AML program reports backlog of closure-ready sites; commission discusses rescue-training partnership

Sean Derby, AML program chief, presented the Division’s 2025 field work and a plan for 2026. Using lidar targeting and high-definition DEMs the AML team identified 578 sites in 2025, revisited 707 historical sites, and recorded a high number of nonhazards (4,628). Derby said the program successfully completed a number of private-ground hard-closure projects but faces a growing backlog of sites awaiting categorical exclusion (CX) approvals from federal partners; he estimated more than 200 near-term hard-closure sites could proceed with district-level approvals and noted roughly 300 additional mid/long-term surveyed sites.

Derby proposed a stronger incident-readiness effort—an AML Rescue Task Force concept discussed with Washoe County Search and Rescue—which would provide joint training, increase stakeholder coordination and use curated AML sites as potential safe training grounds if hazards are mitigated. Commissioners and staff discussed liability, site selection, existing mine-rescue capabilities, and the potential to integrate mine-rescue teams and county search-and-rescue training. The commission encouraged further planning and cross-agency coordination and said the AML program should return with a more specific proposal and partners identified.

Derby said the program will expand drone use for reconnaissance, increase ground-truthing and seek additional federal approvals to clear the backlog. He recommended continued investment in safety training and restoring a federally recognized AML safety curriculum for state workers and partners.