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Kennecott Operations Plan
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve » Kennecott Operations Plan » Document List
The National Park Service (NPS) revised the 2001 Interim Operations Plan for the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark (NHL) in 2013. The Interim Operations Plan was written to develop management strategies for the NPS at the Kennecott National Historic Landmark in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (the park). Such a plan became necessary when the NPS acquired the privately owned site in June 1998. The Kennecott site, mined for its copper in the early 1900s, is in the center of the park, approximately 5 miles from where the McCarthy Road ends at the Kennicott River. The NPS acquired 2,839 acres, including much of the historic mill town, the subsurface rights to the mine, and the surrounding natural area.
The 2001 Interim Operations Plan was intended to provide guidance for management of the NHL for a five-year period. A revision was needed to document the work that has been accomplished at the site and to address new issues. The 2013 KOP revised plan described NPS goals for management of the site and included specific recommendations for structural stabilization, circulation and access, vegetation management, interpretation, and partnerships. Included under structural stabilization was the stabilization and repair of the two most iconic buildings in the Kennecott Mines NHL: the 14-story Concentration Mill and the 23,000 square foot Leach Plant.
The 2013 KOP directed the park to review the plan every five years, with a focus on any discrepancies between the plan and its implementation. The Review also provided an opportunity to address other issues that have developed since the plan was released. The Review was initiated in 2018 and concluded in 2023. A Revision of the KOP was also initiated due to the many actions that were accomplished from the 2013 KOP, changing conditions, and to reflect current and future desired conditions. The Revision is currently underway.
Attn: Lands and Planning Division
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
Mile 106.8 Richardson Hwy
Copper Center, Alaska 99573
The 2001 Interim Operations Plan was intended to provide guidance for management of the NHL for a five-year period. A revision was needed to document the work that has been accomplished at the site and to address new issues. The 2013 KOP revised plan described NPS goals for management of the site and included specific recommendations for structural stabilization, circulation and access, vegetation management, interpretation, and partnerships. Included under structural stabilization was the stabilization and repair of the two most iconic buildings in the Kennecott Mines NHL: the 14-story Concentration Mill and the 23,000 square foot Leach Plant.
The 2013 KOP directed the park to review the plan every five years, with a focus on any discrepancies between the plan and its implementation. The Review also provided an opportunity to address other issues that have developed since the plan was released. The Review was initiated in 2018 and concluded in 2023. A Revision of the KOP was also initiated due to the many actions that were accomplished from the 2013 KOP, changing conditions, and to reflect current and future desired conditions. The Revision is currently underway.
Contact Information
wrst_planning_kennecott@nps.govAttn: Lands and Planning Division
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
Mile 106.8 Richardson Hwy
Copper Center, Alaska 99573