contaminated soil, are located over an area of approximately 12.5 acres with average thicknesses 

of 1 to 2 feet (possibly as the result of an impoundment structure failure). The mine, mill, and 

some of the associated mill tailings, are located on the Sunshine Lode mine claim, patented by 

the Nabesna Mining Company. The remainder of the tailings have migrated in part off the 

privately-owned patented mining claim to land east and west of Nabesna Road that is managed 

by NPS. The iron-rich surface of the tailings has oxidized and appears as a bright orange and red 

packed crust. Where they have been disturbed or have not been covered by other organic matter, 

the tailings do not support vegetation. In addition, they contain high levels of metals and are 

acidic. In the Nabesna Road guide published by NPS, visitors are cautioned not to walk on the 

tailings, but there are currently no physical access limitations to foot traffic or off-road vehicles. 

The Site faces the broad valley of the Nabesna River. Cabin Creek, which has branches that 

run through and beside the Site, receives drainage from the tailings and is on the Clean Water 

Act Section 303(d) listing of impaired waters due to the presence of manganese, arsenic, iron, 

cadmium, copper, and other mining-related contaminants. Cabin Creek joins Jack Creek 

approximately two miles east of the Site within the Nabesna River Valley, and Jack Creek 

ultimately joins the Nabesna River approximately seven miles northeast of the Site. Although the 

Site is dry or snow-covered for much of the year, during limited periods of spring breakup or 

heavy rainfall, surface water flows over the tailings. 

2.2 Previous Environmental Studies and Response Actions

A number of studies have been performed at the Site, including the following:

AR000496
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 6 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

• 1981 WGM, Inc. conducted sampling to determine the thickness, volume, and 

extent of tailings. The sampling was coordinated by WGM in joint venture with the 

Ahtna Corporation to support the land selection process provided for under the Alaska 

Native Claims Settlement Act. Maps provided for review indicate that the sampling 

was part of the Rambler Mine Mineral Exploration Project

• 1986 NPS conducted a State-wide study of mines on NPS land and collected 

water samples in the vicinity of the Nabesna Mine.

• 1993 The Bureau of Land Management and the United States Bureau of Mines 

contracted Bondar-Clegg & Company, Limited of Canada to analyze samples from the 

Site to assess the impact of mining activity. 

• 1994 NPS conducted sampling of the tailings and drinking water wells nearest 

to the Site (between one and two miles away). Metals detected in mine tailings were 

not detected in the drinking water wells.

• 1994-1997 The United States Geological Survey (USGS) conducted environmental 

geochemical investigations at mine sites throughout WRST, including at Nabesna. 

Sampling occurred in the Cabin Creek drainage/watershed and nearby areas during dry 

summer conditions in 1994 and 1996 and during spring break-up and heavy rainfalls 

in 1997. Rock, soil, mine tailing, sediment, and surface water samples were collected. 

• 1995 EPA contracted URS Consultants to perform a site inspection (SI), 

classify potential exposure pathways, and collect soil, mine tailing, and surface water 

samples at the Site. Background soil, mineralized rock, and upstream surface water 

samples were collected.

• 1998 NPS contractors drilled borings and installed monitoring wells in the 

vicinity of the mine tailings. One groundwater sample was collected from a single well 

located downgradient of the eastern end of the Lower Tailings. 

• 2000 NPS contractor Shannon & Wilson completed a site report that evaluated 

historical data and identified possible actions that would reduce the dissemination of 

dissolved metals and contaminated sediment from the mine tailings into Cabin Creek.

• 2004 NPS contractor constructed and reestablished the historic ditch and surface 

water control features to divert water from entering the tailings. 

• 2004 NPS excavated four test pits beneath the tailings. Samples were collected 

at 6”, 12”, and 18” depths in order to determine an attenuation curve for leaching of 

metals into adjacent soils.

• 2007 Alaska Department of Transportation (AKDOT) reestablished the road 

bed and associated drainage ditches. 

AR000497
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 7 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

• 2007 Four surface water samples were collected by NPS, one located in Cabin 

Creek downstream of the Upper Tailings on the east side of Nabesna Road and three 

located downstream of the Lower Tailings in Cabin Creek. 

Samples collected during these studies were tested for inorganic compounds and 

elements. Samples collected during the 1995 URS SI were also tested for organic compounds. If 

the concentration of an inorganic analyte was reported in a sample above the relevant standard, it 

was identified as a contaminant of potential concern (COPC). 

The following COPCs have been identified in past surface soil and tailings samples: 

arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, nickel, and lead. Background samples collected from 

mineralized soils at the Site (more similar to the ore/tailings than surface soil) contained elevated 

concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead. 

COPCs in sediment samples collected from the permanent surface water bodies near the 

Site included silver, arsenic, cadmium, and lead.

Surface water samples were collected on the tailings and in Cabin Creek downstream of 

the tailings during the wet season (approximately June), and in Cabin Creek during the dry 

season (approximately August). Nine COPCs (silver, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, 

selenium, zinc, fluoride, nitrate, and sulfate) were identified in the wet season, and three COPCs 

(cadmium, copper, and zinc) were identified in the dry season. In addition, iron and manganese 

were identified at elevated concentrations in both the wet and dry seasons, but the environmental 

and health impacts are less significant for those contaminants than for the other metals listed.

Several studies suggested that water does not flow over the tailings during the dry season and 

Cabin Creek is subterranean at a point upstream of the Nabesna mill and reemerges at a point 

approximately 1,000 feet downstream of the lower tailings. The wet season mean and maximum 

concentrations were considerably higher than the dry season, and the wet season mill tailings 

samples contained the same COPCs as the wet season Cabin Creek samples. 

Three groundwater monitoring wells were installed at the Site in 1998, but only one has 

been screened at or below the water table. This well, MW-3, was located downgradient of the 

lower tailings area. Boring logs indicate that frozen silt was encountered in the boring from 1 to 

15 feet below ground surface, and the groundwater level was at 13.5 feet below ground surface. 

