Promising it will be the last step in a lengthy and controversial cleanup of the old Triumph mine site, the Idaho Department of Lands is seeking "conservation easements" from property owners there.
The easements would require residents to document any excavation work that disturbed topsoil that was applied over mine tailings contaminated with heavy metals. The department stated in a letter to residents that the easement and supporting documentation would enable them to ensure potential buyers of their properties that the remediation remained intact.
The cleanup process began in 1992 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began taking steps to list the area as a Superfund site. However, due to objections by residents, the cleanup was turned over to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. Between 1998 and 2004, contaminated soil in residential yards was removed to a depth of one foot and replaced by clean soil.
In a letter dated Aug. 3, Scott Nichols, Department of Lands bureau chief for surface and mineral resources, stated to property owners that "you will have the documentation to show that you are knowledgeable of the remedy that was performed on your property and you will make sure that the remedy is maintained."
"If the conservation easement is not signed by the individual landowners, final certification of the project could be withheld," the letter states.
Rob Hanson, DEQ mine waste property manager, said in an interview that the department required "community protection measures" to complete the project. Also, he said, the EPA requires the department to review the site every five years. He said that will be facilitated if landowners keep records of any excavation work that show disturbed soil was replaced.
However, at least one of the nine affected residents expressed reservations about taking on an apparent obligation.
"I thought we were all cleaned up," said Jitka Sullivan in an interview. "I didn't think any further supervision was needed. All of us people in Triumph have gone though so much over the years and we really thought we could put this behind us and get on with our lives."
Hanson said granting of the easement is entirely voluntary.
"It's up to the property owners," he said. "If they don't all agree, we'll have to decide if it's worth it to deal with just some of them."
Triumph is located in the East Fork of the Big Wood drainage, about 10 miles southeast of Ketchum. For more than seven decades, starting in 1882, the Triumph Mine produced ore that was rich in silver, zinc and lead. It closed in 1957.
