Community Update 

Kennecott Mines and 

Mill Town Site 

CERCLA RI Activities 

National Park Service 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and 

Preserve 

August 2021 

SITE BACKGROUND 

The Kennecott Mines and Mill Town Site (the Site) is located in the 

Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark (KNHL) within the 13.2 

million-acre Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST), 

approximately 3.5 miles north of the town of McCarthy. The Mill Town 

portion of the Site is located within the Mill Site Unit of the Kennicott 

Subdivision. The Mill Town is comprised of over 100 historic structures, 

including former operational structures such as the Mill Building, Leaching 

Plant, Power Plant, and numerous housing and support structures. Currently 

much of the Mill Town is on lands administered by the National Park 

Service (NPS) and is a popular tourist destination. 

The Kennecott mines, mill, and related facilities were developed and 

operated by the Kennecott Copper Corporation between 1906 and 1938. 

The Mill Building, and later the Leaching Plant, received and concentrated 

ore from the nearby mines. Today, the Mill Town primarily consists of 

historic buildings and other structures that were used to support the copper 

ore processing operations. Known types of wastes generated as a result of 

copper ore processing operations include lead- and arsenic-based paint, mill 

tailings, blasting caps, boiler ash, asbestos containing material (ACM), and 

petroleum-related wastes from spills. 

In 2015, NPS initiated a Preliminary Assessment (PA) in response to a potential release of hazardous substances to the 

environment from historical operations. The PA was based on review of historical reports and documentation as well as a 

site reconnaissance. Based upon the results of the PA, NPS determined that a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study 

(RI/FS), pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), was 

necessary to fully characterize the nature and extent of contamination that may pose a threat to the public and/or the 

environment and to evaluate alternatives for a permanent remedy. 

PHASE I REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION TO BEGIN ON AUGUST 10, 2021 

During the month of August 2021, NPS will be initiating Phase I of the RI for the Site. During the investigation, NPS 

contractors will be collecting environmental samples from various locations on federal 

lands in the Mill Town portion of the Site as follows: 

• Air samples and soil samples to assess outdoor air quality as it relates to fugitive 

dust emissions. 

• Soil samples to assess the nature and extent of lead- and arsenic- based paint 

impacts. 

• Soil samples to estimate metal concentrations and assess the horizontal extent of 

mill tailings and ore/ore concentrates. 

• Soil samples to assess the horizontal extent of blasting cap disposal areas and 

related contaminants. 

• Surface water and sediment samples from National Creek to assess Site-related 

contaminant migration. 
  

Phase I RI field investigation activities are being planned and implemented in close coordination with Park staff to protect 

public safety. Mill Town areas and buildings currently open to the public will remain open during investigation activities; 

however, an exclusion zone will be established around active work areas using safety cones, stakes, and/or caution tape. 

Residents and visitors are asked to respect the boundaries that are established for their safety and the safety of the 

sampling crew. Field work is expected to take approximately three weeks, with field personnel performing various tasks 

during daylight hours on both weekdays and weekends. 

NEXT STEPS 

Following the Phase I field work, a Phase I RI 

Technical Memorandum will be prepared to include 

the following: 

• A summary of findings 

• Estimated extent of potential contamination 

• Summary of analytical results 

• Compilation of field data, analytical reports, 

data validation reports, and statistical 

evaluations 

• Recommendation and data gaps for future 

phases of the RI 

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT 

Community involvement is an important part of the NPS CERCLA process. Information repositories have been 

established in the three locations identified below and house copies of the Site Administrative Record File. CERCLA 

administrative record files consist of those documents that will form the basis for the selection of a site’s cleanup action. 

Electronic copies of the documents currently in the Administrative Record File, including the Kennecott Community 

Involvement Plan, are available on-line on the Park’s website (Site webpage link1

). Paper copies are available at the 

information repositories; call for an appointment to review the records in person. The repositories will be updated 

periodically. 

KENNECOTT INFORMATION REPOSITORIES 

NPS Alaska Regional Office Kennecott Visitor Center WRST Park Headquarters 

240 W 5th Avenue Blackburn School Mile 106.8 Richardson Highway 

Anchorage, AK 99501 Kennecott, AK 99588 Copper Center, AK 99573-0439 

Contact: Sarah Venator Phone: (907) 205-7106 Contact: Mark E. Miller 

Phone: (907) 644-3573 Phone: (907) 302-1373 

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

If you have questions concerning the information contained in this Community Update, please contact Sarah Venator, 

NPS Federal Government Lead, via email at sarah_venator@nps.gov, or Mark Miller, NPS Park Contact, via email at 

memiller@nps.gov. 

1 https://www.nps.gov/wrst/learn/management/kennecott‐mines‐and‐mill‐town‐site‐environmental‐investigation‐project.htm