The sample and duplicate contained detectable concentrations of 17 inorganic analytes, but all at 

concentrations below the federal drinking water standards or Maximum Concentration Limits 

(MCLs) used as a screening criteria.

2.3 Current and Future Site Activities

An EE/CA Report is being developed and will be issued for public review and comment 

when available.

AR000498
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 8 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

3.0 COMMUNITY BACKGROUND

3.1 Community Profile

Wrangell-St. Elias was designated as a National Monument in 1978, as a World Heritage 

Site in 1979, and finally as a National Park and Preserve in 1980. The former mill town of 

Nabesna is no longer occupied. The local community consists of the residences along Nabesna 

Road and in the town of Slana, which is located at the junction of Glenn Highway (Highway 1) 

and Nabesna Road, approximately 46 miles from the Site. The area was inhabited by Alaskan 

Native people as early as 1819. Non-natives settled in the area beginning in 1914 with a trading 

post and roadhouse at the mouth of the Slana River. Over the years, the community of Slana 

developed around the roadhouse; Nabesna Road, which was settled by mine workers, and more 

recently a lodge and guides; and the homesteading community (La Vine, et al., 2013). 

Homesteading increased in the 1980s when the federal government began offering homesteads 

for settlement in the local region. 

The U.S. Census Bureau recognizes the town of Slana and those living along Nabesna 

Road as two distinct census designated places (CDPs). According to the federal census, the 

combined Slana/Nabesna CDPs had a population of 152 residents in 2010, of which 12.5 percent 

(19 residents) were Alaskan Native (Alaska Department of Labor, 2020). It should be noted that 

in 2010, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Division of Subsistence, in 

collaboration with the Park, conducted a study to update information about subsistence harvests 

and uses in the Slana/Nabesna area. Household surveys conducted as part of this study found 

population estimates for 2010 to be slightly greater than the federal census – 176 residents, with 

17 percent (29 residents) Alaskan Native (La Vine, et al., 2013). 

Native villages with connections to the Nabesna area are Chistochina and Mentasta, 

although the traditional band territories associated with the villages of Northway and Tetlin are 

also located near Nabesna (Haynes, et al., 2007).

The ADF&G study found that the estimated earned mean annual income for a 

Slana/Nabesna CDP household in 2010 was $20,157. The largest income category in the area 

was for jobs in the services sector (16 percent), with the second highest percentage of income (9 

percent) generated by federal government jobs. Other important contributors for income came 

from Social Security, retirement, and the Alaskan Permanent Fund dividend (approximately 22 

percent combined) (La Vine, et al., 2013). 

Residents of local rural communities in the area qualify for subsistence activities within 

the Park. Per the ADF&G study, nearly all residents surveyed in 2010 in the Slana/Nabesna CDP

attempted to harvest (97%) or participated in harvesting (92%) some wild resources as follows 

(La Vine, et al., 2013): 

AR000499
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 9 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Subsistence Resource Percent of Population that 

Harvested the Resource

Percent of Population that 

Processed the Resource

Birds (hunt) 22.2 37.5

Fish 74.6 65.1

Large Land Mammals (hunt) 44.4 46.0

Small Land Mammals (hunt or 

trap)

19.8 23.0

Vegetation (gather) 88.9 84.9

Any Resource 96.9 92.1

The Slana/Nabesna CDPs are incorporated with no local government (La Vine, et al., 

2013). 

There are six locations with camp facilities on the Nabesna Road leading to the Site. 

Kendesnii Campground, with 10 designated camp sites, is the only NPS campground in WRST. 

There are no tourist, fuel, or other services at the Site. An estimated 100 visitors visit the Site 

each year, mainly during hunting season (August 8 to September 20). Moose and sheep are the 

species hunted in the area. Trails in the vicinity of the Site near the end of Nabesna Road, 

including the Skookum Volcano Trail and Rambler Mine Trail, are also popular with hikers. 

3.2 Community Involvement History

The NPS website for WRST (www.nps.gov/wrst/) will be updated to include information 

about the EE/CA at the Site. A community update describing the EE/CA process will be included 

as a link from the website, as will additional community updates that will be prepared at key 

milestones in the process. A Notice of Availability of documents will be published in local 

newspapers, and letters will be sent to interested parties to publicize the availability of Site 

documents. Through these notifications, the public will be invited to review and comment on the 

EE/CA Report during a minimum 30-day review period, once the EE/CA Report is complete.

The most recent Community Update is available in Appendix C, Community Fact Sheets 

and Community Updates. 

An information repository is a location open to members of the general public where they 

may review and make copies of documents (including the administrative record file) relevant to 

the Site. The administrative record file contains all of the documents upon which the selection of 

a cleanup action is based and must be available for public review. One of the initial 

AR000500
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 10

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

administrative record files was located in an information repository at the Alaska Regional 

Office in Anchorage, Alaska. In preparation for public review of the final EE/CA Report, NPS 

will establish two additional information repositories, and place a copy of the administrative 

record file in each. These new information repositories will be located at the WRST Park 

Headquarters in Copper Center (open year-round) and the Slana Ranger Station (open 

seasonally). The address, contact information, and operating hours for each location are provided 

in Appendix B.

3.3 Community Concerns and Needs

Identifying community concerns and issues is a vital step in the CIP’s development, and 

it is important that the public be asked for recommendations on how NPS can most effectively 

involve and communicate with the community. To identify community concerns and needs and 

to identify how and when citizens would like to be involved in the cleanup process, in November 

and December of 2008, NPS conducted community interviews with local officials, community 

residents, and various environmental and special interest groups who represent a range of 

opinions and backgrounds. NPS asked interviewees for suggestions of additional groups or 

individuals the NPS should interview, and NPS contacted those suggested additional groups and

individuals before developing this CIP as well. An interview response summary is provided 

below, and the list of interview questions is provided in Appendix D, Community Interview 

Questionnaire. 

