Mike Pool to Henri Bisson

3/4/2009

Henri, I’m sending you this again just to ensure that you have it. If the EPA risk assessments hold true in their final report to be completed late April or early May, we plan to close the area off to public use. This temporary/emergency closure would encompass approximately 31,000 acres - perhaps even more to logically secure the area at key points. Subsequently, we will revise the Clear Management Plan and decide on a preferred alternative regarding future use. This has been a long standing issue at ClearCreek for many years. Clear Creek had evolved into one of the top ten riding areas in the US and several motorcycle chapters and clubs use it annually including sponsored events. After several years of work, EPA finally concluded their sampling and modeling using the latest techniques. The exposure rates are much higher than expected. In terms of public and employee safety, we’ll have no choice but to close it. This is the largest naturally occurring asbestos deposit in the US and the fibers are interspersed in theupper soil layer. Please call if any questions. I will include this issue in my briefs during my Directorate/Departmental/Congressional visits the week of April 7th. I’ll keep you posted on the action steps ahead including communication plans to be jointly developed and carried out by EPA and BLM. Both the BLM toxicologist Karl Ford and the Departmental industrial hygienist Tim Radtke have reviewed the draft EPA findings. At this stage, they have not disputed the risk assessment to human health. This includes the EPA protocols for sampling, analysis and modeling outcomes. We anticipate the closure will go into effect around May 1 - concurrent with the posting of the final report by EPA.