ACE

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Army Corps contracts w/ the outside experts involved in the site, including URS. Scott Acone is the site Project Manager for the Army Corps.

Action Memo

A memo that documents EPA’s intention to take a particular action—in this case the mine NTCRA cleanup.

ANR

Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. George Desch and John Schmeltzer are the key ANR contacts for the Elizabeth Mine.

DEC

Department of Environmental Conservation. A department within ANR.

Decant System

The system of concrete pipes installed when the mine was active to drain water from the tailings piles.

EE/CA

Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis. This report analyzed a number of cleanup alternatives for the site.

EMCAG

Elizabeth Mine Community Advisory Group. The EMCAG is made up of representatives of 10 community groups.

EPA

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ed Hathaway and Bill Lovel;y are the key EPA contacts for the Elizabeth Mine.

MOA

Memorandum of Agreement. The National Historic Preservation Act requires EPA to minimize the impacts of its actions on historic sites to the extent feasible, and to “mitigate” or lessen the unavoidable impacts on historic resources. A MOA documents the measures EPA will take to avoid and mitigate the cleanup’s impacts to historic resources. Common mitigation measures include documentation of historic resources through videos and still photography, archaeological excavation and the preservation of historic easements.

NTCRA

Non-Time Critical Removal Action-- a faster-track cleanup program. At the Elizabeth Mine, the NTCRA cleanup will address the tailings piles, while another program—the remedial program-- will address groundwater and other possible site contamination. EPA will pay 100% of the construction costs and the state will be responsible for all O&M costs.

O&M

Operation and Maintenance

Piping

Internal dam erosion.

Remedial Action

A longer-term Superfund cleanup program. The state must pay 10% of the cost of a Remedial Action, as well as all O & M costs.

Remediation

Cleanup

Remedy

The selected cleanup option

Removal Action

A "fast-track" Superfund cleanup program. The state does not pay any of the initial costs for Removal Actions, but must pay for long-term O & M costs. A NTCRA is a Removal Action.

RI/FS

Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study. A Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study (RI/FS) is performed at a site after it is listed on the NPL. The Remedial Investigation (RI) serves as the mechanism for collecting data. The Feasability Study (FS) is involves the development, screening, and detailed evaluation of alternative remedial actions. The RI and FS are conducted at the same time. Data collected in the RI influence the development of remedial alternatives in the FS, which in turn affect the data needs, the scope of treatment studies, and additional field investigations.

ROD

Record of Decision. A public document that explains which cleanup alternatives will be used to clean up a Superfund site. The ROD for sites listed on the NPL is created from information generated during the RI/FS.

TAC

Technical Advisory Committee of the EMCAG

TAG

Technical Assistance Grants program. EPA awarded a TAG to the Copperas Hill Coalition (CHC) they can hire their own, independent Technical Advisor. Richard Downer and Woody Reed were TAG advisors. The current TAG advisor is Lori Barg.

TP-1

Tailings Pile 1. The largest and most recent of the powdered rock waste that is a byproduct of mining known as “tailings”.

URS

An environmental contracting firm that specializes in mine cleanups. URS works for EPA through a contract with the Army Corps. Chris Hatton and Jason Clere work for URS.

USGS

U.S. Geological Survey. Bob Seal works for USGS and is providing technical support to EPA through an agreement with the Army Corps.