All of the group representatives were aware of the tailings at the Site, but none was aware 

of the ongoing EE/CA investigation or NPS’ plans to perform a cleanup. Most respondents were 

concerned with human health impacts to former workers or the neighboring property owners, and 

one respondent stated a concern for wildlife and plant impacts. All of the representatives 

expressed interest in being kept informed of NPS’ activities at the Site, and of any new findings 

that may indicate previously unknown risk levels. Some respondents indicated they would like to 

receive summaries of activities or findings at the Site, but none explicitly stated a desire to read 

or review investigation reports or plans. Those interviewed stated that information regarding the 

types of contaminants found at the Site was most important to them. They also requested to be 

kept informed about access changes, disposal methods being considered, and potential job 

opportunities.

Group representatives indicated a preference for public meetings in the afternoon or 

evening in the local area (Slana) for the greatest potential public involvement. They also stated a 

preference for receiving Site-related information directly through the mail or by e-mail. It was 

noted that several residents in the area do not own televisions and some do not listen to local 

radio. As such, community information would likely be disseminated best through inclusion in 

local newsletters, newspapers, or on posters that could be posted at local gathering areas.

The NPS obtained much of the information in Section 3.0,Community Background, from 

the community interviews. 

AR000501
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 11

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

4.0 PLANNED COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES

As noted earlier, the key objectives of the community involvement program are to 

establish and encourage communication between NPS and the community and provide 

opportunities for the public to provide input throughout the course of CERCLA response 

activities at the Site. The following methods and techniques, which are selected based in part on 

community interview responses, will be used to promote public participation and establish steps 

to provide timely information to interested citizens, agency staff, government officials, the 

media, and the community at large. The first part of this section describes each community 

involvement activity and the second part provides a schedule for when those activities will occur. 

Important: Upon request, NPS will endeavor to meet identified needs for translation, access to 

electronic communications, disability access, or other accommodations for people with special 

needs.

4.1 Communication Methods and Community Involvement Activities

• Site Points-of-Contact

The points-of-contact for the Site include Sarah Venator (Federal Government 

Lead/project manager), Mark Miller (Park Lead), and Carrie Wittmer (Park Public 

Information Officer). These individuals will inform the community of actions taken, 

respond to inquiries, provide information concerning the Site, and act as liaison between 

the NPS and community members, environmental groups, government officials, the 

media, and other interested parties. See Appendix E for contact information.

• Administrative Record File and Information Repository

The administrative record file is housed in the information repositories and contains Site 

environmental investigations and reports and other information that NPS considers or 

relies upon in the response action selection process. NPS will update the administrative 

record file at key points during the response action process, such as when important 

investigations and reports are completed. See Appendix B for administrative record file 

and information repository details. 

• Interested Parties Mailing List

NPS maintains an interested parties mailing list that includes federal, state, and local 

elected officials; local school district officials; selected agency staff; community groups; 

media contacts; and interested community members. NPS notifies the parties on the list 

whenever key documents are published or the status of the Site changes. In accordance 

with NPS’s sustainability efforts, whenever possible mailings will be sent electronically 

by email, with hyperlinks to documents posted on the website. However, interested 

parties can request conventional mail delivery if access to electronic communication is 

not available. In such cases, the NPS will send a letter informing interested parties of the 

availability of documents at the information repositories.

AR000502
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 12

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Efforts are ongoing to expand the mailing list. Individuals can be added to the mailing list 

by contacting a Site spokesperson (See Appendix E for contact information). NPS also 

offers sign-up opportunities at public meetings. The NPS updates the mailing list as 

appropriate to reflect changes in government representatives and other contacts. Note that 

contact information for private individuals on the list will be kept confidential to protect 

the personal information of those individuals.

• Public Comment Periods

While NPS accepts comments on ongoing response activities from the public at any time, 

at certain times a formal public comment period will be provided. A public comment 

period is a formal time period during which the NPS accepts comments from the public 

on specific proposed actions or decisions. Generally, public comment periods last for 30 

days, although they may be longer. Upon timely request (preferably to the Site 

spokesperson and in writing) during any public comment period, the NPS will extend the 

public comment period by a minimum of 15 days.In addition, upon request, the NPS will 

meet identified needs for translation, access to electronic communications, or other 

accommodations for personswith special needs. (See Public Notices, below).

The NPS will formally notify the community of public comment periods through several 

means: 

• The NPS will publish notice of public comment periods in the Copper River 

Record and Mukluk News. 

• The NPS will announce the notice of public comment periods on KCAM Radio 

using Caribou Clatters.

• The NPS will provide notice of public comment periods on physical flyers at the 

Slana post office and Midway Services (the community’s local store).

• The NPS will place notice of public comment periods on the Site website, and 

Park Facebook page and Twitter. 

• The NPS will notify individuals listed on the Interested Parties Mailing List.

Following the close of a formal public comment period, NPS will prepare written 

responses to significant public comments received during the public comment period

(called a “responsiveness summary”); the responsiveness summary will be added to the 

administrative record file.

Prior public comment periods are described in Section 3.2, Community Involvement.

• Public Notices

The NPS will issue public notices to inform the community and the general public of 

public events, publication of key documents, and major Site milestones. 

Based on identified community preferences and the subject of the announcement, NPS 

will select from the following methods to distribute public notices about the Site: 

AR000503
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 13

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

• News release in the Copper River Record and Mukluk News. To reach as many 

people as possible, the NPS publishes public notices in main sections of 

newspapers, not in legal notices sections. KCAM Radio using Caribou Clatters.

• Physical flyers at the Slana post office and Midway Services.

• Park Facebook page and Twitter, with links to the Site website for additional 

information. 

• Notice sent to the Interested Parties Mailing List. 

• Park postings as described in Park Visitor Communication. 

