Remediating and Reusing Abandoned Mining Sites in U.S. Metropolitan Areas: Raising Visibility and Value

Abstract

Abandoned mining-related sites present threats to human health and the environment, while also being potentially valuable places for redevelopment. This paper examines whether successful sustainable redevelopment is more likely in metropolitan areas, and identifies site and population characteristics that make redevelopment more likely. We abstracted data on 143 abandoned mine sites from the U.S. EPA’s Superfund list, including information on site history and characteristics, remediation efforts and any continued contamination risk. Forty-one sites were located in metropolitan areas, and these underwent further document review. The EPA’s updated 2002 EJScreen database was used to identify populations at risk. Data were analyzed using matched pairs and discriminant analysis statistical tests. Follow-up studies of selected sites confirmed cleanup status and plans for sustainable re-use. We found that sites located in metropolitan areas were more likely than those in non-metropolitan ones to have undergone remediation and redevelopment. Multi-use sites were more likely to have completed remediation compared to single-use sites. A combination of site and population characteristics predicted the extent and type of redevelopment at most sites. It is likely that public pressure related to human and environmental health risks and high land values serve as an impetus for the remediation and re-use of abandoned mine sites in metropolitan areas.