Officials Revise Environmental Assessment of Quartz Proposal

Ouachita National Forest officials are expected to release a revised Environmental Assessment by the end of March on a proposal to mine quartz from an area of the national forest, located just north of Mount Ida. The proposed mine would be an open pit mine where all vegetation and top soil is removed from the area to be mined. A full 21 acres. Friends of the Ouachita Trail are opposed to such mining in the national forest for several reasons, one being because at one point the mine would be located a mere 150 feet from the Ouachita Trail, the premier hiking trail in this part of the United States.

Adjustments will be made to the environmental assessment taking into account public input after the 30-day comment period. Once completed, the public will be provided another chance to comment on the proposal of mining in the national forest.

In a press release by the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture Mena-Oden Distric Ranger Tim Oosterhous “I want to thank the public for their input on the initial Environmental Assessment we released in December. Input from the public is essential to the decision making process and allows us to develop alternatives that are responsive to public concerns while balancing multiple use management of the National Forest.”

There is no word yet as to when if approved, mining operations would begin.

Photo taken by Talidino