Following completion of the EE/CA Report, a public Notice of Availability will be 

published in the Copper River Record and the Mukluk News. The notice will provide a 

brief description of the EE/CA Report; announce its availability for review; identify the 

dates for the 30-day public comment period; identify a contact person; list the locations 

where the Report can be reviewed; identify where written comments should be sent; and 

provide the date, time, and location of a public meeting on the EE/CA Report. The notice 

will be published at least two weeks in advance of the opening of the public comment 

period.

Notice may also be provided by other means such as mailing a courtesy copy of the 

Notice of Availability to those on the interested parties list, posting the public comment 

period on the NPS website and Facebook page and Twitter, and distributing news 

releases.

Other notices that will be distributed include announcements of road closures or Park 

access restrictions during cleanup activities, if any. Because the road is an AKDOT 

facility, NPS will coordinate closures with that agency. Depending on the locations 

involved and timing of the activity, NPS may notify only the local community and 

visitors to the area rather than distributing the information to the entire mailing list.

Prior public notices are described in Section 3.2, Community Involvement. 

• Public Meetings

Public meetings are scheduled to communicate directly with the public about key Site 

milestones. Public meetings are usually fairly structured forums that are open to the 

general public, including both affected and unaffected parties. Public meetings typically 

include an NPS staff presentation followed by a question, answer, and comment session. 

Public meetings held during the formal public comment period will be recorded and 

transcribed, and the transcript will be made available in the administrative record file. As 

noted above in the Public Comment Period section, NPS responses to significant oral or 

written comments made during a public meeting (“responsiveness summary”) will be 

compiled and placed in the administrative record file.

In addition to the structured public meetings, as appropriate NPS may hold public 

briefings prior to field work to inform the public of the nature, scheduling, and likely 

AR000504
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 14

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

impacts of the upcoming activities, as well as to receive any suggestions on alleviating 

such impacts.

At least one public meeting will be held during the EE/CA comment period. The public 

meeting will include a presentation followed by a question and answer and oral comment 

period. A responsiveness summary will be prepared in response to significant comments 

made either at the meeting or otherwise provided during the comment period.

If requests are made for a translator, interpreter for hearing impaired persons, or other 

accommodations for people with special needs, NPS will try to accommodate those 

special needs.

In addition to the newspaper public notice described above, flyers announcing the public 

meeting will be placed at the WRST Visitor Center in Copper Center and the Slana 

Ranger Station, and may be posted at other places around the community (e.g., local Post 

Offices and Midway Services [the community’s local store]). 

As appropriate, public briefing meetings may also be held prior to the commencement of 

on-site cleanup activities. The purpose of the meetings would be to inform local officials 

and the public about upcoming activities and to receive any suggestions for alleviating 

local impacts from those activities.

To date, no requests have been made to provide a translator; however, NPS will take 

steps to accommodate such requests as well as those for individuals with special needs, as 

appropriate. 

Prior public meetings are described in Section 3.2, Community Involvement. 

• Newspaper Contacts/News Releases

The Copper River Record and Mukluk News have been identified as the most appropriate 

local newspaper to inform the public about the Site. The other newspaper suggested 

during the community interviews included the Valdez Star.. In addition, organization 

newsletters receiving mentions were the Copper Country Alliance newsletter, the Mt. 

Sanford Tribal Consortium Newsletter, and the Tetlin Tribal Council Newsletter.

Generally, all media outlets regularly contacted by WRST staff will be included when 

news releases are produced. News releases may be posted on the Park’s website, as well. 

News releases will be issued at key milestones to ensure the distribution of accurate and 

timely information. 

• Community Organization Presentations

When requested, NPS staff will meet with, or provide information to, interested 

community organizations such as the Slana Community Corporation, the Copper Country 

Alliance, Slana Alaskans Unite, the National Parks Conservation Association, the 

Residents of the Wrangells, the Mentasta Lake Village Council, the Cheesh-na Tribal 

Council, the Northway Traditional Village Council, the Tetlin Tribal Council, Ahtna 

AR000505
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 15

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Incorporated, and White River First Nation. Information may be provided to 

organizations for inclusion in their newsletters, if requested. 

Prior community organization presentations are described in Section 3.2, Community 

Involvement. 

• Park Visitor Communication

Based on current park/community communication strategies, the NPS has determined 

that the most effective ways to provide Site information to Park visitors will be to use the 

following methods:

• Posted notices at the Slana and WRST Headquarters visitor contact points and the 

Kendesnii Campground information board. 

• Brief article in The K’ełt’aeni,, the newspaper that is distributed to visitors as they 

enter the Park.

• Site website and Park Facebook page and Twitter. 

Posted items will briefly explain the purpose of the project, what visitors may see or hear 

in the area, any safety concerns, and sources for additional information. 

• Community Updates 

Community Updates are brief documents to inform the community about the Site and the 

environmental investigation and cleanup process. Community Updates present 

information about Site history; the nature and extent of Site contamination; public health 

and safety issues; investigation and/or cleanup plans, processes, and schedules; and local 

impacts during cleanup activities. Community Updates also provide contact information 

for public inquiries.

The NPS will prepare Community Updates at key milestones in the cleanup process. The 

next anticipated Community Update will be released to announce the release of the 

EE/CA Report. 

NPS will distribute Community Updatesto the public using the following means: 

• Posting Community Updates on the Site website, with notices of the availability 

of the Community Update documents on the Park’s Facebook page and Twitter.

• Sending a notice to persons on the Interested Parties Mailing List with either a 

hyperlink to (for email notices) or a copy (for regular mail notices) of the 

Community Update. 

• Posting Community Updates at or near the Site as described in the Park Visitor 

Communication section above. 

• Making Community Updates available at various Park locations. 

AR000506
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 16

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

• Site Website

Utilizing the internet, including the Site Website and social media (Park’s Facebook page 

and Twitter), is especially important to reach interested parties that are not already on the 

mailing list and to receive public questions and comments. The most current project fact 

sheet will be posted on the WRST website, and as noted above, other information will be 

posted as appropriate.

• Contact Information

NPS contact information will be included in Community Updates, public notices, news 

releases, and on the Site website. Contact information for NPS representatives as well as 

for other key individuals is provided in Appendix E, Contact Information. 

• Community Involvement Plan Revision

To remain flexible and able to respond to the evolving needs of the community and 

changes to the Site, the CIP will be reviewed and revised as needed, and posted on the 

website. As the response action progresses, NPS staff may identify and use additional 

means or activities to inform and engage the community.

4.2 Community Involvement Activity Schedule

• The NPS selected the above methods and activities to engage and inform the community 

regarding the Site and Site activities. This section provides a schedule for when those 

activities will occur. 

• Ongoing Activities

o Respond to citizen inquiries and requests

o Maintain the administrative record file and information repositories 

o Maintain the Interested Parties Mailing List 

o Maintain Park visitor communications

o Develop and maintain the Site website

• EE/CA 

o Upon completion of the draft EE/CA Report: 

• Issue a Community Update announcing and describing the findings and 

recommendation of the EE/CA Report;

• Publish a Notice of Availability of the EE/CA Report; 

• Provide a public comment period of at least 30 days for submission of 

comments; and

• Conduct a public meeting during the public comment period to present the 

findings and recommendations of the EE/CA Report.

o After close of the public comment period, prepare a written response to 

significant comments (responsiveness summary) and place all comments and the 

responsive summary into the Administrative Record file.

AR000507
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 17

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

o Upon issuance of the Action Memorandum (the removal action decision 

document selecting NPS’s preferred removal action alternative), place it in the 

Administrative Record file.

o During implementation of the removal action, issue Community Updates:

• After completion of the design;

• During conduct of the removal action (as appropriate); and

• At completion of the removal action.

AR000508
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: 18

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

5.0 REFERENCES

Alaska Department of Labor. Demographic Profile for Slana and Nabesna CDPs: Accessed 

September 28, 2020. https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/cen/dp.cfm. 

Haynes, T.L, and W.E. Simeone. Upper Tanana Ethnographic Overview and Assessment, 

Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division 

of Subsistence Technical Paper No. 325. Juneau. 2007.

La Vine, R., Kukkonen, M., Jones, B., and Zimpelman, G. Subsistence Harvests and Uses of 

Wild Resources in Copper Center, Slana/Nabesna Road, Mentasta Lake, and Mentasta Pass, 

Alaska, 2010. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence Technical Paper 

No. 380. September 2013.

National Park Service (NPS). Community Involvement Requirements and Best Practices. 2014. 

Available at https://doimspp.sharepoint.com/sites/ext-nps-csportal. 

United States Department of the Interior (USDOI). Environmental Compliance Memorandum 

No. ECM 16-3: Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF) Comprehensive Environmental 

Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Process for CHF Projects. February 19, 

2016. Available at https://doimspp.sharepoint.com/sites/ext-nps-csportal. 

United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Superfund Community Involvement 

Handbook. Apr. 2005. Available at

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/community/cag/pdfs/ci_handbook.pdf. 

USEPA. Community Involvement Toolkit. Available at

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/community/toolkit.htm.

AR000509
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: A-1 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

APPENDIX A:GLOSSARY

Definitions for CERCLA-related words found throughout the CIP are provided below. 

Administrative Record File: A file that contains all information considered or relied upon by 

the lead agency to make its decision on the selection of a response action under CERCLA. See 

Appendix B, Administrative Record File and Information Repository Details, for further 

information on the Site administrative record file. 

CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act): A 

federal law, commonly known as “Superfund,” which Congress enacted in 1980 and amended in 

1986 and 2002. The law provides broad federal authority to respond directly to releases or 

threatened releases of hazardous substances that may endanger public health or welfare or the 

environment; establishes the categories of persons who are liable for such releases; and outlines a 

framework for investigating and responding to releases and threatened releases of hazardous 

substances where the lead agency determines it is necessary. CERCLA generally authorizes three 

types of cleanup actions: emergency response actions, removal actions, and remedial actions. 

Cleanup: Used in this document to describe actions taken to address a release or threat of a 

release of hazardous substances, pursuant to CERCLA, that could affect public health or welfare 

or the environment. The word “cleanup” is sometimes used interchangeably with the terms 

remedial action, removal action, response action, remedy, remediation, or corrective action.

Community Interview: Interviews conducted by the lead agency as part of the process of 

preparing a Community Involvement Plan. For most response actions, the NCP requires the lead 

agency to conduct community interviews to determine appropriate activities to ensure public 

involvement in Site-related decisions. 

Community Involvement Plan (CIP): A plan that explains how NPS intends to enable 

meaningful community involvement throughout the cleanup process by specifying planned 

community involvement activities to address community needs, concerns, and expectations 

identified through community interviews and other means. 

Hazardous Substance: Any one of the more than 800 substances defined under CERCLA and 

the NCP as potentially posing a threat to human health or the environment. Hazardous 

substances include materials defined as ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic under the Resource 

Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as well as additional substances listed under the Clean 

Water Act and hazardous air pollutants listed under the Clean Air Act.

Information Repository: A location open to members of the general public where a collection 

of documents (including the administrative record file) relevant to a particular CERCLA Site is 

made available for public review and copying. See Appendix B, Administrative Record File and 

Information Repository Details. 

AR000510
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: A-2 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Lead Agency: The government agency with the primary authority to investigate, plan and 

implement a response action under CERCLA and the NCP at a particular site. 

National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP): More 

commonly called the National Contingency Plan or NCP, it is the federal government’s 

regulatory blueprint for responding to both oil spills and releases and threatened releases of 

hazardous substances.The NCP is the result of our country’s efforts to develop a national 

response capability and promote overall coordination among the hierarchy of responders and 

contingency plans.The regulations, published at 40 C.F.R. Part 300, detail how CERCLA is to 

be implemented.

Non-Time-Critical Removal Action: A removal action conducted when the lead agency 

determines that there is a planning period of at least six months before on-site activities must be 

initiated. 

Notice of Availability: A formal notice announcing the issuance and public availability of a 

document (e.g., proposed plan) or documents (e.g., the administrative record file or updates 

thereto). A Notice of Availability is also issued when the information repositories are 

established. The notice may also announce commencement of a public comment period.

Public Comment Period: A period during which the public can formally review and comment 

on various documents and proposed response actions. 

Removal Action: A type of CERCLA response action with a streamlined planning process. A 

removal action is conducted to address all or a part of a release or threatened release of 

hazardous substances when the release requires an expedited, time-critical response, or when the 

release is of limited size and complexity such that streamlined response planning is appropriate. 

There are two types of removal actions – time-critical and non-time-critical; sometimes 

emergency response actions (undertaken by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) are 

referred to as removal actions. The term refers both to the entire removal response action, as well 

as just the cleanup phase of such an action.

Response Action: The most general CERCLA term used to describe any action taken to respond

to a release or threatened release of hazardous substances to protect the public health or welfare 

or the environment. The term includes all phases of the response, from investigation through 

monitoring and even enforcement activities. There are generally three types of CERCLA 

response actions that may be undertaken by NPS as the lead agency: time-critical removal 

actions, non-time-critical removal actions, and remedial actions. 

Responsiveness Summary: Document summarizing the significant comments received during a 

public comment period and documenting the lead agency’s responses to the comments.

Site: The Nabesna Mine Site, which comprises the area contaminated or potentially 

contaminated by a release or threatened release of hazardous substances. 

AR000511
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: B-1 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

APPENDIX B: ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD FILE AND INFORMATION REPOSITORY DETAILS

The Site administrative record file is maintained at three locations, which may be 

reviewed at the following information repositories during the hours indicated:

• NPS Alaska Regional Office may be directed to Sarah Venator (open year-round)

NPS Alaska Regional Office

240 W. 5th Avenue

Anchorage, Alaska 99501

(907) 644-3573

Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday

• WRST Headquarters and Site-related questions may be directed to Mark Miller (open 

year-round)

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 

P.O. Box 439

Mile 106.8 Richardson Highway

Copper Center, Alaska 99573-0439

(907) 302-1373

Hours: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday

• Slana Ranger Station (open seasonally)

Slana Ranger Station

Mile 0.5 Nabesna Road

Slana, Alaska 99586

(907) 822-7401

Hours: Daily, mid-May through mid-September

AR000512
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: C-1 

Site Location: AK 

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

APPENDIX C:COMMUNITY FACT SHEETS AND COMMUNITY UPDATES 

AR000513
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: D-1 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

APPENDIX D:COMMUNITY INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Are you familiar with the environmental issues and investigation activities taking place at 

the Nabesna Mine Site?

2. If so, when did you or your organization first become aware of problems regarding this 

Site?

3. What is your understanding of the Site history?

4. Do you feel you, members of your organization, or your community, have been affected 

by Site contamination or Site activities?

5. Are you aware of local, state, or federal government interest or involvement in the Site?

6. How long have you lived in the community? How long have you been involved with 

your organization?

7. Do you know of any parties who were involved or responsible for sources of 

contamination at the Site? 

8. What are your current concerns about the Site? What about other members of your 

organization?

9. Have you or your organization participated in activities concerning the Site? If so, what 

kind of activities?

10.Would you and your organization like to be involved in future activities? If so, how 

would you like to be involved (i.e., in what manner)?

11. How can we best provide you, your organization, or the community information 

concerning Site investigation and cleanup activities?

12.What kinds of information do you or members of your organization need concerning the 

Site and cleanup activities? 

13.Can you suggest other individuals or groups that should be contacted for additional 

information about the Site?

14. Do you or your group members have a preference for meeting locations and times?

15.What are the most popular newspaper, TV stations, and radio stations in the community?

AR000514
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: E-1 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

APPENDIX E: CONTACT INFORMATION

The NPS will update contact information as necessary.

Site-Specific Contacts

For information about Site cleanup activities, please contact:

Site Contact Park Contact

Name: Carrie R. Wittmer Mark E. Miller

Title: Park Public Information Officer Team Lead, Resource Stewardship 

& Science, Research Coordinator

Organization: National Park Service, 

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 

and Preserve

National Park Service, Wrangell-St. 

Elias National Park and Preserve

Address: P.O. Box 439 / 106.8 

Richardson Highway

Copper Center, AK 99573

P.O. Box 439 / 106.8 Richardson 

Highway

Copper Center, AK 99573

Phone: (907) 822-7255 (907) 822-7212

Email: carrie_wittmer@nps.gov memiller@nps.gov

NPS Region Contact NPS Headquarters Contact

Name: Sarah C. Venator Veronica Dickerson

Title: NPS Federal Government Lead Environmental Protection & 

Safety Manager

Organization: National Park Service, WrangellSt. Elias National Park and 

Preserve

National Park Service, 

Environmental Compliance and 

Cleanup Division 

Address: 240 W. 5th Ave

Anchorage, AK 99501

15610 Vaughn Road

Brecksville, OH 44141

Phone: (907) 644-3573 (440) 665-0915-

Email: sarah_venator@nps.gov veronica_dickerson@nps.gov

AR000515
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: E-2 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Elected Official Contacts 

Federal Elected Officials

Senator Senator

Name: Lisa Murkowski Dan Sullivan

Title: Alaska Senator Alaska Senator

Address: 510 L Street, Suite 600

Anchorage, AK 99501-1956

510 L Street, Suite 600

Anchorage, AK 99501-1956

Phone: Phone: (907) 271-3735 Phone: (907) 271-3735

Email or 

Webform:

https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/

contact/email

https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/

contact/email

House Representative

Name: Don Young

Title: Alaska District Representative 

Address: 471 W. 36th Avenue, Suite 201

Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone: (907) 271-5978

Email or 

Webform:

https://donyoung.house.gov/contact/

Alaska Elected Officials

Governor State Senator

Name: Mike Dunleavy Click Bishop

Title: Governor Senator

Address: P.O. Box 110001

Juneau, AK 99811-0001

120 4th St

Juneau, AK 99801

Phone: (907) 465-3500 (907) 456-8163

Email or 

Webform: 

https://gov.alaska.gov/contact/ cody.grussendorf@akleg.gov

christopher.clark@akleg.gov

darwin.peterson@akleg.gov

AR000516
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: E-3 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

State House Representative

Name: Mike Cronk

Title: Representative 

Address: 120 4th St.

Juneau, AK 99801

Phone: 907-465-4527

Email: Representative.Mike.Cronk@akleg.gov

Federal Agencies

EPA Region 10 EPA Region 10

Name: Marcia Combs Mike Brussel

Title: Director of Alaska Operations Director for the Office of 

Enforcement, Compliance and 

Environmental Justice

Organization: EPA Region 10 (Pacific 

Northwest)

EPA Region 10

Address: 222 West 7th Ave. #19 

Anchorage, AK 99513-7588

1200 6th Ave., Suite 900 

Seattle, WA 98101

(Mail Code OCE-164)

Phone: (800) 424-4372 (206) 553-4198

Email: combes.marcia@epamail.epa.gov Bussell.Mike@epa.gov

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge

Name: Philip Johnson Shawn Bayless

Title: Supervisor Environmental 

Contaminants

Refuge Manager

Organization: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge

Address: 1011 East Tudor Road

Anchorage, AK 99503

P.O. Box 779 MS 529 

Tok, AK 99780

Phone: (907) 786-3483 (907) 883-5312

Email: Philip_johnson@fws.gov

ak_fisheries@fws.gov

tetlin@fws.gov

U.S. National Park Service

Name:

Title:

Organization: Slana Ranger Station

Address: Mile 0.5 Nabesna Road

Phone: (907) 822-7401

Email:

AR000517
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: E-4 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Alaskan Agencies

Alaska Department of 

Environmental Conservation

National Register of Historic 

Places

Name: Eric Breitenberger Ms. Judith E. Bittner

Title: Environmental Program Manager I 

Contaminated Sites Program

State Historic Preservation Officer 

Department of Natural Resources

Organization: Alaska Department of 

Environmental Conservation

National Register of Historic 

Places

Address: 610 University Ave. 

Fairbanks, AK 99709

550 W 7th Avenue, Suite 1310 

Anchorage, AK 99501-3565

Phone: (907) 451-2158 (907) 269-8721

Email: Eric.breitenberger@alaska.gov Judy.bittner@alaska.gov 

Alaska Department of Fish 

and Game

Alaska Department of Natural 

Resources

Name: Doug Vincent-Lang Susan Magee

Title: Commissioner ANILCA Program Coordinator

Organization: Alaska Department of Fish and 

Game

Alaska Department of Natural Resources

Address: P.O. Box 115526

1255 W. 8th Street 

Juneau, AK 99811-5526

550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1430

Anchorage, AK 99501-3568

Phone: (907) 465-4100 (907) 269-7529

Email: Douglas.vincentlang@alaska.govhttp://dnr.alaska.gov/commis/opmp/anilca/

Alaska Department of 

Transportation and Public 

Facilities

Name: John Hoffman

Title: Tazlina District Maintenance and 

Operations Superintendent 

Organization: Alaska Department of 

Transportation

Address: P.O. Box 7 

Glennallen, AK 99588

Phone: (907) 822-3222

Email: john.hoffman@alaska.gov

AR000518
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: E-5 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Alaskan Native Tribes or Corporations

Mentasta Lake Village Council Cheesh-na Tribal Council

Name: Emmanuel Baker Agnes Denny

Title: First Chief Tribal Administrator

Organization: Mentasta Lake Village Council Cheesh-na Tribal Council

Address: P.O. Box 6019

Mentasta Lake, AK 99780

HC01 Box 217

Gakona, AK 99586

Phone: (907) 291-2319 (907) 822-3503

Email: 907mlv99780ta@gmail.com tribaladmin@cheeshna.com

Tetlin Tribal Council Northway Traditional Village 

Council

Name: Patricia Young Gerald Albert

Title: Environmental Coordinator Council President

Organization: Tetlin Tribal Council Northway Traditional Village 

Council

Address: P.O. Box 797

Tok, AK 99780

P.O. Box 516

Northway, AK 99764

Phone: (907) 883-1268 (907) 778-2311

Email: tetlinvillagecouncil@gmail.com nvcta@aptalaska.net,

Ahtna, Incorporated White River First Nation

Name: Joe Bovee

Title: Vice President of Land and 

Resources

General Delivery

Organization: Ahtna, Incorporated White River First Nation

Address: PO Box 649

Glennallen, AK 99588

Beaver Creek 

Yukon YOB 1A0

Canada

Phone: (867) 862-7802

Email: jbovee@ahtna-inc.com

AR000519
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: E-6 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium

Name: Evelyn Beeter

Title: President/CEO

Organization: Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium 

Address: P.O. Box 357

Gakona, AK 99586

Phone: (907) 822-5399

Email: http://www.mstc.org/contact-us-2/

Local School District and Schools

Copper River School District Slana School

Name: Thérèse Ashton Susan Peek

Title: Superintendent Lead Teacher

Organization: Copper River School District Slana School

Address: P.O. Box 108,1976 Aurora Drive

Glenallen, AK 99588

Mile 71 Tok Cutoff

Slana, AK 99586

Phone: (907) 822-3234 (907) 822-5286

Email: tashton@crsd.us speek@crsd.us

Community Organizations and Environmental Groups

Slana Community Corporation Residents of the Wrangells

Name: Steven Dewitt Susan Smith

Title: President Spokesperson

Organization: Slana Community Corporation Residents of the Wrangells (ROW)

Address: P.O. Box 861

Off Mile 4 Nabesna Road

Slana, AK 99586

Box MXY- McCarthy #63B

Glennallen, AK 99588

Phone: (907) 822-3196 (907) 259-3265

Email: row@rowonline.org

AR000520
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: E-7 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Copper Country Alliance National Parks Conservation 

Association

Name: Ruth McHenry Jim Adams

Title: Director Regional Director

Organization: Copper Country Alliance National Parks Conservation 

Association

Address: HC 60 Box 306T

Copper Center, AK 99573

750 West 2nd Avenue, Suite 205

Anchorage, AK 99501

Phone: (907) 822-3644 (907) 277-6722

Email: cca@coppervalleyak.net alaska@npca.org

mailto:

Slana Alaskans Unite

Name: Ole Bates

Title: President

Organization: Slana Alaskans Unite

Address: SR Box 500

Gakona, AK 99586

Phone:

Email:

Media

Online News

Copper River Country Journal 2020

Title: Copper River Country Journal 2020

Link: https://www.countryjournal2020.com/2020/

Contact Name:

Contact 

Address:

Contact Phone:

Contact Email 

or Webform:

Countryjournal2020@gmail.com

Newspapers

AR000521
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: E-8 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

Anchorage Daily News Copper River Record

Name: David Hulen John Tierney

Title: Newsroom Editor Editor & Publisher

Organization: Anchorage Daily News Copper River Record

Address: 300 W. 31st Avenue

Anchorage, AK 99503

P.O. Box 277

Glennallen, AK 99588

Phone: (907) 257-4200

(800) 478-4200

(907) 235-4486

Email: https://www.adn.com/contact/ contact@copperriverrecord.com

Mukluk News The Valdez Star

Name: Beth Jacobs Lee Revis

Title: Editor Editor

Organization: Mukluk News The Valdez Star

Address: 90 Midnight Sun Drive

Tok, AK 99780

P.O. Box 2949

Valdez, AK 99686

Phone: (907) 883-2571 (907) 835-2405

Email: Mukluk News editor@valezstar.net

Radio Stations

KCAM Radio KCHU Terminal Radio, Inc. 

(KXGA Glennallen)

Address: Box 249, Mile 187 Glenn Hwy

Glennallen, AK 99588

P.O. Box 467

128 Pioneer Drive

Valdez, AK 99686

Phone: (907) 822-5226 (907) 835-4671

Email: kcam@kcam.org news@kchu.org

http://www.kchu.org/contact-us/

Television Stations

ARCS Television KTUU Channel 2 NBC

Address: P.O. Box 200009

Anchorage, AK 99520

501 East 40th Avenue

Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone: (907) 277-6300 ext. 6002 (907) 762-9202

Email: kim@akpb.org www.alaskasnewssource.com/page/

submit-a-news-tip/

AR000522
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: E-9 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

KYUR Channel 13 ABC KYES TV Channel 5 CBS

Address: 2700 E. Tudor Road

Anchorage, AK 99507

501 East 40th Avenue

Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone: (907) 762-8806 (907) 762-9202

Email: news@youralaskalink.com www.alaskasnewssource.com/pag

e/submit-a-news-tip/

KTBY Fox 

Channel 4 Television

Alaska Public Media - KAKM 

Public Television

Address: 2700 E. Tudor Road

Anchorage, AK 99507

3877 University Drive

Anchorage, AK 99508-4676

Phone: (907) 762-8806 (907) 550-8400

Email: news@youralaskalink.com www.alaskapublic.org/about/contac

t/

AR000523
Title: Community Involvement Plan Revision: 1 

Site Name: Nabesna Mine Site Date: May 2021

Park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Page: F-1 

Site Location: AK

Environmental Compliance and Cleanup Division National Park Service

Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorate U.S. Department of the Interior

APPENDIX F: NCPCOMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Removal Actions 

Non-Time-Critical Removal Action

Required When Requirement Citation– 40 C.F.R.

Designate a Site spokesperson. § 300.415(n)(1)

No later than when the 

Engineering Evaluation 

and Cost Analysis

Approval Memorandum is 

signed

Establish two information repositories

(one at a central location and one at or 

near the Site), and establish an 

administrative record file and place in the 

information repositories.

§ 300.415(n)(4)(i);

§ 300.800(a);

§ 300.805(a)

Publish notice of availability of the 

information repositories and the 

administrative record file in a major local 

newspaper of general circulation.

§ 300.415(n)(4)(i); 

§ 300.820(a)(1)

Prior to completion of the 

Engineering Evaluation 

and Cost Analysis

Conduct community interviews. § 300.415(n)(4)(i) 

Prepare and issue a Community 

Involvement Plan.

§ 300.415(n)(4)(i)

Upon completion of 

Engineering Evaluation 

and Cost Analysis and 

publication of the 

Engineering Evaluation 

and Cost Analysis Report 

Publish notice of availability and brief 

description of the Engineering Evaluation 

and Cost Analysis Report in a major local 

newspaper of general circulation.

§ 300.415(n)(4)(ii);

§ 300.820(a)(1)

Provide a public comment period of at 

least 30 days for submission of written 

and oral comments. Upon timely request 

during the public comment period, extend 

the public comment period by a minimum 

of 15 additional days.

§ 300.415(n)(4)(iii); 

§ 300.820(a)(2)

After the close of the public comment 

period, prepare a written response to 

significant comments received during the 

public comment period; consider and 

respond to significant comments 

submitted before the public comment 

period, as appropriate; place any such 

responses into the administrative record 

file.

§ 300.415(n)(4)(iv); 

§ 300.820(a)(2)

 

AR000524